Show Me, Show You

[thefourthvine]

Last night, I was talking to frostfire_17, and she described someone as "classically gorgeous."

I pointed out that I had no idea what that meant. I wasn't kidding. I really don't. Best Beloved has given up on me on this score; she has instituted a series of rules to keep me from getting attacked by a mob because I accidentally describe a celebrity as, for example, "oddly stretched" when that person is, in fact, the apex of beautiful perfection. (Sample rule: If I think a man looks like any member of the rodent family, he is in fact exceedingly attractive, and I should not share my opinion with others until I am sure they don't have pitchforks.) But I have always had the belief that if I simply looked at enough pictures, I wouldn't have this problem. (I have no problem, for the record, knowing what I mean by gorgeous. But I want to know what other people mean, too.)

Since I had a willing victim right there, last night I asked Frost to name some classically gorgeous people. It went sort of like this (names redacted for reasons that will become clear):

Frostfire: There's always [name of person].
Me, studying the results of a google search: He looks like a man who really wants to sell you expensive real estate, even though he was up all night doing lines off Aaron Sorkin's ass.
Frost: But when he was younger - okay. Never mind. How about [name of other person]?
Me: Seriously? Look at his Wikipedia photo!
Frost: Oh my GOD. Don't use the Wikipedia photos. Go to Google Image search like a normal person.
Me, managing to whine in text: But then there's too many pictures.
Frost, patiently: But I am going to tell you which pictures to look at. Okay, got it? First one, last one on the first row.
Me: ...How can those possibly be the same person?

At that point, I decided to call the experiment on the grounds of keeping Frost from hating me. But I still want to know what other people mean by gorgeous. I've just learned that what I need is for people with functioning Gorgeousness Determination Circuits to let me borrow their brains.

So, this is where you come in! If you have a functioning GDC and some time on your hands, that is. What I want - what I very very much want oh please oh please - is for you to pick out a specific photo of a famous person, one that you think embodies the term "classically gorgeous." (I am avoiding all other kinds of hotness for the moment, on the grounds that I am very easily confused, especially when looking at pictures.) Then post it here, so I do not get distracted by the plethora of images of that person on the internet. (One thing I learned last night: the more famous you are, the more truly awful photos of you there are in the world.)

And please remember to include the name of the person, because it's not like I will ever have a clue otherwise. (This is why I give up on "Post hot pictures!" threads. For one thing, I am never sure what kind of hot the posters mean. For another thing, I never have any idea who the people are, which makes it - confusing. Am I looking at the same person over and over? Or are these all different people? What is going on? Why do the pixels mock me? And then I have to close the tab or start ranting on street corners.)

Comments

[vickita.livejournal.com]

Can't stay, gotta run, but...

Rob Lowe.

He's a little scruffy here, but good God, this is a pretty man.

[greyminerva]

James Marsters, from his role as Spike in Buffy.
Cheekbones sharp enough to cut yourself on.


Timothy Olyphant - from Justified and Deadwood.


And then there's all the gorgeous men _I_ love that most "average" people tend to dismiss as ugly, boring or uninteresting - but that's just cause they haven't seen them come to life on screen!
Like Peter Wingfield, a.k.a. Methos from Highlander the series (and the last couple of films):

[name_les]

I think these 3 are very handsome, OMG especially Olyphant & Wingfield, but not what I think of as classically gorgeous. Part of the attraction of these 3 for me is their voices. I rate them higher on my personal hotness scale because of how they sound. I could listen to T.O. all day long :).

[greyminerva]

I think Olyphant at least would come under a "classical" heading - nice, even features, nothing too big or too small.
James Marsters might be too "pretty", and isn't aging quite as well, and Wingfield looks a bit too much like a scruffy PhD-student; although he's not young anymore so maybe a lit. professor? :D

Agree with you about the voices, though; "Raylan Givens" just gives me goosebumps. *happyshivers*

I mainly wanted to squee over their voices...

[name_les]

I don't even know how I derived my definition of classical beauty. :)

I didn't consider Olyphant and Wingfield as classical beauties because of their noses. My criteria for the nose is that it should be straight, on the thin side, and proportional. Olyphant's I thought a little too wide, but after conducting further research I've concluded that I overestimated the width and thus Mr. Olyphant does indeed qualify as classically beautiful. As for Mr. Wingfield, the very feature that disqualifies him as classically beautiful causes him to be incredibly sexy, lending strength and character to his face.

I love Raylan! I wonder how much of it is due to his drawl? :)
All of the best loved men in my life have had remarkable voices. My husband has a rumbly voice and an Aussie accent.

[emma-in-oz.livejournal.com]

I love Peter Wingfield but I would call him quirkier than classically gorgeous.

[sharksdontsleep.livejournal.com]

'Classically gorgeous' to me indicates a timelessness and, perhaps, an attractiveness that isn't solely based in sex appeal.

Carla, who was a contestant on Top Chef, was a model in her early days.

<------- Adam Lambert

[name_les]

Adam Lambert. please see icon.

he's just as pretty in person, very symmetrical & expressive features, beautiful eyes & smile

[eleveninches.livejournal.com]

ETA: Added this to DW instead!

[jacquez.livejournal.com]

I'm looking through the bits people have posted, and I think that some people have a "classic" definition that overlaps mine, and some do not.

I have a kind of easy illustration project for my idea of classically gorgeous men: look at the features that are similar between Michaelangelo's David, Cary Grant, and Paul Newman. I chose the pictures below because they were taken from similar angles, which might help you see what I am talking about.

David
Cary Grant
Paul Newman


Illustrating this for women is harder. I'm trying to think of a good set; if I come up with one I'll post it.

