Unrumpling Dudekind: The Guys Behind Be Better Guys

Hey, tough guy, pedicures aren't just for women. If your dad or your older brother failed to give you the knowledge about foot hygiene or pairing shirts with ties, David Boris, left, and Brian Joyner of Be Better Guys can help. Red-sock wearer, right, could certainly use their advice. (By Jay Paul For The Washington Post)

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What's your favorite article on the site?

Joyner: I enjoyed putting together the one on facials. I was apprehensive to go in and get a facial, but now I feel pretty good about it. On the way out, I saw that a buddy of mine had an appointment a half-hour after I did. Suddenly, writing it all became a lot easier.

Some of the grooming articles seem cautious about appearing too wimpy.

Boris: I think there's a difference between paying attention to things and being fussy. We're not perfect, but we do as much as we can. If you don't want to use hand cream, that's your call, bro. Just pay attention to this whole thing, and you're 98 percent ahead of other dudes.

Joyner: None of this stuff is going to make you any less of a guy -- it's going to make you easier to approach. It's going to make employers want to talk to you, and for women, it takes the guessing out of it. She's going to see that you've got it together.

How do guys grow up without learning these things?

Boris: With each generation this type of knowledge becomes less and less critical to more and more families. People have speculated about the demise of the gentleman, and that comes from your family situation. My dad is a wonderful man, but style didn't matter to him. So if your dad's not talking to you about this stuff, where are you gonna get it?

So where did you guys pick up on this stuff?

Joyner: It had to be my brother saying, "You gotta care. You're gonna get judged on this." Let's not kid. I'm an African American male. Everything I do gets judged on a slightly different scale than the average guy. I can't come to work looking like I had a late night. I don't get the luxury. My brother taught me to care about that.

And not everyone has that big brother.

Boris: And we recognize it. Next time you check out at the grocery store, look at the magazines: Cosmo, Marie Claire, Glamour, Vogue. Women have so many resources, and we have very little. We're trying to fill that gap for the regular guy.

But what about men's magazines like GQ?

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Unrumpling Dudekind: The Guys Behind Be Better Guys

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