QUESTION OF THE DAY, WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 6, 2021

[NY cat man]

In 1968 I was assigned to a thoracic/ plastic surgery ward at Bethesda Naval Hospital- now called Joint Base Walter Reed- and saw what those Marines and Navy men went through as a result of some pretty horrific wounds and burns. Why anyone would voluntarily go through that is beyond me.

 

[Willowy]

I'm not good at identifying human beauty. I can look at them objectively and say "yes, that person is certainly symmetrical" but I don't have the emotional (?) reaction of "that person is attractive".

Marlene Dietrich was certainly a fascinating person though! But she looks like a lot of "regular people" so I doubt she was ever considered a great beauty.

A lot of older actresses did have cosmetic procedures, sometimes even before agents would agree to work with them. Of course, there were fewer possibilities back then. And they would never ever admit it, that's probably the biggest difference. They had to keep an air of mystique.

There are some functional "cosmetic" procedures. I know people who have gotten eyelid lifts because their eyelids were so droopy they were interfering with their sight. A nose job to make it easier to breathe. A boob job to make them smaller and less droopy to help with back pain or range of movement. Liposuction for the same reason. Etc. And they mostly say it's worth it.

My cousin hates her nose so much that it's basically defined her life since she was maybe 8 or 10, so part of me thinks that it would be good for quality of life to get it done even if I think her current nose is perfectly good (although it's moot because nobody in the family has the funds for elective procedures). So I could see that being worth it too.

But chasing some ridiculous, subjective, culturally variable ideal of beauty? Nope. Nobody should feel like they have to do that. I won't criticize those that do feel that they need to do it, only the ridiculous and sexist ideals that they feel pressured by.

 

[Elphaba09]

I'm not good at identifying human beauty. I can look at them objectively and say "yes, that person is certainly symmetrical" but I don't have the emotional (?) reaction of "that person is attractive".

I can understand that to a certain point as I am demisexual. I think I see people from an artistic point of view rather than an emotional response. I can--and have-call someone lovely and beautiful, but it has to do with the symmetry and if their faces are "interesting." Oddly, I find women with more symmetrical faces more pleasing while finding a bit of asymmetry in a man's face more pleasing.

Marlene Dietrich was considered a great beauty in her day, which is why she was often a femme fatale. There is a rumor, at least I have never heard that it was confirmed, that she had some (or all) of her molars removed to make her cheekbones more prominent and to give herself a more gaunt look.

Bette Davis, who I consider beautiful, was considered more of the "handsome woman" than beautiful by Hollywood.

 

[Willowy]

I can understand that to a certain point as I am demisexual.

I'm aro/ace. But not just sexual attraction; I also have NO sense of aesthetics, lol.

Marlene Dietrich was considered a great beauty in her day.

Hmm, to me she seems average, at least without much makeup on. I know plenty of people who look similar to her in this picture (there are a lot of people of German heritage around here). I suppose it was the stage makeup/grooming/clothes/mystique that did the trick.

 

[denice]

Marlene Dietrich may have been average looking but she was the epitome of the old phrase 'she cleans up nice'.

She was an interesting woman way ahead of her time. She was bisexual and frequented gay bars. She was in an open marriage for years. She even trained in a boxing gym in Germany before WWII. She honestly did not care one bit about convention or what anyone thought of her.

 

[Willowy]

Most people clean up nice, I think. Just that most people don't have access to Hollywood-level cleaning up, lol.

She honestly did not care one bit about convention or what anyone thought of her.

Not a bit! I find her fascinating. She often told people who didn't like various things about her where they could go with that. BUT, if she really did have molars removed to enhance her cheekbones, she must have cared about what somebody thought at some point. Unless that's how SHE liked it. People are often contradictory and confusing .

 

[Mia6]

Angelina Jolie

Catherine Deneuve

 

[Norachan]

I think a lot of the reason that old movie stars look so gorgeous is just that everyone looks better when photographed in black and white.

 

[DownTheLane]

I have so many I like, I fall in lust with one every other movie I definitely have a thing for expressice eyes tho.
I'm also not a big fan of the huge amounts of make-up and cosmetic surgery. I understand that it's a saving grace for people who've been in accidents, who are very insecure about themselves ect. But honestly, I think it limits them in their acting abilities