[corvis-corvax.livejournal.com]

My definitions of beauty are -WAY- skewed. I'd include both Johnny Depp and Vin Diesel.

[emma-in-oz.livejournal.com]

Elizabeth Taylor


http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_3kI68An9ha0/TVDv3ZT4O5I/AAAAAAAAFhA/g68Ya9TjlvA/s1600/elizabeth%2Btaylor1.jpg

[venilia.livejournal.com]

I grew up on old movies, so I think of Grace Kelly. Here are two pictures of her (http://05news.com/grace-kelly-usa-today-7467/). You can skip the second one as she's in her wedding dress with a full veil.

Marlon Brando when he was very young. Third one down. (http://www.yousaytoo.com/MandM/smoking-hollywood/13728)

In modern times, I'd say Halle Berry (http://hubpages.com/hub/Halle_Berry_In_Pictures)

Also Hugh Jackman (http://www.people.com/people/hugh_jackman).

And Jensen Ackles (http://weheartit.com/entry/11927212) has very classic facial symmetry.

Now that you've brought it up, most people I consider beautiful or attractive are not classically gorgeous at all.

[spiffikins]

I generally don't find that I look at a photo see someone on tv and go "oh that person is beautiful" - I have to "know" them (or their character in a show) before I find them attractive.

Some of the ones I like -

Adrian Paul

Sean Connery

Geraint Wyn Davies

Morganfrom Criminal Minds - Shemar Moore

I don't find them particularly attractive, but I'm told many people find them beautiful:

Jude Law
Eric Dane

David Beckham - although I suspect more people admire his physique than his face - rawr

A photo like this - Zac Ephron is what I think of when I think of "classical beauty" - although I don't think of this person when I think of attractive people!

[venilia.livejournal.com]

I second Jude Law and Shemar Moore.




I remember thinking Zac Ephron was handsome in Charlie St. Cloud (that was him, right?) but all I can see in that photo are his eyebrows. The heavy brow thing seems to be popular since Twilight, or maybe that's just me noticing it more.

[surexit.livejournal.com]

(http://smg.photobucket.com/albums/v97/Kenovay/?action=view&current=08.jpg)

Dule Hill: his features are immaculate (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VLabzxDORDI).

I don't think this post is going to help you much - classically gorgeous is going to mean insanely different things to different people. :(

[narikalen.livejournal.com]

When I think "classic beauty", Nicole Kidman (http://www.wingfantasy.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/Nicole-Kidman1.jpg) springs to mind.

[oaktree89.livejournal.com]

This is all very subjective (and anytime the designator "classic" or "classical" comes in, racism's going to be involved as well, since many societies preference "whiter" looks). But I'd say Scarlett Johansson, Kat Dennings, and Jasika Nicole could all be considered classically gorgeous.

[oaktree89.livejournal.com]

oh my god, sorry for the huge image!! i wish i could edit comments /o\

[cellia.livejournal.com]

I appreciate this post because people are posting images of pretty people. :D

Others have posted pictures, so I'll agree with Paul Newman and Ava Gardner.

When I hear "classically" I think of things that stand the test of time and that are more tied to overall societal taste than passing fads or personal preferences. Western societal taste has changed, but v v slowly imho.

For appearance this probably means markers of health/$$/power (ie grooming + diet + genes) that also avoid extremes. For human faces in western society (I bet you'd get different answers from different societies), I'd guess this usually means:

symmetrical features
large, high cheekbones
straight nose, not overly large (small for women)
large eyes (larger for women)
clear skin (men can get away with more wrinkles)
faces that are neither very long nor short
smaller chin for women, larger, stronger jaw/chin for men
no unusual styling or markings (or restraint in any)

I think a classically beautiful man or women in most western art for the past few thousand years still reads as beautiful today. There are a few things that have changed with time (ideal weight, paleness, styling), but the overall facial structure of (overall western culture's) attractiveness seems to me to have some constant structures--ie warts and large noses have never been a plus for women.

I will make it easy for you

[maygra.livejournal.com]

Since you are already familiar with him

[loligo.livejournal.com]

My, this has made for really enjoyable breakfast reading! I agree with all the people who posted that "classical beauty" is all about the math & the health: symmetry, certain proportions in the facial features, and clear skin, bright eyes, and healthy-looking hair. And as a lot of commenters have (oh so enjoyably!) demonstrated, you can easily find people from many different ethnic backgrounds who meet those criteria.

Interestingly, for me, "classical beauty" is no guarantee of "hotness" -- in fact, it can even work against it. But that doesn't mean that looking at classically beautiful people isn't still a very pleasant experience for me.

[applegnat.livejournal.com]

Madhuri Dixit (http://www.chakpak.com/articles/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Madhuri-Dixit.jpg). When I think "classically gorgeous," I think of someone with cheekbones, a great smile, and dignity to burn. (I think I just invented a philosophically impossible requirement.)

[anyone625.livejournal.com]

Sendhil Ramamurthy.
I don't even like his acting much, but whenever I see him pop up on TV I'm struck dumb by how handsome he is.

(http://tinypic.com?ref=f1gpb4)

(http://tinypic.com?ref=30ue340)

[valoryhope.livejournal.com]

I wish I'd paid attention when this was first posted; it looks like I'm a little late for the first enthusiastic discussion.

I just have to say...James Marsters and Jensen Ackles! (I'm glad to see that somebody already posted pictures of them.)

Of course, real attractiveness has nothing to do with symmetrical features and everything to do with personality. But it's very nice when you can watch guys like these two, who have *both* looks and charisma. I love to watch them act, but I can also simply sit and stare at a photo. *swoon*