A man's age represents a fine cargo of experiences and memories. ----Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, Wartime Writings 1939-1944, translated from French by Norah Purcell
Today’s blog is the first in what I hope will be a series, Like Fine Wine…, a portfolio of famous men in various stages of their lives. As I love the Golden Age of Hollywood, I’m starting it off with one of my all-time loves, actor Anthony Quinn.
What prompted me to begin this series was a discussion I had this weekend with a young man about society’s fixation on youth and beauty. We specifically spoke of beautiful men.
The conversation triggered me to thinking about what I personally find attractive.
Oh, yes, I love to look at the hotties—those perfect bodies with the perfect washboard abs, the gently sloping muscles of ass cheeks and (hell, yes) their family jewels. But...but...
One thing my friend and I discussed was how society’s obsession on beauty resulted in the dismissal of one of the most marvelous phenomenons of nature—maturity, the human aging process.
A fact of life which is honored by many cultures is sadly demeaned by many in our own country.
Maybe I’m alone in my feelings, but I’m here to tell you I find the maturing process in men to be extremely attractive. Nothing is more becoming than those beautiful marks of experience—every gray hair, every laugh line. There is something so graceful and regal about it. And so damn sexy
That’s all, no rambling by C. Zampa today, only a celebration of beauty. So enjoy Anthony Quinn with me.
The mature man, the lion in his prime.
13 Comments:
I have to admit this isn't something I've thought about often, and not b/c I think a guy has to be young to be sexy. When I met my husband, I was 18 and he 21. I haven't looked at another man since. I've noticed though, when the kids and I look through our old pictures and see daddy when he was in his early 20s, I am STRUCK by the changes. He looks SO much better to me now (at 37) even though I've only had eyes for him from day one. It's pretty amazing how devastatingly handsome a mature guy can be!
"The Lion in his prime"... I like that. And of course I agree. Who wouldn't? Anthony's son is another one. I was so saddened to hear of his death this summer. Francesco was only 46, but he was beautiful like his father.
We're simpatico, Miss Carol. lol I just told my hubby this morning how handsome he is with the slight graying at the temples. He gets better every year. Maturing has lots of benefits.
Maturity and experience can be incredibly sexy...A young guy might have the looks, but not necessarily the personality. An older man, having honed himself over the years, often has the complete package.
It is interesting to look back and see how much you change even though you don't see those changes daily. I think a person is attractive because of their personality and charisma as well - it's not just an outer package. An outer package may be pretty but if they're a jackass inside it ruins the image.
It's funny this blog post comes up today. Just yesterday, at my cafe day job, I was musing to myself how a goodly portion of the attractive men who come in for lunch are easily in their late forties, early fifties. There's a few young, sweet things, too, but they always seem so nervous and unsure, while the older men are just nice, confident men always ready with a smile and jovial word or two while they order their sandwiches. If it's because they know they're attractive, or because they just don't bother to worry about it, one way or the other, it just struck me how sure and confident they seemed. I'm positive it added to their attractiveness.
Hey, Sarah!
That is funny that, when you step back, you see the nice effects of maturity on your husband.
And, oh, there sure IS something devastatingly handsome about a mture man. Sigh.
Oh, Joylene, I'd forgotten about Francesco! And, boy, he was the mirror image of his father.
Good to see you, my friend!
Hi there, Cassie!
Oh, yeah, that graying at the temples! How DO men do that and look SO gorgeous!!!
Thank your for stopping by!
Welcome, Karenna!
And AMEN about the mature man having the complete package!
No assembly required. Sigh.
Right on about the personality, Kellie!
And I truly believe that it's one of the major things that DOES make a man mature beautifully...when he has the lovely soul that softens his edges as he ages.
Hey, Jaime!
That's such an interesting observation...and when I stop to think about it, I know you are right! Just that certain casualness that comes with experience. SOOO damn attractive.
This comment was left by Ruth Sims...a dear, wonderful woman whom I adore. She wasn't able to post it to the blog, but it made me smile so, I wanted to paste it here...
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Omg, Anthony Quinn and more Anthony Quinn and even more
Anthony Quinn I adore him!
Seriously, I loved the blog. (And Quinn) I have no luck trying to
comment on Blogger/Blogspot blogs, so I have to do it this way.
Good job.
And I agree with you about mature men. Twenty-one-year olds have no
pores and they are pretty but give me a man (or woman) who has lived
long enough to have character in his face. You know who else just kept looking better the older he got? Cesar Romero. I hurt ever time a mature actor or actress gets a face lift. So often they go bad or look just plain weird. I've often thought I'm so glad I'm not beautiful. It must be totally horrible to have been beautiful, depended on your looks to a
great extent, and then gradually, as we all must, get old. I wonder what Angelina Jolie will look like twenty years from now. It's harder on women.
Well, I wandered off topic, didn't I.
I just wanted to let you know how much I liked your blog.
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