Wednesday, September 26, 2007

This One's for the Boys


This blog frequently features photos of movie stars and models -- MALE stars and models. Today I'm breaking from tradition to give our male viewers (assuming there are more than just the Playfriend husband's and boyfriends) a little look at beauty through the ages. Maybe our female readers will enjoy it too.



The 1920's was the flapper era and actress Clara Bow was one of the most famous stars of that decade.


The thirties brought Bette Davis to the silver screen. Known for her strong roles and distinctive voice, she also inspired a song about her eyes in 1981.


Fox Studios distributed five million postcards of this photo of Betty Grable to GI's serving in the war during the 1940s. The image was also painted on planes, jackets and barracks walls and was the most popular pin-up of the war era.


Can any of you walk over a sidewalk grate and NOT think of Marilyn Monroe in this 1950's film, The Seven Year Itch?



The groovy sixties brought about a new look in fashion models. Presenting Twiggy.


The sixties also had this wonderful actress who wore a tiara, but wasn't a princess. She might have been thin, but not from anexoria or bulimia. Audrey Hepburn suffered from malnutrition as a child in the Netherlands during World War II and was plagued by chronic anemia.


She didn't wear a crown, but Jackie Kennedy was considered by many to be American royalty for her role as the "Queen of Camelot."



"Hello Angels," said the male voice on the telephone speaker. Three completely different women joined forces to set 1970's television on its ear.


And one Angel in particular created a signature look. Did any of you have a "Farrah Fawcett" hairdo?


Models in the 80's returned to a more natural look when Christie Brinkley hit the scene. She was the first model to appear on three consecutive Sports Illustrated swimsuit issue covers.


And then there's Madonna and her cone bra. Need I say more?


Cindy Crawford was the model of the 90's, and suddenly everyone had a mole.



But Teri Hatcher, who played Superman's pal Lois Lane, was the most downloaded photograph on the internet during that era.


This one wore a crown and was a real princess, and her beautiful light was extinguished in a Paris tunnel in August 1997.


There are lots of faces of the new millenium, but who will be THE face of this decade? My guess is Halle Berry.


When Discovery Channel had an artist create a template for a "perfect face," Halle's face could be superimposed over it. Also "perfect" were Elizabeth Taylor, Marilyn Monroe, Lucy Liu and Vanessa Williams. Amazing, yes?



"Remember how in that communion only, beholding beauty with the eye of the mind,
he will be enabled to bring forth, not images of beauty, but realities (for he has hold not of an image but of a reality), and bringing forth and nourishing true virtue to become the friend of God and be immortal, if mortal man may." -- Plato (or as commonly misquoted, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder."

Who do you behold as beautiful?

P.S. In case he's reading, Happy Birthday to the DH! Yeah, you remembered correctly that last Wednesday was #1 son's birthday. Wait til we get to April. #2 son and I celebrate birthdays two days apart.

P.P.S. Yes, there really is a Hollywood, Alabama -- but without the sign, which is just someone's Photoshop work.

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

I always say the most beautiful person in the entire world is my mom. 'Nuff said.

I had the Farrah Fawcett do...and hated Madonna's cone bra.

The face of the decade? Not a clue, i'd have to think for a while.

Happy Birthday to your DH!

Nini

Anonymous said...

I thought you still had my photo on file. should I resend? I'm sure you meant to put me in there. hahahahaha I read once that, based on some kind of study, beauty is usually a matter of symmetry. When the left side of the face is symmetrical to the right and it's also a matter of proportion. Denzel Washington, according to the article, has a symmetrical face.

Anonymous said...

Yes, it is amazing.

Happy Bday to your DH before I forget. How are you celebrating?

That is very sweet of you, NINI.

There are so many pretty woman around but no one in particular that stands out in my mind however.

Andrea Laurence AKA Smarty Pants said...

I think Dita Von Teese is gorgeous and in an old style glamour sort of way. Her taste in men leaves something to be desired, but she just seems flawless.

The face of the decade, sadly, is probably some strung out, rehab flunking party girl. Seems like that's all we've seen over the last few years. I'd like Keira Knightly for it, though. Just her head though, she's too scrawny.

Lynn Raye Harris said...

Great walk through time, PM! And Happy Birthday to the hubby! (It's my anniversary today too).

I had the FF-M hairdo. It was my first style cut ever, and I think I was about 9 or 10. I even had the FF-M shampoo. Anyone remember that?

My mom has that very same Jacqueline Kennedy photo hanging on her wall. It's signed, and she has a letter along with it that is signed by Letitia Baldridge. She sent Jackie a drawing when she was a girl, and that's what she got in return. It's one of our family heirlooms, I guess. :)

Jen, I heard that too about the symmetry!! I also remember a show once about how cartoonish features translate well to the big screen (like Julia Roberts's wide mouth or Anelina's lips), but that maybe in the future, when things are high def, it won't necessarily be the case.

Face of the decade? Hmm, well, I don't know. But I think Indian actress Aishwarya Rai is absolutely gorgeous. Angelina Jolie is beautiful as well and maybe more likely to be a face of the decade because she's more visible than someone like Rai.

Kira Sinclair - AKA Instigator said...

Happy Birthday to your DH, PM! And Happy anniversary, Lynn.

Hmm...I'm not really sure who I think is the most beautiful of the decade. I like Keira - and not just cause we have the same name and I can pretend for a moment it's me kissing Johnny Deep...

I do know I want the woman, whoever she is, to have a sense of strength and self-worth not just beauty.

Instigator

Angel said...

I think the men might have missed out. These female pics are much more subtly beautiful than the blantant hunky pics we post. :)

I have a very difficult time looking at actresses and judging whether they are beautiful or not. I'm too wrapped up in who they are as people.

Take Angelina Jolie, for instance. Some people say she's gorgeous, and she is. But I couldn't pick her for a beauty of the decade, because of her actions. And some current people's references to her as the next Mother Theresa make me furious! She could adopt an entire orphanage and still not be Mother Theresa.

Sorry, got off on a rant there...

Angel

Problem Child said...

Can we go back to the days when our beauty idols weren't sticks?

All those beanpole bobbleheads are scarely looking.

Katherine Bone said...

Happy Birthday to your DH, PM!!

Happy Anniversary to you and your DH, Lynn!!

Kathy

Anonymous said...

Thx, DW for the birthday wishes and you are still #1 beauty in my book.

DH

Problem Child said...

Okay, PM's DH is so sweet.

Angel said...

Aaaahhhhhh.....

Angel