I closed last week saying I think the best looking people around are those who can be soaking wet and still look good... I had the same conversation many years ago when I was a lifeguard... First of all you have to be in peak physical condition to complete the training and testing, but you also spend your day in the sun and fresh air... which all add up to feeling your best but for me sun bleached blonde hair and a great tan made the best of my assets... also because you are in and out of the water all day you tend to develop a look that is drip dry with as little fuss as possible... If you have to have blown out hair that is gelled and sprayed and you need cosmetics to look your best... you are going to come out of the pool or ocean looking a mess; think of anyone with a sprayed coiffed hairdo or a comb-over.
I don't think there is a single person alive that does not appreciate what cosmetics and grooming do to enhance our appearance... but keeping it simple is going to pay off if you are caught in the rain or thrown into the swimming pool... think about it... have you ever seen an unattractive lifeguard?
I think it's terribly important to realize that we are judged by many things in life such as the car we drive, the clothes we wear, our perfume or cologne (or if we smell a bit too ripe). where we live and our occupation... but we all need to face the fact that we are probably most harshly judged by how we look... That being said I personally think that looking healthy and happy is the best image we should work to project to the world.
Unfortunately the television and film industry as well as the fashion and advertising industry do not always see eye to eye with me on this matter... I've worked in the entertainment industry during times when I had "the look" as well as times when I did not... you just have to sometimes reinvent yourself or take a short break or just ride it out until the tide turns in your favor again... Our view of and perceptions of beauty seem to change with every generation; if you consider that in the height of his career Clark Gable was considered the most handsome man in Hollywood...
Through the years the ideal leading man has included Sean Connery, Hugh Jackman, Patrick Swayze, Harry Hamlin, Mark Harmon, Mel Gibson, Channing Tatum and Brad Pitt...
What is nice in all of this is it's not the same cookie cutter image being sold over and over again and if we are lucky enough to visit other parts of the world and experience different cultures and attitudes we are able to expand our understanding of beauty.
When I was working as a model in the fashion and advertising world the standards were more all american (which I was not) than they are now but the body and it's proportions were the details agencies and clients paid the most attention to...
- Robust neck.
- Broad shoulders.
- Developed chest.
- Trim waistline.
- Firm, flat abdomen
- Narrow hips.
- Tight butt.
- Developed legs and arm muscles.
- Weight in proportion to height.
I had a short career as a flight attendant and I remember someone who was already working for the airlines telling me about the hiring process... "In the first interview they weed out the unattractive, overweight and crazy people"... at my initial interview there were about 70 people and in the afternoon there were about 10 of us who were called back and eventually hired. I was flying at a time when males were first working as cabin attendants for US airlines and we served seven-course meals using fine china on crisp freshly pressed linens paired with vintage wines and followed by hot towel service; in the years that followed the standards for inflight services were dramatically relaxed in addition the status regarding age, weight and overall appearance were no longer the key factors for employment... but when I was hired the single most important component of the job was and still is passenger safety... I'm proud to say that I can evacuate an aircraft in 90 seconds.
The truth of the matter is no one wants to look bad but I think a lot of people don't always want to admit that they want to look better for fear of appearing vain.... but looking and feeling our best is the best gift we can give ourselves... try to stay away from plastic surgeons I'm thrilled that we can now accept interesting and sometimes imperfect features and that the WASP look is no longer the only acceptable norm; when I was growing up almost everyone I knew came back to school in the fall the summer after their 16th birthday with a new nose. Run as fast as you can from anyone who tries to convince you botox is the way to go... you are far to smart and interesting to fall for that. What you are projecting to the world is how you feel about yourself... Make it the best it can be by being healthy and happy!
Just in case you don't know or have forgotten... I just want to remind you that our dreams and ambitions are our best guides in life... don't ever give them up or abandon them (we sometimes have to modify them or let one or two go in pursuit of others)... but never give up and above all don't let anyone else try to talk you out of them... it took me years to understand that there are actually people who make themselves feel better by putting other people and their beliefs and dreams down or are judgemental or dismissive about them... If other people want to settle for less let them... but don't settle for less... hold on tight to your dreams.
With all the fluctuations and evolutions in our perceptions of beauty one thing has remained the same... BEAUTY IS AS BEAUTY DOES.
See you next week.
