23 Jan 2010, Posted by admin2 in Thoughts,Vincent, No Comments. Tagged anecdotal, my life, Thoughts, Vincent

Big Boys Don’t Cry

Photography by Vincent Barre

The old rules no longer apply. This is a brave new world my friend. As a young man trying to make his way in this world its hard to juggle the expectations you have of being a contemporary individual, against the traditional view of a man’s role in society.

Our role as men has changed. Clint Eastwood’s dead, long-live Russell Brand. When I was growing up using brylcreem was as feminine as it got, but then the revolution hit. The playbook I grew up living to had been thrown out in favour of a softer, furrier one. Now there are nearly as many male beauty products as women, walking into Boots is a daunting experience with about 300 new choices being offered up. Using moisturiser is as far as i dare to tread over into the pink side but it feels like the goal posts are forever changing. Walking down the street I see guys wearing UGGs and I’m not feeling too great about that; but to be honest, I probably spend as much time and effort on my attire as my female friends.

I may be looking after my skin and able to converse with women on more common ground, but at what cost? That most masculine of domains; the betting shop, remains a mystery to me. I have never set foot inside one, and all I know of them is what I see in films such as Lock, Stock and Snatch. As I walk past them, I stare into their grubby windows with a child like naivety and tempt myself with illusions of going in. But I know I won’t, for this is where men of old dwell and wager bets on games of pitch-and-toss. This is stale air, unkempt faces and wind-blown hair. Well after all mine is a brave new world.