The problem with ostentatious clothing is that it detracts attention from the wearer. The success of the dinner jacket/tuxedo comes from the way that the lapels of the coat and the tie create a white triangle of exposed shirt, drawing attention up to the man’s face. The contrast is especially striking under artificial light, while the muted appearance of the rest of the outfit leaves the face as the focal point. It’s a winning formula that hasn’t been bested since it first became widespread in the 1890s, or indeed since simpler clothing and the black and white colour scheme for evening wear first became the norm for men’s fashion in the wake of the French Revolution.
As to the awards themselves, I’ve only seen Avatar, District 9 and Up from among 2009’s cinematic offerings. I liked them all, but none of them struck me as being brilliant. I like the Oscars for the recognition that they give to new directors and independent films, but the judges’ can so often be way off on the bigger awards. How Green Was My Valley a greater film than Citizen Kane? Annie Hall a bigger achievement than Star Wars? The test of time is a better judge of a film’s quality and significance.
Oscar Night- Keeping it real
When debutantes were presented at court they had to wear low necked dresses, even during Queen Victoria's reign. As a matter of fact, evening dress for women has required decolletage for a very long time. Even old women.
A woman's dress is meant to draw the eye to her figure, I suppose, and to accentuate whatever bits are "sexy" in the era. Bustles were sexy once.
A woman's dress is meant to draw the eye to her figure, I suppose, and to accentuate whatever bits are "sexy" in the era. Bustles were sexy once.
Dig deeper.
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Túrin Turambar
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Women's gowns can be simple as well, and, as vison said, they're designed to accentuate figure rather than create an impression of stature like men's evening dress.
It did become fashionable in Victorian times for wealthy men to display their wealth on their wives and dress more simply themselves, almost as a way of preserving modesty while still showing their status. And I suppose that mindset has carried over in part.
I still think the most elegant evening function is one filled with women in simple satin evening dresses and men in dinner suits - people should wear their clothes and not visa-versa.
It did become fashionable in Victorian times for wealthy men to display their wealth on their wives and dress more simply themselves, almost as a way of preserving modesty while still showing their status. And I suppose that mindset has carried over in part.
I still think the most elegant evening function is one filled with women in simple satin evening dresses and men in dinner suits - people should wear their clothes and not visa-versa.
Excuses, excuses. 
I think men just subconsciously crave sameness, and few now have the option of wearing dapper military uniforms. It's as good a theory as any. 
And speaking of figures. It may be just my Eastern European bias, but half of those younger actresses can only use the word if prefixed with "stick." Guys? Is it really so gorgeous to rock protruding collarbones and shoulder joints?
I think men just subconsciously crave sameness, and few now have the option of wearing dapper military uniforms. It's as good a theory as any. And speaking of figures. It may be just my Eastern European bias, but half of those younger actresses can only use the word if prefixed with "stick." Guys? Is it really so gorgeous to rock protruding collarbones and shoulder joints?
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
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solicitr
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NO. (In fact, somewhat painful). The Andersonville look, I believe, is a product of the fashion industry, because designers find their dresses look better when hung on walking coatracks. But then, most of the men in the fashion industry aren't really into women.Guys? Is it really so gorgeous to rock protruding collarbones and shoulder joints?
Most American men I suspect still really prefer something in the Marilyn Monroe range.
By a vote at an annual meeting of the Thoroughbred Breeders' Association.And I would like to know at what point Sarah Jessica Parker was announced to be beautiful?
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Primula Baggins
- Living in hope
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Tsk, tsk.
<giggles secretly>
<giggles secretly>
“There, peeping among the cloud-wrack above a dark tor high up in the mountains, Sam saw a white star twinkle for a while. The beauty of it smote his heart, as he looked up out of the forsaken land, and hope returned to him. For like a shaft, clear and cold, the thought pierced him that in the end the Shadow was only a small and passing thing: there was light and high beauty for ever beyond its reach.”
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
― J.R.R. Tolkien, The Return of the King
*sputter*
OK, this is mean coming from me, when I could lose 30lbs and still be cuddly. But seriously, she looks shocking. At least she had the sense to wear a loose dress.
OK, this is mean coming from me, when I could lose 30lbs and still be cuddly. But seriously, she looks shocking. At least she had the sense to wear a loose dress.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Men with those status symbols on their arms are called Rhino's. Because they are wrinkled and....well.vison wrote:Men, in the real world, would rather have a cozy armful, I suspect. But those skinny girls are not really for use, merely as status symbols for the old guys who wear them on their arms.
And I would like to know at what point Sarah Jessica Parker was announced to be beautiful?
I have never in my life though SJP was beautiful, her Cameron Diaz, and Uma Thurman are not my ideal of beautiful. However, I like Cameron's work and can get around her looks becuase of her acting. The other two...bleh.
