I recently asked a handful of my girlfriends if they were attracted to flannel-shirted, tattooed, and expertly groomed Lumbersexuals.
Most said “yes,” but with a few caveats. No dirty beards, please, and, as always, keep it authentic – no slaves to it.
There are conflicting reports on when exactly the term “Lumbersexual” was coined, but the artfully scruffy look has been around since the beard became a universal craze. (Well, this is true for straight men anyway – gays have had the burly and hairy “Bear” look for years.)
A December article in The Atlantic argues that Lumbersexual style – “with links to the mythic lumberjack – has risen to prominence because there is a sense among white men that masculinity is ‘in crisis.’”
“The lumberjack, as we know him, only came onto the scene as a symbol of American manhood a little over a century ago, at a moment when American men were in desperate need of a hero,” Willa Brown writes in the article. “Both then and now, the men who sought these identities were searching for something authentic, something true.”
Now that there is a pithy term to describe the look, it has gotten more attention but the reality is that Lumbersexual style has been around in straight circles for some time. To me, the Lumbersexual look is about a call for self-reliance rather than a response to threatened masculinity.
It seems to me the look evolved from the craft phenomenon, which began quietly brewing after the Recession of 2008 – the uncertain time when the meaning of a seemingly secure job and pension lost its allure and even companies that were deemed “to big to fail” were suddenly facing collapse (whether real or perceived).
Economic uncertainty, combined with the technological age and the emergence of self-employment, upset the conventional career trajectory. Perfectly coiffed Metrosexuals, who wore Hugo Boss suits to the office, drove SUVs and sipped Grey Goose were suddenly without jobs and/or disillusioned with the ones they had.
Millennials watched their parents doing the 9-to-5 grind, and for what. The notion that you could depend on corporate employers to keep bank accounts filled (even the banks couldn’t be relied on) had slipped away. The message: they would need to (literally) carve out their own way. Bring on the axe!
An ethos that celebrated quality and independence began to take shape. We saw it not just in the craft beer revolution but in old-school barbershops, apothecaries, artisanal butcher shops, jewelry makers, single-origin chocolates, and so on.
The movement’s male uniform emerged as the Lumbersexual. Will he last? Probably not.
There are likely already a handful of tastemakers coming up to reject its mainstream status. But whatever look is on the way, I hope it also involves tattooed men wearing white Henleys and plaid shirts.
Top five Lumbersexual-approved shopping spots in Vancouver
1. For the Lumbersexual with elevated taste, Litchfield carries such gems as locally made duffle bags and cologne called Wood, which smells like a warm cabin.
2. Old Faithful Shop is a must-stop for the Lumbersexual, with its artisanal edibles, waxed canvas growler carriers, and handmade folding combs.
3. Lukes General Store sells Four Barrel coffee, vinyl, specialty goods, and apothecary, including beard oil, along with wool throws and camp blankets for keeping warm on camping trips and beach bonfires.
4. Victoria-based Sitka, which also has a Vancouver location, has been making outerwear since 2002. Way ahead of the outdoorsy movement, Sitka’s stylish apparel and quality gear is built for function and form.
5. Swedish company Fjällräven has mastered the art of quality outdoor goods with style. A visit to the Broadway Street location makes even the most ardent urbanite yearn for a camping trip. The store carries everything from its durable-yet-cool clothing to thoughtful outdoor goods.
