The term “girly man”, popularized by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger, is a ball-busting insult to most men. And what activity is more “girly” than shopping? While women shop, men should be doing manly activities like burping. Or chopping wood. Right?

Wrong. It’s high time that I addressed the often-ignored topic of men’s fashion. Men in the 21st century are expected to look just as pulled together and polished as women. The Brawny Man no longer stands triumphant as the masculine ideal. Instead, style-conscious men, from Derek Jeter, who has his own line of men’s products with Avon, to Jude Law are setting a new standard for masculine style.

The gentlemen of Northwestern do a decent job of dressing. But walking down Sheridan Road every day, I see the requisite male uniform of t-shirt and shorts with flip-flops on at least 4 out of 5 males. The t-shirt usually has a fraternity or sports logo on it. Sometimes the t-shirt is substituted with a button-down shirt or polo. Whoa, right?

Many boys here seem to shy away from fashion; they consider clothes as a necessity rather than a source of creativity. I asked some of my male friends to share their thoughts on fashion, and a few factors were commonly agreed on:

• Make sure you match
• Don’t look stupid
• Be comfortable

This is a good code to live by. But it’s becoming increasingly acceptable for men to take a more in-depth interest in fashion. Magazines like GQ and Esquire combine their tips on fashion with photo spreads of a nearly nude (surprise surprise) Lindsay Lohan or Scarlett Johansson. Men’s Vogue launched their first issue with a cover of Tiger Woods. These all convey messages that men can be both masculine and appreciate style.

The image of the style-conscious male was popularized even more with the term “metrosexual,” which became popular about five years ago. The New York Times ran their first article on metrosexuals in 2003. In it they gave numerous examples of men who fit the category, including soccer star David Beckham (according to the article he paints his fingernails, braids his hair and poses for gay magazines — not that you should go that far).

But you don’t have to be metrosexual or feminine to be conscious of clothes. Here are a few dos and don’ts applicable to NU’s male population.

DON’T forget socks.

I’m not talking about a baseball team, gentleman.

Scenario 1: Man gets dressed. He puts on khaki shorts and a polo. He looks good. Then, before he runs out the door, he pulls on some black socks. And sandals.
Scenario 2: Man looks very suave in a dark suit and dress shoes. Alas, white socks ruin the entire outfit.

This is a look made most famous by Michael Jackson. In light of his history of child molestation accusations, any association with The King of Pop are best avoided.

DO pick up a copy of GQ or Esquire along with your Sports Illustrated and ESPN mag.

These magazines include top-notch writers, photo spreads of provocatively posed actresses — and fashion tips as well. Even if the fashion pages still scare you, the latest issue of esquire.com boasts other informative articles, ranging from “How to Buy A Girl a Drink” to “The Cocktail Waitress: An Appreciation.”

DON’T wear ill-fitting clothes.

If you are a skinny boy, you do not need to buy XXL t-shirts. It will not make you look gangsta. You will just look like a little boy wearing very large clothes. Conversely, when you’ve hit a growth spurt, suck it up and go shopping. Avoid the comparisons to Pee-wee Herman and purchase some pants and shirts that properly cover your ankles and wrists.

DO try new things.

Business suits, ties and dress shoes will become a staple of life soon enough. Take advantage of college as a time to mix it up a little. Invest in some faded denim jeans or a checkered button-up shirt. Purchase a jacket that doesn’t have the word “Northface” somewhere on it.

So next time you stumble into your closet in an early morning haze, before you rush to class, stop and think about your clothes for a minute.

And if clothes still baffle you, just try to grab something that smells clean — or at the very least invest in some Febreze.