It is generally accepted that beauty for a man is far from the main thing, but history proves that different eras dictated their own rules, which was reflected in the appearance of a strong half of humanity. Let’s take a short excursion into the past centuries together and see how the male ideal has changed.
In Egypt, high growth, a slender figure with a wasp waist, almond-shaped eyes, thin facial features, a straight nose and full lips were valued. According to the description, one can imagine a woman, but in fact, the standard of beauty for men and the fair half during this period was the same. Pharaohs and those who could afford, painted no less than Cleopatra. The eyes were drawn in green or black, and the eyebrows were drawn wide and long. Egyptian men wore lambswool wigs and adorned their clothes with jewels.
And in Greece, on the contrary, the cult of a proportional body prevailed – elastic, developed muscles, light, quick and decisive movements. We can observe this ideal in painting and sculpture of those years. The great conqueror Alexander the Great is considered one of the most beautiful men. He was the first to shave his face. The upbringing program of each boy included several sports. The Greeks strove for a perfect body.
Due to the aggressive policy and military lifestyle, the Romans formed the image of a stern, strong, hardy man with an athletic physique. In the heyday of the Roman Empire, noble men were … overweight – we remember from history books about the feasts of the patricians for several days.
In the early Middle Ages, men with long blond curls, blue eyes and a slender figure were endowed with beauty.
In Russia at this time, its own standards of male beauty developed: Slavic appearance, healthy blush and strength like that of an epic hero.
The requirements for the ideal of a man were based on entertainment popular in this era. Therefore, women preferred those who dressed exquisitely, sang, danced, were an excellent horseman and knew how to hunt. They singled out gallant and romantic men. Noble representatives of the stronger sex wore red and very lush wigs.
In the XNUMXth century, a new extravagant type of men appeared in Europe – “macaroni” (in France they were called pettimeters). They dressed brightly, unusually, dandy and behaved in the same way in society. These fashionistas loved the combination of bright colors in clothes and high hairstyles, like the girls. Their macaroni figure was corrected with the help of corsets and special pillows, so they created a narrow waist and high breasts.
By this time, a new standard of beauty had developed in Russia. It was a pampered gentleman, aristocratic pallor came into fashion.
Napoleonic troops marched across Europe. And the women were dizzy with officers – fit, with an army bearing, with a sword in hand. Epaulets drove young ladies crazy in Russia. Therefore, parents hid brides from frivolous and desperate hussars.
Industrial growth began in Europe in the second half of the XNUMXth century. Such professions as financier, banker, statesman are becoming in demand. Women began to pay attention to stability and financial security more than to the appearance of men.
At the beginning of the century, the hearts of girls more often beat from the revolutionaries. more precisely, from their fiery speeches. “We are ours, we will build a new world!” – such romantic impulses led armies, and not only young and young people. Such men were educated, talented speakers, they could convince anyone. Outwardly, one can distinguish the commonality of the type of the early twentieth century: men wore a neat mustache and beard. They dressed in three-piece suits.
With the advent and development of cinematography, male ideals of beauty were now set by actors. One of the first sex symbols of the then silent cinema was Rudolph Valentino. Men took an example from him: they shaved their faces smoothly, licked their hair and did a parting closer to the middle.
The pedestal of the ideal man was replaced by American actor Clark Gable, the king of Hollywood. He had a toned figure with good posture, broad shoulders, narrow hips.
Alain Delon became a new standard of beauty in the 60s. The famous heartthrob conquered women all over the world with his soulful blue eyes and youthful facial features.
In the late 60s, hippie and rock culture began to flourish. Men began to grow their hair and stopped playing sports altogether in order to be like the famous musicians Beatles and Rolling Stones. And when the Doors vocalist Jim Morrison appeared on the stage, the girls could faint.
When everyone was tired of skinny guys, a new ideal of a pumped up man was formed. Arnold Schwarzenegger became a seven-time Mr. Olympia and won the hearts of all the girls in the world. Other heroes appear – Sylvester Stallone and Patrick Swayze. All three were distinguished by prominent muscles and incredible strength. And the men gave up bad habits and went to the gym.
Time for IT people, those who work at the computer from morning till night. Men plunge headlong into their affairs and completely forget about their appearance.
The time of the metrosexuals. The main signs of such a man are six abs, perfect hair styling and expensive clothes. David Beckham, a professional footballer, is a prime example of the beauty standard of the XNUMXs.
Later, hipsters appear. The ideal man looks casual, wears vintage clothes, glasses and is careless about everything. At this time, Canadian actor Ryan Gosling is at the peak of polarity, and the girls dream of meeting a guy like him.
But on the whole, an era of diversity has begun. Some people like brutal macho, others like skinny guys or nerds. A man who is confident, well-groomed and knows how to dress with taste can consider himself beautiful. As for the spiritual qualities, then here to each his own.