What does it mean to be a "classic" beauty?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:It's ridiculous that folks are injecting a ethnic competition into a standard that has nothing to do with coloring. Classic beauty just means a beauty that involves a symmetric, well-proportioned face, features on the delicate side, none disproportionate (even if its beautiful or sexy in its own way, e.g. Angelina's mouth, Amal's eyebrows), perhaps a statuesque, sculptural quality to face and body. I agree with others that although its not perhaps strictly part of the definition, it implies someone who is more elegant and pretty than sexy.

I would say that there are plenty of non-Anglo women that meet the definition--as others said, Halle Berry, Iman, also Lupita Nyong'o, Aishwarya Rai, maybe Thandie Newton, Freida Pinto. And on the other side, definitely actresses like Grace Kelley and Ava Gardner.

This. Classic beauty does not mean "most beautiful," it refers to a particular kind of facial symmetry and proportion, which can be found in women of all coloring. There are many gorgeous women who are not classically beautiful. And I agree that if your definition of classic beauty does not include Grace Kelly, then your definition bears no resemblance to what the term actually means.

Yes. It refers to a fine boned face structure where the face is almost masculine-looking with high definition cheekbones. The look isn't cute or sexy. It is almost manly but with feminine features. Angelina is gorgeous but too sexy. Adele too.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:^^
you definition is fine but most of your examples are preposterous. Nicole Richie??

Haha. And Kim K? Sorry, that's insulting to most everyone else in your list.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one calls Kate Middleton a classic beauty, at least no one with eyes. I think of timeless faces like Ava Gardner or Grace Kelly. Today I would say Angelina Jolie. Assuming of course that most people who use this term think exclusively of white women as classic beauties. I would put Iman or Rita Hayworth in this category as well and among modern women, Aishwarya Rai.

Angelina Jolie looks like a porn star, not a classic beauty.

She’s skinny as hell which isn’t classically beautiful.

You are wrong to think that no one of another race is a ‘classic beauty’ .

Serena Williams. Queen Rania of Jordan. Michelle Kwan. Vanessa Williams. The list is endless.
You are prejudiced.

You misunderstand me. I said that Rita Hayworth, Iman and Aishwarya Rai are classic beauties but the assumption on DCUM tends to be that only white women can be called that. In fact, the premise of the thread is about a basic white woman, Kate Middleton being called a classic beauty, which is preposterous because she is basic, but not because she is white. OP seemed to imply that whiteness was part of it.

+1
it's the shape of the face (bone structure) + proportions of the facial features + plus general stature, elegance. it has nothing to do with color of the skin or hair.

[Anonymous]

Feminine face with soft features. Large eyes, long eyelashes, nice eyebrows, prominent cheekbones, elegant neck, delicate jawline, and beautiful lips.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^
you definition is fine but most of your examples are preposterous. Nicole Richie??

Haha. And Kim K? Sorry, that's insulting to most everyone else in your list.

Kim Kardashian is insanely beautiful. Has nothing to do with her accomplishments in life - it just is.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^
you definition is fine but most of your examples are preposterous. Nicole Richie??

Haha. And Kim K? Sorry, that's insulting to most everyone else in your list.

Kim Kardashian is insanely beautiful. Has nothing to do with her accomplishments in life - it just is.

How much work has she had done? Just curious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:^^
you definition is fine but most of your examples are preposterous. Nicole Richie??

Haha. And Kim K? Sorry, that's insulting to most everyone else in your list.

Kim Kardashian is insanely beautiful. Has nothing to do with her accomplishments in life - it just is.

her body-type immediately disqualifies her from classical-beauty. its attractiveness (such as it is) is very of-the-moment. like big fake boobs were in the nineties. not classic.

[Anonymous]

Good bone structure

Cheek bones so defined they can cut a b*tch

[Anonymous]

Someone like Natalie Portman is a classic beauty

[Anonymous]

Kim K's face (with work) is classic beauty.
I think Adele does qualify as a classic beauty.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:No one calls Kate Middleton a classic beauty, at least no one with eyes. I think of timeless faces like Ava Gardner or Grace Kelly. Today I would say Angelina Jolie. Assuming of course that most people who use this term think exclusively of white women as classic beauties. I would put Iman or Rita Hayworth in this category as well and among modern women, Aishwarya Rai.

Angelina Jolie looks like a porn star, not a classic beauty.

She’s skinny as hell which isn’t classically beautiful.

You are wrong to think that no one of another race is a ‘classic beauty’ .

Serena Williams. Queen Rania of Jordan. Michelle Kwan. Vanessa Williams. The list is endless.
You are prejudiced.

You misunderstand me. I said that Rita Hayworth, Iman and Aishwarya Rai are classic beauties but the assumption on DCUM tends to be that only white women can be called that. In fact, the premise of the thread is about a basic white woman, Kate Middleton being called a classic beauty, which is preposterous because she is basic, but not because she is white. OP seemed to imply that whiteness was part of it.

+1
it's the shape of the face (bone structure) + proportions of the facial features + plus general stature, elegance. it has nothing to do with color of the skin or hair.

Exactly!

That is why Halle Berry tops the list.

It is funny, I googled classic beauty and three of the first few pictures that came up were Grace Kelly. Audrey Hepburn and Halle Berry.

So even "the internets" agree with those three.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Kim K's face (with work) is classic beauty.
I think Adele does qualify as a classic beauty.

Adele is not a classic beauty.

She is average looking and her body type/bone structure is not classic.

Kim K is not even remotely classic in her features or body type.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Feminine face with soft features. Large eyes, long eyelashes, nice eyebrows, prominent cheekbones, elegant neck, delicate jawline, and beautiful lips.

Long graceful neck. Yes!

Smaller head.

[Anonymous]

I think of Grace Kelly every time I hear this term. A "Hitchcock blonde".

I prefer dark haired women with more olive-toned skin.

But, great bone structure, high cheekbones is a necessity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I think of Grace Kelly every time I hear this term. A "Hitchcock blonde".

I prefer dark haired women with more olive-toned skin.

But, great bone structure, high cheekbones is a necessity.

Oh, I wanted to add the term 'classic beauty' is very different than 'natural beauty'.

Classic is an old term used for the old school movie actresses like Grace.

Natural is much different. I think of women that need very little make-up and have glowing skin, dark eyelashes...can roll out of bed and look fantastic.