Guy Gets Grief Over Style

Dear Dee:
I like to dress fashionably, and I hear that girls like guys who dress fashionably. I lean towards the Hollister side, but I like to wear casual dress shirts and stuff as well.

I come under a lot of fire, almost always from guys, who joke about my sexuality. I'm straight, but obviously they like to make "gay" and "fag" jokes about me. It's been this way for about a year. It sucks and I really try not to let it bug me, but it does.

I'm not sure what to do, I pretty much like the way I dress, and I think the ladies do too, but the comments are starting to bug me.

While this behavior from this group of guys is absolutely absurd and extremely immature, I think the best way to handle it would be to let your suave style and superior fashion savvy speak for itself ...

When their grubby-jeans-wearing, torn-T-shirt sorry butts see you surrounded by pretty girls and never dateless, they'll see the light and realize your careful attention to personal appearance is what sets you apart. (Besides the fact you're not a name-calling bigot who constantly stereotypes people ... )

I know it's hard to ignore these jerks. And I know their ignorance causes you pain and embarrassment. But it seems to me that lashing out would only fuel the fire and make it worse.

You know who you are, what you like and why you do what you do. Be confident in that! And remember it doesn't need explaining to anyone -- least of all a bunch of bullies. So you keep doing your thing and show them you're the better guy for it. Not only regarding common sense, but in the eyes of all the beautiful ladies who love a well-dressed man.