The cultural shift that began with feminism has wound up here in the Twenty First Century giving us a world where gender barriers have been eradicated in many aspects of life... Not all, but many. Today, women can wear jeans and guys can get away with wearing makeup. But, do real men NEED make-up?

Honestly, it doesn't really matter, because here's the truth of the matter: You can wear what you like.

So the question isn't SHOULD you wear make up, do you HAVE to wear make up or should you NOT wear make up, but rather, what sort of image are you trying to carry, what sort of attitude are you putting forth with your own personal style, and will wearing make up help that or hurt it?

In many communities, men wearing some degree of make up is considered acceptable, so you probably won't have to worry about being ostracized from the community. The question isn't about whether or not you'll fit in with your friends or if it's "sissy" to wear make up, so much as whether it fits your style and, most importantly, whether the chicks will dig it.

So let's first look at what women really are looking for in a man. First of all, it should be understood that the majority of women actually don't care TOO MUCH about how you look. Now, that's not to say that they don't care at all, just that being a perfect ten, physically, won't guarantee a second date. Being physically attractive, as a man, only ensures more "auditions" so to speak.

In other words, the way you look is only going to affect your first impression on the ladies, so it's really nothing to drive yourself crazy about. What really matters has nothing to do with whether or not you wear make up. The way a woman is going to rate you as a man is in your attitude, your approach to romance and conversation. In this arena, the qualities that make a man are forwardness, sincerity and a tendency not to hesitate when it really matters.

Okay, so, what does this have to do with make up, you may ask.

Well here's the final verdict: Wear make up if you like, don't if you don't. The fact is that times have changed and if you want to wear eye liner and pluck your eyebrows as a man in the Twenty First Century, very few women are going to hold that against you and consider you less of a man because of it.

Perhaps we have glam rock to thank for this with guys like David Bowie and Marc Bolan putting on makeup and still being considered sexy, maybe it's just equal opportunity catching up with the fashion world, but whatever the case may be, you don't need to worry about being seen as less of a man because of your personal style.

If you prefer a leather jacket and eyeliner to a flannel shirt and a trucker cap, that's your decision. The true measure of a man is in his actions.

Copyright Terence and James 2010