Friday, August 10, 2007

If you haven't been following along, check out the series of posts on the Sartorialist about the stylistic differences between Fred Astaire and Cary Grant.

I think it's comparing apples and oranges myself. And I'm certainly, certainly NOT going to try to pick between the two. I'll take them both thanks :-)

What you can't argue with is that both actors have what DH and I call "Face". It's a characteristic that embodies their presence, the way they carried themselves and their sense of style. It's something they had inside that made it possible to take what might otherwise be an ordinary face and turn it into something admirable.

Humphrey Bogart is a prime example of someone who was not particularly good looking, but who had beautiful Face. Grant was someone who was naturally good looking, but turned it into something more with his Face.

One of the things that gave so many of the actors and actresses of that era their Face, at least in part, was the fact that they didn't shlump about, as so many people do today. They carried themselves with a willful grace - erect, upright and ready to face the world. I think people have forgotten just how much personal power you get when you carry yourself like you mean it.

2 comments:

Geek Sewing said...

I don't know why I keep quoting Tim Gunn... but you know, in his book, he made a point that people ought to have better posture. And that posture will help one look better straightaway. I tried it, and I'm not sure if I look better, but I certainly feel a whole lot better. That little pain in the low curve of my back? Gone!

Janimé said...

I completely underrated the value of good posture growing up. My mom was forever pestering me about it when I was a kid. It's one reason she sent me off to dance classes - although tap is what made me stay :-)

But she never really explained why it was a bad thing to be all slouchy. So I just took it as one of those things moms do cause it's their job to pester you ;)

I was an adult before I began realizing how much difference your posture makes in how you look and feel on the inside, and how you are perceived by other people.