It's A Look

It's A Look

"I would rather look good than feel good"   Ricardo Montalbán

Born November 25, 1920 – January 14, 2009) was a Mexican radio, television, theater and film actor. He had a career spanning seven decades (motion pictures from 1943 to 2006) and many notable roles. During the mid-1970s, Montalbán was notable as the spokesman in automobile advertisements for the Chrysler Cordoba, in which he famously extolled the "soft Corinthian leather" used for its interior. He became famous as Mr. Roarke the main star in the television seriesFantasy Island. He played in the 1982 film Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan. He won an Emmy Award in 1978 for his role in the miniseries How the West Was Won^[2] and a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Screen Actors Guild in 1993. Into his 80s, he continued to perform, often providing voices for animated films and commercials, and appearing in several Spy Kids films as "Grandfather Valentin".

I'm sure Ricardo Montalbán was joking, but his in front of the camera persona would make you believe he was telling the truth.  He always looked fantastic even when he was eighty.  Dressed to the hilt.  Beautiful with perfect hair and his accent just made his physical being look even better.

What's really interesting is, I've come across people (men and women) who would make the same statement.  How they look is critical to their self worth and their self being.

What I've also found in my many years of people watching is, more than seventy five percent of people have a look.  I assume it must be how they see themselves.  Some look like they're still living in the fifties.  Some look like they stared in the seventies movie "Disco Fever."  Some have purple hair.  Some wear their pants so low you can see the crack in their ass.

Starting today, do some people watching.  It's a lot of fun.  When my wife points someone out to me I always say to her "It's a look."  What I mean is, even if I believe they look ridiculous, it's their look.  It's how they want the outside world to see them.  Judging them is wrong.  Enjoying their personal statement is right.

Steve Jobs had a look - tee shirt, jeans and a sports jacket.  Johnny Cash had a look - black.  Phyllis Diller had a look - wild.  Hitler had a look - and it wasn't pretty.  I could go on and on, but you get the idea.  Take a step back and enjoy their look - it's fun.

Judging other people's look is wrong.  What I mean is, seeing someone and saying: "look at him - he must be gay."  "Look at the way she's dressed - she must be a hooker."  Judging without even knowing a person is wrong, wrong and more wrong.

I love bright colors.  I wear red sneakers.  I have a pair of blue and brown glasses and a pair of red and black glasses.  Does that mean I'm gay?  Not that there's anything wrong with that, but my wife would disagree. 

My wife's look is always a beautiful lady.  Even in jeans, she makes sure she looks beautiful. My look is anything that makes her happy.  I don't really care so I let her pick out my clothes.  I do want to look good and she helps me look great.  My friend Kenny didn't have a look until he let his hair grow very long.  Now that's his look.  We hate it, but it's his look.

I do have a problem with people who will do major things to their body to get a look.  Going from a 32 bust to a 38 bust via plastic surgery is a look, but at what price.  It's not just the money.  You'll have a bad back the rest of your life and when you get old those balloons will really look terrible.  Getting surgery so you look better in clothes, doesn't work for me.  How about finding clothes that make you look good just the way you are.

Doing cosmetic surgery so you keep looking younger is something I can live with as long as you don't get addicted to it.  All of us have seen people who did too much and now they don't look natural.  I look at cosmetic surgery this way:

• Will the surgery make me sexier to my wife?
•  Will my friends love me more if I have the surgery?
• Will I hit the lottery if I have surgery?
• Will I write or play the guitar better if I have surgery?
• Will I like myself better if I have the surgery?
• Can I stand seeing that old guy in the mirror?

In my case the answer to all but the last one is NO!  The last one "can I stand seeing that old guy in the mirror" is yes.  The reason is, when I look in the mirror I see my eyes.  What my eyes look like is "Kenny from South Philly" - young at heart and full of life.  Therefore, there isn't any cosmetic surgery in my future.

What's your look?  If you don't have one, think about getting one.  Don't do it for "them," do it for you.  Don't think about how they will see and judge you - think about how you want them to see you.  It's your look and nobody can take it away from you.  If they don't like it - who gives a shit.  

Please remember, beauty is in the mind of the beholder.  See beauty in as many things as you can.  If someone you know completely changes their look and your first reaction is you don't approve, slap yourself upside your head and say:

It's A Look"