As for people, I still think they should dress like Elves.
From the ashes, a fire shall be woken. A light from the shadow shall spring. Renewed shall be blade that was broken. The crownless again shall be king.
Loving living in the Pacific Northwest.
Loving living in the Pacific Northwest.
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Túrin Turambar
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It's not a theory - it's the truth. It isn't as severe now as it was in, say, the 1930s (where many middle-class men avoided any deviation from prevailing dress codes for fear of being taken for a homosexual), but men have desired uniformity in dress since the 1790s.Frelga wrote:Excuses, excuses.
It's my issue with all these wishy-washy 90s trends like business casual and creative black tie. Everyone knows what a suit is, what a tie is, what a dinner jacket is, and so there's no anxiety whatsoever involved in dressing for business or serious events, job interviews, work functions, etc. It suits me (ha) perfectly fine.
I'd sell my soul to be that thin and I find it very attractive and personally know several women that thin - like my sister and my best friend. And when I am with them, I am transparent.
Anyway, in fashion I love the dresses and suits of the roaring twenties - for both, men and women.
Anyway, in fashion I love the dresses and suits of the roaring twenties - for both, men and women.
"nolite te bastardes carborundorum".
Nin....why do you find thin so very attractive?
Trust me, men want softness and curves...I can vouch for that, you see, because I am the naturally thin, small-breasted woman you find so attractive, and I could cry everytime guys that I am friends with give me a hug and say "you could do with a bit more flesh on your bones" or "about time you put some weight on"...
Trust me, men want softness and curves...I can vouch for that, you see, because I am the naturally thin, small-breasted woman you find so attractive, and I could cry everytime guys that I am friends with give me a hug and say "you could do with a bit more flesh on your bones" or "about time you put some weight on"...
There is magic in long-distance friendships. They let you relate to other human beings in a way that goes beyond being physically together and is often more profound.
~Diana Cortes
~Diana Cortes
IAWY. Individually, a woman with any body type, thin or fat or athletic, is attractive to someone. I don't disparage thin women as a class! I do think that holding extremely thin (BMI below norm) figure as the ideal is silly and harmful.
If there was anything that depressed him more than his own cynicism, it was that quite often it still wasn't as cynical as real life.
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
Terry Pratchett, Guards! Guards!
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Hachimitsu
- Formerly Wilma
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"Effective malnutrition" I love that term.
I am very thin. I used to be really really thin. Due to some medication I gained 40 pounds.
I kid you not every single person who saw me after my weight gain said I looked better.
Everyone told me I used to look so sick, my chin was missing and I actually have cheeks on my face. I did not know I looked that starved before when I was that thin. Even the neighbour who hated my family's guts said that I looked a ton better when she pointed out I gained weight.
Thinner is not always better. I never ever want to go back to my old weight ever again, I was not aware I looked seriously ill.
I am very thin. I used to be really really thin. Due to some medication I gained 40 pounds.
I kid you not every single person who saw me after my weight gain said I looked better.
Everyone told me I used to look so sick, my chin was missing and I actually have cheeks on my face. I did not know I looked that starved before when I was that thin. Even the neighbour who hated my family's guts said that I looked a ton better when she pointed out I gained weight.
Thinner is not always better. I never ever want to go back to my old weight ever again, I was not aware I looked seriously ill.
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Túrin Turambar
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- Joined: Sat Dec 03, 2005 9:37 am
- Location: Melbourne, Victoria
I find thin attractive and I see that when I am with my sister who is taller and thinner than me or with my best friend who is very, very thin (she is an ancient anorectic), they make head turn around, if we are anywhere together, men look at them and talk to them. And when, a year and a half ago, I lost ten kilos every single person I know told me I looked better. Now, I gained half of it back and nobody tells me that is an improvement. I move better, feel better and get clothes more easily and like to wear them more when I have less weight than now.
My current BMI is 23, I really like myself at 21, my sister is 20, so I am not talking about unhealthy weight. I find it more elegant to be thin and I think that thinness has always been a criteria of beauty - think of Nefertiti, whose statue is 3 millenaries old... or the Venus of Milo...
I don't care if men want curves or softness, I hate it when I have a belly and I think what men (and women!) want most is someone who likes himself.
Anyway, about the Oscars: Precious is coming out here now and now that it has won an Oscar, everybody is talking about it.
My current BMI is 23, I really like myself at 21, my sister is 20, so I am not talking about unhealthy weight. I find it more elegant to be thin and I think that thinness has always been a criteria of beauty - think of Nefertiti, whose statue is 3 millenaries old... or the Venus of Milo...
I don't care if men want curves or softness, I hate it when I have a belly and I think what men (and women!) want most is someone who likes himself.
Anyway, about the Oscars: Precious is coming out here now and now that it has won an Oscar, everybody is talking about it.
"nolite te bastardes carborundorum".