Metrosexual - Insult or Compliment?

Dear Dr. Dave & Dr. Dee,

A girl at school called me a metro-sexual. Was I complimented or insulted?

Signed,

Unsure

Dear Unsure,

Metrosexual is a term to describe a male who spends a lot of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle. However, if taken to the extreme, a metrosexual is often viewed as narcissistic and overly self-indulgent on his looks.

The online encyclopedia Wikipedia at www.Wikipedia.org, defines metrosexual: "a portmanteau combining "metropolitan" and "sexual" was first used in 1994 by British journalist Mark Simpson who coined metrosexual (and its noun, metrosexuality) to refer to an urban male of any sexual orientation who has a strong aesthetic sense and spends a great deal of time and money on his appearance and lifestyle. He is the fashion-conscious target audience of men's magazines" such as GQ, Esquire, FHM and The Face.

Some examples of metrosexual behavior identified by Jake Brennan of AskMen.com are listed below

Metrosexual Behavior (www.askmen.com)

1. Grooms and buffs his head and body, which he drapes in fashionable clothing both at work or before hitting an evening hotspot.

2. Has discretionary income to stay up to date with the latest hairstyles, the newest threads, and the right shaped shoes.

3. For many metros, to interact with women is to flirt.

4. Impresses the women who enjoy his company with the details that make the man (i.e. his appreciation for literature, cinema, or other arts, his flair for cooking, his savoir faire in choosing the perfect wine and music, or his eye for interior design).

5. Is a city boy or, if living a commute away from downtown, is still urbane, if not rightly urban.

6. Enjoys reading men's magazines.

You're in good company as Salon.com Magazine featured David Beckham as a metrosexual. Beckham is the famous soccer player married to an ex-Spice Girl, Victoria, aka Posh (Simpson, 2002). AskMen.com also includes actors Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, and Hugh Jackman on the list of metrosexuals (Brennan, 2008).