The diverse beauty of American lady figure skaters
- Thread starter skateluvr
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Sorry, I absolutely can't agree with this. For me, the difference between Mirai and Michelle is waaaay greater than the difference between Kevin and Brian. Brian's good-looking but a bit generic, imo. Kevin's a bit funny-looking but definitely not ugly. (Someone closer to 0 would be the other Kevin--Kevin Van Der Perren. But I wouldn't even call him an outright 0... I'll have to think about that one for a while).
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- Jul 1, 2013
Oh there definitely is a difference. From what I've observed, Westerners tend prefer a more ethnic or exotic look. Asians on the otherhand tend to value certain Caucasian features such as wide eyes, a stronger nose and fair skin. Kind of the like classic concept of the grass is greener on the other side. It's a broad generalization though and dependent on current trends and how connected the world has become. Like where I'm at, back in the day people used to kind of disapprove of interracial relationships and a eurasian look was actually more of a bane than blessing. Now no one bats an eye at interracial couples and people of mixed ethnicity seem to be getting all the modeling and acting gigs. On the other hand, Korean culture has become very popular here. So some girls are no longer happy with their big beautiful eyes and actually go around squinting in order to achieve a more Korean look.
As for Mirai, Caroline and Christina, they're cute and pretty although maybe not pageant or Hollywood glamour material. To me Yuna and Mao are in the same catagory as well. I do think that their skating really amplifies their beauty. Seriously though, there are very few elite skaters who are downright unattractive unless you want to be mean or have some kind of bias against them. As for Kevin Reynolds, I think he's cute in a quirky way.
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- Jun 21, 2003
Kevin van der Perren? Oh, goodness no. He's at least an 8. :yes:
http://37.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_m0y2h97Sib1rrjkoyo1_r1_500.jpg
To tell the truth, all of these young, marvelously fit athletes, performing in a glamorous setting as they do, fall into the 9.5 to 10.0 range. :yes:
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@jennyanydots
Absolutely. I think your observation is spot-on regarding Asians' preferences vs. western preferences (well, I'm not sure if "the grass is always greener" is the reason, but that indeed is the preference).
@Mathman
Sorry, can't get behind (this) Kevin. I don't think he's a 0, but he's who I thought of off the top of my head for "male skater I don't find attractive at all."
I agree skating/performance is part of it. I admit I don't like Van Der Perren's style, so perhaps that's it. I had an experience where I met someone who I thought was dashing on stage, but in real life he was quite plain--borderline ugly. But he suddenly became handsome again when he started performing.
Absolutely. I think your observation is spot-on regarding Asians' preferences vs. western preferences (well, I'm not sure if "the grass is always greener" is the reason, but that indeed is the preference).
@Mathman
Sorry, can't get behind (this) Kevin. I don't think he's a 0, but he's who I thought of off the top of my head for "male skater I don't find attractive at all."
I agree skating/performance is part of it. I admit I don't like Van Der Perren's style, so perhaps that's it. I had an experience where I met someone who I thought was dashing on stage, but in real life he was quite plain--borderline ugly. But he suddenly became handsome again when he started performing.
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2013
I'm Asian-American and I've definitely seen the discrepancy between Asian beauty ideals (in Asia) vs in the west, but I've never understood the hatred for Lucy Liu among the Chinese I've met. She doesn't have doe eyes, but Korean actresses with single lids are actually quite popular now across Asia. I think she's attractive, though not beautiful
As for that Mulan reference, I've read articles that claimed that Chinese in China found Disney's Mulan to be too "foreign looking", but descriptions of what Chinese audiences thought she actually looked like varied dramatically from Vietnamese to Korean, and I don't really think you can define an entire ethnicity's look so..
I am a huge Kween fan but I do have to say she was a lot cuter in her youth. I think tanning too much in her later years has aged her
As for that Mulan reference, I've read articles that claimed that Chinese in China found Disney's Mulan to be too "foreign looking", but descriptions of what Chinese audiences thought she actually looked like varied dramatically from Vietnamese to Korean, and I don't really think you can define an entire ethnicity's look so..
I am a huge Kween fan but I do have to say she was a lot cuter in her youth. I think tanning too much in her later years has aged her
- Joined
- May 18, 2014
Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. We are all going to have different ideas of what we find beautiful.
Here are mine:
Exotic Beauty: Michelle Kwan, Madison Chock, Meryl Davis
Beautiful Inside and Out: Meryl Davis, Angela Nikodinov
Classic Beauty: Tanith Belbin, Gracie Gold, Ashley Wagner, Tara Lipinski
Here are mine:
Exotic Beauty: Michelle Kwan, Madison Chock, Meryl Davis
Beautiful Inside and Out: Meryl Davis, Angela Nikodinov
Classic Beauty: Tanith Belbin, Gracie Gold, Ashley Wagner, Tara Lipinski
- Joined
- Jun 21, 2003
OK, first, everybody is cuter in their youth. That's the nature of youth. (Babies are cutest of all -- no one would feed them if they weren't.
