Posture, Poise, Expression, and Attitude---What are your ideal masculine representati

[Soph]

I'm curious why people like certain characters and people.
This is a general question, a very opened ended question.

From what made Steve McQueen, Connery, Thomas Crowns, or any other notable admirable hero, cool / hip etc.

We focus so much on style and clothing, what about how you behave, stand, talk, convey etc.

Has anyone taken any professional speaking courses?

Etc.

 

[whodini]

I think the film "The Tao of Steve" explained it best with the idea of a "Steve."

"Steve is the prototypical cool American male. You know, I'm talking about Steve McGarrett, alright? Steve Austin, Steve McQueen. He's the guy on his horse, the guy alone. He has his own code of honor, his own code of ethics, his own rules of living. He never, ever tries to impress the women but he always gets the girl."

 

[sonick]

Are you a Steve, or a Stu?

Haha that was a pretty decent movie... The 'message' was good, the movie was okay.

Trent (Vince Vaughn) in Swingers is cool as well.

 

[Ivan Kipling]

Oh, I think attitude, posture, bearing, deportment are JUST as important, as the clothes one wears. Poor posture will destroy the most elegant turnout. A lack of presence will turn the most attractive person, into woodwork. This again, is where exercise, is paramount. The difference that exercise makes in one's carriage, is palpable. Steve McQueen, Cary Grant, Zachary Scott, Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, and many other 'old style' leading men, all used weights and worked out, with regularity. Exercise lends power to one's voice, as well.

Looking at Joan Crawford's movies, I'd never have guessed unless giving her study, that JC was only five foot one inches tall. She possessed such an attitude, and absolutely impeccable posture . . . an athletic body, too. Makes all the difference. Doris Day is another actress, whose athletic body looked positively stunning, onscreen.

You, Soph, have exceptional posture, stance, expression, and voltage. I mentioned that, in your 'full monty,' photo. Wonderful.

 

[whodini]

Originally Posted by sonick

Are you a Steve, or a Stu? Haha that was a pretty decent movie... The 'message' was good, the movie was okay. Trent (Vince Vaughn) in Swingers is cool as well.
An instant classic in my opinion. Swingers as well.

 

[Soph]

Originally Posted by Ivan Kipling

Oh, I think attitude, posture, bearing, deportment are JUST as important, as the clothes one wears. Poor posture will destroy the most elegant turnout. A lack of presence will turn the most attractive person, into woodwork. This again, is where exercise, is paramount. The difference that exercise makes in one's carriage, is palpable. Steve McQueen, Cary Grant, Zachary Scott, Burt Lancaster, Kirk Douglas, and many other 'old style' leading men, all used weights and worked out, with regularity. Exercise lends power to one's voice, as well.

Looking at Joan Crawford's movies, I'd never have guessed unless giving her study, that JC was only five foot one inches tall. She possessed such an attitude, and absolutely impeccable posture . . . an athletic body, too. Makes all the difference. Doris Day is another actress, whose athletic body looked positively stunning, onscreen.

You, Soph, have exceptional posture, stance, expression, and voltage. I mentioned that, in your 'full monty,' photo. Wonderful.


Thanks, I try eat healthy, workout with weights as I agree with you, but always with the objective of being lean, muscular but not huge, like a swimmer but a bit more cut/muscular, I think taking care of yourself is a top priority, in fact, a social obligation, and its benefits are very broad.

 

[mensimageconsultant]

Predictable reply:
Studies show that posture and voice influence perceived physical attractiveness.

 

[Reggs]

As far as posture I started working on that early in high school. At the time I modeled it after comic book superheros and it has stayed ever since. I saw all my other classmates who for whatever reason, be it heavy backpacks or just puberty have horrible posture and hanging their heads low and I never wanted to be like that. The best complement I ever got from it was "You know [Reggs], for someone who just sits on their ass all day and plays videogames, you sure do have great posture."

When my voice started to change around 13 or so I kind of forced myself to speak in a deep voice because I was convinced that would shorten the period of cracking I was going thru, so I modeled my voice after Alec Baldwin in "The Shadow." It might seem silly but now I have a nice deep voice that I get complements on.

 

[Reggs]

Originally Posted by mensimageconsultant

Predictable reply:
Studies show that posture and voice influence perceived physical attractiveness.

I read that people who walk slightly faster than others are perceived as harder working. I also practice that.

 

[Thomas]

Originally Posted by Soph

Has anyone taken any professional speaking courses?

Etc.

I joined Toastmasters a year ago, just earned my CC, and it has made a major difference. I started working on my speaking skills after a disastrous (by my current standards) but mercifully brief presentation in my first b-school course. I swore - never again.

I started paying attention to my diction, expressiveness, and my voice. While my presentations got better, it was in Toastmasters that I started really getting into persuasion, humor, and motivation. At work, I get called upon to speak and publish - because of my skills - and this is true of most of our members.

We have a number of members who either have earned promotions or get paid to speak as a result of TM. It's not that their work got better, but rather with better communication, they have become perceived as leaders.

We also have a number of runners (myself included) and cyclists, so we keep in mind that our health has a major impact on our outlook and bearing, which comes through in every word we say.

 

[Thomas]

To answer the rest of the OP, I have always had a soft spot for Ernest Hemingway, as far as poise and expression. I had a tape of him speaking and loved his sonorous voice, and strangely enough, he spoke with the same diction as his writing.

Posture - I read Death in the Afternoon, and I have a hard time imagining people with better posture and poise than matadors, especially considering the duress of horns and hooves coming towards them. From the pictures, I liked Joselito in particular, although I have heard that Manolete is worshipped for his skill and poise. Then there is Nicanor Villalta whose posture has been derided but whose poise is without equal. But those were the old days, and I never saw them in person, and if I were in a corrida - and sober - I could not get out fast enough, so the accounts of their exploits are good enough for me.

 

[RJman]

Omar Sharif, the ideal 1960s half-ironic, half-cheesy representation of all things masculine.

 

[Matt]

Originally Posted by RJman

Omar Sharif, the ideal 1960s half-ironic, half-cheesy representation of all things masculine.
RJMan, the ideal 2000s three-quarters-ironic, half-cheesy representation of all things French.

 

[countdemoney]

The whole exercising thing is bunk. You can be a non-exerciser and still have more charisma than most.

Bogie was not big on athletics but still had plenty of presence. Lou Gerstner, Rudy G, and Jack Welch were/are all dynamos who are both short and slightly pudgy. I've also met some smaller Asian fellows who make the world move to them. Jack Nicholson would be another who's not in the greatest shape but still moves differently.

It's about moving with relaxed confidence and purpose.

 

[javyn]

Interesting topic. I have noticed that my vocal chords seem to be tighter in the morning and during the first half of the day, causing my voice to be pretty high. Evening and night though when I'm relaxed my voice is naturally low, even for a person of my small stature. I need to find out the trick to relax them in the morning so my voice will sound the same all day. No, I'm well past the age of puberty before anyone says anything...