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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 18, 2009 15:35:39 GMT
Something in the Google thread prompted me to open this discussion. One person asked about Don Cuevas' "handsome young avatar", to which DonC replied in part: "Personally, I think he's very homely, but has tremendous charisma/sex appeal."* I always think what people perceive as handsome, beautiful, ugly, etc. is interesting. For instance, to what degree are we influenced by advertising and popular culture? Are you unhappy with your looks because you don't fit into those canons? The singer El Cigala cited by DonC has a very prominent nose. As a noble-nosed person myself, I know this doesn't photograph well. However, in videos you can see he is quite good looking, albeit not in a Hollywood way. I think especially for women, youthandbeauty becomes all one word and concept, although this appears to be changing. You certainly never hear it said about a woman, "She's gorgeous -- has those wonderful craggy good looks", the way you might hear it about a man. But I think men are victims of popular culture indoctrination as well. Many men are quite charming because they're unaware of their handsomeness, always having only compared themselves to matinee idols. Any thoughts on this? * Reply #8 here, for quote & great video |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2009 16:28:27 GMT
I thought that was Don C.  |
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Post by spindrift on Nov 18, 2009 17:11:46 GMT
My Spanish teacher is quite unaware of his handsomeness. He is very kind and charming too.
However I am the only 'old' person in the class - everyone else is in their twenties - most of them are 3rd year medical students.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2009 21:03:40 GMT
Perhaps the correct term is "attractive" rather than "good looking."
I have never been good looking, but I have sometimes been attractive.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2009 21:32:41 GMT
I once overheard two people talking about me and one said",oh you know her,she's attractive but a little rough around the edges." At the time I didn't know what they were referring to and was a bit offended. Now,I know exactly what they meant and it is pretty apt.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 18, 2009 21:58:26 GMT
No, I specifically chose "good looking" because it implies a standard -- whether or not that standard is true. Attractive is vaguer, and used differently by different people.
Ha ha, Casimira. Yes, you've always been very attractive, but never part of the hairspray set.
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2009 22:15:02 GMT
I understand handsome/beautiful better than I understand "good looking".
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Post by Deleted on Nov 18, 2009 22:22:29 GMT
There are a lot of handsome/beautiful people around, but some can be mind numbingly boring. A good looking man does next to nothing for me, unless he has something to go with it. Brains being one, but also character and personality. But it has to be a specific kind of personality. I'm real fussy, truth be known.
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 18, 2009 22:24:57 GMT
I understand handsome/beautiful better than I understand "good looking". You could always make your own OP with the proper terminology. |
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Post by Don Cuevas on Nov 18, 2009 23:31:25 GMT
I thought that was Don C. Bixa wrote: The singer El Cigala cited by DonC has a very prominent nose.I also have a prominent schnoz, but not as bold as that of Diego El Cigala. Diego is attractive because he is charismatic and passionate. |
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 18, 2009 23:49:01 GMT
Eeek. My nose must be really big, since I've met you and thought your nose was quite normal/attractive/good looking.
Aha ~~ but you are saying that what attracts people to him are qualities of his personality, in spite of what you describe as homeliness. Lagatta, on the other hand, reacted with a gwrrrrrrr to his photo, because she finds him handsome.
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Post by lagatta on Nov 19, 2009 1:36:42 GMT
Yes, dark and interesting with a prominent nose is not exactly ugly in my books, but then on a style board I was extolling Anna Magnani as an icon of sexy mature womanhood. Guess I'll never quite make "elegant and chic".
Lagatta is bonkers right now, having been working on frigging computer from 6am to now. Happens...
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Post by cristina on Nov 19, 2009 3:32:34 GMT
Yes, dark and interesting with a prominent nose is not exactly ugly in my books, but then on a style board I was extolling Anna Magnani as an icon of sexy mature womanhood. Guess I'll never quite make "elegant and chic". Lagatta is bonkers right now, having been working on frigging computer from 6am to now. Happens... Heh heh... Actually, I love the photo of El Cigala that Don C uses, but looking at El Cigala's website, some photos are somewhat more attractive than others. *fanning* Actually, I can get my eyeballs to attention by a single photo, but it can't be sustained unless there is something else in terms of personality plus intelligence. In conversations with my male friends, I get the sense that its the same for the men. In the meantime, I am still hoping that "not perky butt" has somehow become hot for men.  |
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Post by fumobici on Nov 19, 2009 7:34:19 GMT
It has. Or will at any rate. At 50, women under 30 seem like an alien species  And a not very interesting one. |
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Post by Deleted on Nov 19, 2009 14:50:09 GMT
I'd like to meet this guy, I'm sure he's my destiny. unkempt, wrinkly, odd and unusual? yes, but what can I say? I guess I'm just werido. Hugh Lawrie:  |
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Post by traveler63 on Nov 19, 2009 18:21:11 GMT
My take on"good looking" as good to look at. To me, men that are extremely good looking have next to perfect looks, but aren't appealing to me because I feel that they would not be approachable and a lot of them aren't too humble about it and that is a turnoff. Then there is sexy; some men are sexy and not necessarily "good looking". For instance Sam Elliott isn't necessarily good looking to me, but he is sure sexy and I love his voice. Others that I would put in this category, George Clooney good looking and sexy. Johnny Depp (voted the most sexy by People Magazine2009 and whom I have a huge crush on for almost forever), can be both and even with his scruffy look is still appealing to me. Hugh Laurie same. Can't forget Richard Gere, Anderson Cooper(CNN).
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Post by rikita on Nov 28, 2009 0:03:25 GMT
i think it's definitely influenced by culture, but at least some people learn with the time to overcome part of that and learn more what they like... but what you said about women and age reminds me of an observation i made on a poster recently: was a poster advertising berlin, so they had lots of very different berliners on there (from police-woman to garbage-man). quite a few of the men were over 40 or 50, and quite a few were not traditionally good looking (a bit of a beer-belly, a somewhat funny face, etc.) - all women were under 30, and all had a pretty uniform "nice hairstyle, nice make-up" look, the only differentiation was that some where blond and some brunette...
also, if you look at the majority of actresses that are seen as sexy, good looking, attractive, or whatever, they tend to fall into a pretty similar scheme, while for men, again, there is a lot more variety. a man much easier i guess is seen as attractive because of charisma, than a woman.
but of course, as i said, some people learn to overcome this... and i guess the standards also change sometimes...
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Post by bixaorellana on Nov 28, 2009 16:00:46 GMT
Perfect example, Rikita. As you say, some people learn to overcome this. Bu it's sad to see how many people never develop either confidence or their own styles because they're trying so hard to look like what they're not.
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And a not very interesting one.