) Everybody, that is, except Michelle. Here she is at 30. Come on, you gotta give the old girl her props. She's hanging right in there with Yuna (age 20). :yes:
http://image.shutterstock.com/displ...-quot-all-that-skate-los-angeles-60622555.jpg
Here she is now (May, 2014). Never more beautiful!
https://pbs.twimg.com/media/BmkkmOPIcAA9gdE.jpg
Tanning? No. Father Time has aged her, like fine wine. She has gone from a cutie patootie to a woman of substance.
- Joined
- Apr 11, 2013
You're right. All hail the Kween <3I think Michelle today looks better than Michelle when she was 17. Not sure about Michelle today vs. Michelle in 2002-04. She certainly isn't as petite as she was during her competitive years, but she's beautiful in a different way now. I think 30-year-old Michelle still looks better than 20-year-old Yuna... don't kill me, Yuna fans.
She does look too tanned in that first photo (but Yuna's really pale; anyone would look tanned next to her), but she looks much better in recent photos.
She does look too tanned in that first photo (but Yuna's really pale; anyone would look tanned next to her), but she looks much better in recent photos.
- Joined
- Oct 23, 2011
I think Ashleys eyes are stunning, then add smile and streaked hair. Not to challenge but Gracie is average for me with help she's pretty. I do love her dresses tho, very regal look this year.
Allissa is so beautiful, s natural. Where do they find these girls?
Asia Asians yuna, chen, arakawa are beautiful to me. mao is charm, fairy like beauty. And Mirai is adorable. European Russian beauties anyone?
I think Pogo is stunning, and yulia has still her innocent girlish beauty. Europe gave Us Henie Witt and Korpi, all stars really.
Allissa is so beautiful, s natural. Where do they find these girls?
Asia Asians yuna, chen, arakawa are beautiful to me. mao is charm, fairy like beauty. And Mirai is adorable. European Russian beauties anyone?
I think Pogo is stunning, and yulia has still her innocent girlish beauty. Europe gave Us Henie Witt and Korpi, all stars really.
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2013
Note to self: green neon spandex costumes automatically knock off a few attractiveness points
Not at all. Don't worry about it.
As for Asian/Western perceptions, I think it is also a norm. Some American prefer Caucasian looks but many prefer ethnics or Asian looks. It is not demographic either. Just plain personal taste nothing more. That's what make us human.
In Asia, people don't really prefer Caucasian looking that much as many thoughts. It is in fact they like what media gave them at the time. For example, models and actresses needed the Caucasian looks in the 90s. Next decade are more into mix races. Now we have eastern Asian looks.
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- Nov 13, 2012
Even 24 years old Yuna looks more younger and prettier than herself at 20I think Michelle today looks better than Michelle when she was 17. Not sure about Michelle today vs. Michelle in 2002-04. She certainly isn't as petite as she was during her competitive years, but she's beautiful in a different way now. I think 30-year-old Michelle still looks better than 20-year-old Yuna... don't kill me, Yuna fans.
She does look too tanned in that first photo (but Yuna's really pale; anyone would look tanned next to her), but she looks much better in recent photos.
That's not a good photo of Yuna at all. But I do agree, Yuna sometimes looks too pale (and not in good way)This is when even the God screaming "what a beautiful/gorgeous/fabulous young lady she is"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hFNy5-AejAw
I am Asian but I honestly don't find Miki beautiful at all. She sometimes looks okay, but usually her face looks weird (a bit scary) to me, like catwalk models. Mirai and Akiko also looks really good on ice, but not so much on the street, pretty average. Yuna, Mao and Arakawa are indeed beautiful by any standard. Kanako and So Yeon Park are pretty cute too.
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- Mar 11, 2014
For someone who looks better now as when she was younger (imho) how about Jennifer Kirk?
She went from good looking but anorexic when she was competing to absolutely gorgeous at 29/30 years old.
She went from good looking but anorexic when she was competing to absolutely gorgeous at 29/30 years old.
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- Jan 25, 2013
I agree 110%.
And she isn't just stunningly pretty: http://www.hdwallpapersphoto.com/wallpapers/kiira-korpi-2001.jpg
She also shares that sassy smirk that Wagner has: http://im.mtv.fi/image/848320/landscape16_9/1024/576/3404006ae2b77af39b90c0571c948a1d/tU/1313322.jpg
- Joined
- Nov 19, 2013
Ka-ching on Kiira Korpi! How ree-dunculous is it that one person can be so pretty?
Same for Miki Ando and Anna P. I hope that in 15-20 years we get to watch Miki's daughter on the skating stage, if that's what she chooses.
Same for Miki Ando and Anna P. I hope that in 15-20 years we get to watch Miki's daughter on the skating stage, if that's what she chooses.
- Joined
- Mar 20, 2013
For the record, I think Michelle (does she even need a last name on the fs fora?) has gone from pretty to beautiful with the passage of time. Her face has matured in a good way, imo, and she's maintained her sense of style. In the photos I've seen of her from recent years, Michelle always looks chic and well put together.
I know it's OT, but since others have mentioned good-looking men, can we give a shout out to Daisuke and Lambiel? Then, of course, there's Charlie W, and Scott M, and oh, dear, maybe better not start down that path. Could go on for days.
I know it's OT, but since others have mentioned good-looking men, can we give a shout out to Daisuke and Lambiel? Then, of course, there's Charlie W, and Scott M, and oh, dear, maybe better not start down that path. Could go on for days.
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