Food For Thought- Is Modesty Truly Unattractive?

 These pictures illustrate a common occurrence in American fashion and fashion worldwide. To the right we have the world renowned British music group The Beatles and below we have American actor Taylor Lautner. Upon initially seeing these images we might not see how the trend in fashion is being repeated but with further investigation and comparison of the images, it is apparent the iconic group had an impact on fashion. The outfits the members of the group are wearing are modest in comparison to those worn by men in other decades and eras. According to the article, "Why Modest Men Get the Brush Off From Women," both women and men find modesty unattractive but with actor Taylor Lautner posing for GQ Australia in a 60's themed photo shoot it is hard to believe such a premise. Just the theme of the photo shoot should speak to Americans and dispute the idea of modesty as unpopular. Yes it is true some women actually do prefer more modest men and some women also prefer cockier men, as pointed out in the article, but is it true that overall women lack attraction when it comes to men in a more modest setting. With the reviews on Lautner's photo shoot, I would beg to differ on the "modest men are unattractive" argument with a majority of women.

Why Modest Men Get the Brush Off From Women: Pathos

As defined by Merriam-Webster, Pathos is defined as "a quality that causes people to feel sympathy and sadness." The article, "Why Women Get the Brush Off From Women,"highlights the many results of a lack in linking of modest men, all of which negatively impact emotional perceptions. Now, let me ask you a question, how would you feel if you were pre-judged all because you chose to present yourself well? The idea of being brushed off by someone or something you are interested in can be heart-wrenching, at least to me. In the article we are introduced to the occurrences of women preferring cockier men, causing men of a more modest stature to be overlooked and even ignored. Women seeing modest men as "too weak" then pushes those men interested away and damages lines of communication between the genders. Such feelings have dramatically influenced American culture. Men have also been known to find male modesty unattractive, citing that "bashful boys are letting the side down," a common sentiment. The entire idea of opposition to modesty in both sexes causes rise for emotions in both men and women. Pathos is both explicit and subliminal throughout the article because the notion of rejection based on wholeness and modesty is disappointing. The ideas in the article allow readers to assume each role presented by Dobson and Macrae and then go on to act accordingly based off of such assumptions. With the roles of women shifting from more dependent to independent, men have had to adjust their roles as well, but have faced much criticism.

Ethos: Why modest men get thte brush-off women

In his article "Why modest men get the brush-off women", Roger Dobson claims that men's modesty is considered unattractive in our contemporary culture. At first, he uses logos to appeal to his audience through listing hindering characteristics many suffer from, such as shyness and modesty, and claims they are the reasons many men are single today. To support his claims, he provides empirical evidence to prove his credibility. He cites a study from the The Psychology of Men and Masculinity journal that proved his theory about meekness and modest to be too unpleasant and insecure for women. in addition, he cites Professor Lauri Rudman who validates his theory by stating her findings about men encountering prejudice is perceived as modest. The two separate sources provide the reader a sense of legitimacy towards Dobson and his assertions.

Sameh Boulos.

Visual Elements and Style: Why Modest Men Get the Brush Off From Women

In the article, "Why Modest Men Get the Brush Off From Women," authors Roger Dobson and Fiona Macrae directly call out men for modesty of character restating research concluding women do not actually like modesty in men. Images are shown of actor Hugh Grant (left), famous for his performance playing the timid character Charles in Four Weddings and a Funeral, and Simon Cowell (right) the former unceasingly direct American Idol Judge (Note: the pictures provided in this post are the same pictures used in the article referenced). In the article below the side-by-side portraits, the authors attempt to explain the picture stating that "Research shows that women prefer cocky types like Simon Cowell rather than Hugh Grants bumbling on-screen behavior." In his picture, Grant looks like he is in dire need of some much needed sleep. His hair is messy and facial expression is sickly. Add that with the muffled collar, and the famous actor looks like a complete weakling. Simon Cowell on the other hand is presented as a masculine European sort. His picture reveals some chest hair and signs of a double chin. There are signs of recent shaving activity as well. Hair is neatly gelled. The most important feature is Simon's smile. The authors correctly link modesty  in dress to modesty in character. However, they go too far in displaying a flattering picture of a brash man and an unflattering picture of a timid and shy one. Just as stated in a previous blog, then, it would make sense that women would still give men a hard time about modesty in the article if women are always given these corresponding visuals to follow and associate with.

