Thursday, April 5, 2007

Bowery, February 2007


Ever since the days of Brooke Shields, Calvin Klein has been associated with nubile young models. So it's kind of funny that the sun hit these posters at just the right angle to accentuate every wrinkle in the paper, making the models look, oh, 82 or so.

I've never been too freaked out by aging, and I've never wanted to look younger than I am. The way I see it, I'm 40, and I should look 40. I shouldn't look 50, and I shouldn't look 25.

I'm also not into all the products meant to make us look more youthful. I have a friend who is constantly telling me to "moisturize" because it will make my skin look younger. But I've always been a bar-of-soap kind of guy, and my skin isn't that dry. Moisturizing is just not something I particularly want to add to my daily routine.


If you open my bathroom cabinet, you'll see soap, deodorant, shaving cream, toothpaste, aspirin, Tums, Lubraderm hand lotion, and band-aids. My overactive simplicity gene tells me that all those additional creams and gels are a waste of money. I think I learned this from my Mom, who wears lipstick but generally avoids makeup, and my Dad, whose main concession to appearance is that he takes a daily shower. (Lately he's been more careful about haircuts, too.)

Granted, my personal circumstances make this simplicity a little easier. Being a guy, I don't have to think about makeup. And I'm naturally pretty bald (which I have completely given in to by regularly shaving my head), so I don't have to worry about hair care.

So I'm not making any sweeping statements here about the evils of toiletries. Some people, like my moisturizing friend, think they're a lot of fun. I say, if you're into them, enjoy. I'll just stick with my Barbasol and my Dial, and I'll look my age - eventually, something like these Calvin Klein models here.

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