Turns out the must-have accessory for the summer isn't skyscraper heels, nor is it bronzed skin or a hot bikini bod. In fact it's the opposite. According to Guy Trebay at the New York Times, the summer of '09 is all about the potbelly. That's right, beer drinks and bratwurst connoisseurs can celebrate as this summer letting your waistline go is all the rage.

Blame it on the recession (be it canceling gym memberships in order to save a little dough, or society's new found emphasis on not sweating the small stuff... like scoring a six-pack). “I sort of think the six-pack abs obsession got so prissy it stopped being masculine,” Out's Aaron Hicklin told Trebay. Although, Dan Peres of Details claims "if we had a slob in the White House, all the hipsters would turn into some walking Chippendales calendar." Meaning, it's actually Obama's fault hipsters and middle-aged men alike who are giving up on getting increasingly trim. Whatever the reason, men should enjoy it while it lasts. Like any trend it's not bound to stick around much longer.