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Arrival of the lumbersexual male

Metrosexuality is out and the raw, ruffian laced, sophisticated male seems to be trending!

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He's someone who might go for a hike, build a bonfire and yet pop open a bottle of fine champagne while camping out in a luxury tent. He's impeccably groomed yet has an unkempt edge. Picture a well groomed beard, a leather jacket and boots - and that hint of bravado almost makes you feel that he might be carrying an axe in his backpack!
In 2010, Urban Dictionary defined the lumbersexual as, "A metro-sexual who has the need to hold on to some outdoor based ruggedness, thus opting to keep a finely trimmed beard."
Two names that come to mind instantly are - Kit Harington from Game of Thrones or a sun-kissed Matthew McConaughey. In the Indian scenario too, it's not hard to think of the following names - think Arjun Kapoor, Ranveer Singh and Randeep Hooda and you've got the drift!

Meet the lumberjack
Actor Arjun Kapoor loves boots and leather jackets and is cool calling himself a 'lumberjack'. "Leather jackets keep lying around. I don't even know how many I have," he shares.

He believes in striking a fine balance between his boy-next-door side and his latent outdoorsy side. "You can't come across as a sweet, lovable guy, you can have this element too. It's nice to have shades in your personality - the way you dress or style yourself. I have noticed in the past few years that men are willing to experiment. It's not unusual to come across a guy who would show a stubble sometimes even though he's used to being clean-shaven all the time. And they like it and they keep it for a while. I have seen people are pushing the boundaries in that sense. Anil Kapoor takes the credit for the stubble phenomenon when he says, 'mooch to main leke aya industry mein'. My friend Kunal Rawl does crazy things - he'll dress very chic sometimes while other times, he'll wear a ganjee with a leather jacket. Men are definitely more aware," says Arjun.

Meet the Metro Jack
The urban Indian man is now increasingly becoming more conscious of his appearance and experimenting with changing trends. Designer Varun Bahl says, "The Indian male is not fully embracing the complete lumber in lumbersexual. His look is cleaner, still slightly rugged, and yet has a softer side to his appearance with perhaps that rugged mustachio or the bulky outdoorsy jacket. I could best describe the Indian male at present embracing the 'Metro Jack' look by taking the best of the metrosexual and lumbersexual (inspired by the lumber-jack) world. Typically, the lumbersexual style of appearance was more geared towards functionality and the rugged form, it's now becoming popular and coming into the mainstream."

Fashion welcomes the lumbersexuals
One can define a new term every few years...but there have always been lumbersexuals around. Designer Wendell Rodricks shares, "I have many friends who fall in this category. They work as white collar executives and their weekends are always filled with the most interesting hikes, rafting and extreme sport events. I have family and in-laws who run marathons or do the Tour de France, they send email links where one can see where they are and how much distance they have covered. It is all very exhilarating. Bonus is that because they indulge in all these activities, they are in super fit condition for fashion and end up dressing very well. Fashion welcomes the lumbersexuals like we have embraced the metrosexuals.

Many getting it wrong
A lumbersexual is still a very well groomed male in essence, albeit with a more butch outlook. Designer Dhruv Kapur says, "Men need to recognise that their scruffiness cannot be unhygienic - Indian men more so because our climate requires extra care."

Nerds are out
This season lot of models were seen sporting beards, to break the monotony of clean-shaven urban male. Like it or not but the nerd look is slowly fading out. Menswear designer Sanjay Hingu observes, "Somewhere within that nerdy, metrosexual male is a lumbersexual streak, eager to come out. Catch him after his routine working hours, where he's not obliged to dress as per the work norm, that's where you'll see him at his casual best."

Suits only a certain body type
Not everyone would be able to carry off this laid-back lumbersexual style with élan as this would suit a certain body type. "Mostly men who are well built, have features which can carry off a rugged look and yet not look scruffy would do well to experiment with this appearance," adds Varun.

Hottest lumbersexuals in Hollywood
Ryan Gosling
Matthew McConaughey
Chris Pine
Joe Manganiello
Charlie Hunnam
Jake Gyllenhaal
Kit Harington
Hugh Jackman
Brad Pitt

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