Visual Elements and Style: Men's Fashion of the 1960's

In the article "Men's Fashion of the 1960's" trends are noted as having emerged as "effeminate" and "sporty". Along with the article are pictures of typical catalog advertisement for the newly popular styles. The images show attractive, confident men smiling while wearing their stylish clothing. The advertisements appeal to the new styles by showcasing some new features available such as the "slim-taper body" fit. One image even shows a man as happy and confident with a woman.

The images visually appeal to the desired audience by placing the impression upon viewers that wearing the styles of the 60's will bring happiness. In the image of the family with matching coats, it appears as though the family members are having a great time together and are enjoying their new look. The advertisement uses the concept of an active family life, and the image shows how the coat fits into a fashionable lifestyle. 

The advertisement below demonstrates the visual image of a trendy man with a "sharp" look. The man in the image is posed in a confident stature with a slightly seductive smirk that leaves the imagination to suggest the mystery behind the man in cool clothes.

The article "Men's Fashion of the 60's" uses phrases such as "quite noticeable" and "groovy" to fit typical lingo of the 1960's. This writing style assists in embellishing the stylistic fashion choices of the 60's. While the targeted audience of the article is modern persons of America, the language chosen helps enlighten readers and allow them to make connections with a past time.

Logos : Why Modest Men Get the Brush Off From Women

Authors Roger Dobson and Fiona Macrae directly call out men for modesty of character through logos. The entire article is held together by research concluding women do not actually like modesty in men. Due to readers' natural doubts surrounding the prior statement the authors describe the research procedures in more detail throughout the rest of their literary work. In the experiment, subjects were shown videotapes of a man and a women applying for a job as a computer lab manager.   The actors and actress both followed the same script and humble about their achievements. Subjects were then asked to rate the men and women on modesty, likability, and other factors. Although both man and woman were equally qualified for the position, the man was less liked than the woman. Dobson and Macrae also add the insights of the journal Psychology of Men & Masculinity which states that humility makes men seem less confident about themselves. Rutgers University of New Jersey Professor Laurie Rudman is also cited saying "findings demonstrate that men encounter prejudice when they behave modestly." The authors successfully state the conclusion that women prefer men who are not modest with support from three different sources one being actual research in their article. As stated in a previous post on this blog, the 1960s brought change in modesty in appearance and character. Men's clothes became more modest and so did their character. This new movement broke away from the centuries old perceptions that quiet and shy males were not attractive as opposed to loud and proud men. Therefore, after about 40 years American culture is still trying to understand this broader meaning of positive male qualities. Then, it would make sense that women would still give men a hard time about modesty in the article.

Logos: 1960s Fashion for Men and Boys

The author, Paul Phillips, of the article "1960s Fashion for Men and Boys" attempts to convince his audience that men's fashion has changed towards a feminine direction since 1964. Many believe that men's clothing lacks variability with the notion that the possible choices are on between shirts and pants. However, Phillips ventures to disprove them using pictures of advertisements used in the 1960s to market men's clothing. In his article, he points out the differences using reliable proof to persuade his readers that men's fashion changed and leans toward a feminine direction. He lists more than 30 pictures at the end of his article to authenticate his belief and indirectly gives credibility to himself and his reputation.

Phillips begins his article with his main argument being that men's fashion did change drastically in the 1960s. He then lists an example, supported by a picture at the bottom, regarding the style of the pants being tighter at the waist and more flared near the ankles. Phillips then exposes the root of the change being London, especially the Beatles, as they were the new trendsetters. He then furthers his assertions of the fashion being more feminine by unmasking the style of silk scarfs and "feminine pants", also supported by a pictures. Finally, the author closes with the comment of men's fashion becoming more feminine (stylish) and women's fashion becoming more masculine (modest).

Similarly, this blog used links and pictures to provide background credibility to its argument regarding the change in fashion. We chose this system because the web allows for quick evaluations and sources to be checked.

-Sameh Boulos