The Guyliner Factor

So, did you happen to watch American Idol last night?  There was a bit of drama, for sure. My fave for this year, and what appears to be the hands down favorite to win it all, Adam Lambert, was nearly shown the door. Every year we get a bit of this kind of drama, and I don't know if it's real or if the producers are just yanking our chains.  Either way, it's fun. I love the first month of Idol, and the last month. 

And speaking of Adam Lambert, this is the fourth year in a row that I'm cheering on the guy who wears the most makeup. What is up with that? It seems like I've fallen for the Guyliner Factor. 

I've always been attracted to the very clean cut, preppy kind of guys. Growing up, I never gave the punks, the rockers, the goth looking guys even a second look.  I dated and ended up marrying guys who looked like they stepped out of the Ralph Lauren Catalog. Like these guys:

Okay, not quite as ascot-wearing tweedy "Pardon Me, Do You Happen to Have any Grey Poupon?" wankers like these four (these guys kind of look like assholes, don't they?  Like the only reason they went to their senior prom is because it was on Daddy's yacht), but more like Chip and Michael here:

 

You know, the sportier kind. That's what I liked...and still do. But somehow along the line, maybe when I hit my 40's, I started noticing these guys who did a better job of makeup application than I did. I've always admired guys who had better hair than I did, but this is different on a whole new level. Guys who rock the eyeliner.

Blame it on American Idol. It started with greasy, grimy rocker/theater geek Constantine Maroulis four years ago. I can't believe it's been four years since a bazillion middle aged mothers were screaming that The Greasy Greek went out in week seven, years before Simon Cowell put in the "save rule". Did I like Bo Bice? I sure did, but that classic southern rocker never wore any eyeliner and I never voted for him.

Then it was the quirky pink-wearing punker and beat-boxer Blake Lewis, who didn't wear quite as much makeup on the stage, but certainly qualified. He finished second to Taylor Hicks, who I am pretty sure never stepped out on his Alabama porch with a lick of eyeliner. I always voted for Blake. 

Last year we saw David Cook get punkier and funkier as the season clicked along. His best weeks? They were the ones where he glammed it up and rocked it out. Did I like David Archeleta, the cute 16 year old from Utah with the killer smile?  Of course, what mom wouldn't love that kid?  But would I buy his music?  No. I voted for Cook, and for once, the guy I wanted to win did...pleasing multitudes of cougars around the globe.

And then there's this season, where from the first time he stepped out on the audition stage in January's audition shows I said Adam Lambert was going to win it all.  Punk meets goth theatre (with a touch of Elvis thrown in for fun) all in one with this guy. He was an understudy for Wicked on Broadway, so you know the guy can sing. But man, he can rock the makeup and the hair. Unlike David Cook, I don't find him remotely hot (yeah, my well defined gaydar skills have him going in the other direction....not that there's anything wrong with that!), but he's always intriguing to me and I love it when he really gets the makeup going. The eyeliner really works with those blue eyes too. Is he over the top? Oh yeah, on so many levels. Bring it on.

It's also no secret that I've probably seen every episode of America's Next Top Model that's ever been produced, and let's face it.  No discussion of Guy Glam would be complete without a nod to ANTM Creative Director, Jay Manuel, whose makeup is always perfect. This guy is so pretty (yes, PRETTY, not handsome) that I can't get over it.  He even rocks the silver hair. I want to see him in a Cover Girl commercial. No dude should be allowed to be this pretty.

Now don't get me wrong. The thought of my preppy husband and friends sporting this look makes me literally laugh out loud.  But for the guys who can pull it off, I think they should work it. I can't explain it, but I love it.  Easy, Breezy, Beautiful....indeed! 

Comments

[Whitney]

Wow, look at all the glowing skin! This is great, thanks for sharing!

Stopping by from SITS and will definitely be back. :)

[ConnieFoggles]

I'm not watching AI this year, but I'm so with you on all of your picks for the other seasons. And Jay, oh that man is gorgeous! Don't care what his sexual preference is, I just like looking at him...

[patty]

hmmmmm......did you forget about chris daughtry? talk about guyliner!

[Andy]

OK - Is Jay Manuel the same Jay from when Queer Eye was popular? And he just died his hair? Or am I totally nuts?

I LOVED David Cook and Blake and my all time favorite Chris Daughtry (I don't know if he wore makeup all the time - I just remember one time him wearing eyeliner) but Constantine? EWWWW. Skeeved me out, big time. And that's coming from a fellow Greek.

And actually, I think Blake lost out to Jordan that year?

I don't want Adam to win AI. I think he'd be awesome on Broadway but not as an AI.

[Amanda]

OMG I almost spit out my tea after reading your description of the picture of the 4 models. That was a riot!

I too can appreciate the "pretty boy" when done correctly, but I still prefer a more rugged man. Probably why I married military.

[Jenn White]

Ok, you guys are nuts! I might have to watch that idol show if only for the makeup tips! Fun looking at all the eye candy here tho!

[Pamela Young]

LOL...fun post! I too love Adam, although I am rooting for Danny. And I too have seen ALL of America's Next Top Model. :)

[kelly edgerton]

I LOVE Jay Manuel. He is so, so "pretty". When it comes to pretty boys with guyliner, Jay does it for me - I could look at that smile forever.

[Sandie]

I was terrified that he'd be voted off. I had a feeling too. When I saw him in the middle, I thought... oh oh. There's a bottom 3, and they'll make him pick. Not realizing he'd be in the bottom section, he picked who he thought did well. He was right. But he wasn't a part of it. The kid is brilliant. How could he not get enough votes like that? I mean.. hey... he was in the bottom TWO. sheesh

[Beverly]

I haven't watched american idol in so long! I don't watch that much tv. stay on the computer more ! lol

[Linda Rodriguez]

Interesting post! I'm intrigued by Adam as well, but I think he'll have a great career even without winning Idol so I'm kind of rooting for Danny or Allison to win. :)

[brandy]

Adam drives me crazy... I want Danny to win... sorry just can't stand the guy.. nothing to do with liner...

[Stan]

So us balding, older, kind-of-teddy-bear looking guys are out of luck with the cougars of this world? I'm still huggable though...

The things you see on blogs.....LOL!

Stan at Scrappers Workshop
www.scrapperworkshop.com/blog

[Tammy]

um....errr....ugh!!!!!! Showing good looking guys to an old woman just makes my heart move too fast these days. And I agree with you Barb. Adam is the hottest thing in Idol in a very long time. I love his singing and he is such a smart singer. I was worried last night too, but I still think he will go all the way.

[ashley]

Adam is totally gay. Not that there is anything wrong with that. But yeah... He wears lotsa makeup.

[cw]

Ah, yes. The guyliner. I don't watch AI (that would interfere with Richard Alpert time), but yeah.

So come see Constantine in Rock of Ages with me and dh!

[Beth Nixon]

Great writing! And I love all the pictures as I'm the one person in the country who doesn't watch AI so it was good to see who the heck you were talking about!!

[lynn]

i hear ya. i always thought david bowie was sexy.

[Kingfish]

Preppy??? Moi??? I am not preppy; in fact, as our blogger has so often said, I HAVE NO STYLE WHATSOEVER!!!! I am anti-style; unstyle; I'd be old school, but even in school, I never had style!!!

[Barb]

Love LOST! I guess it's becoming so commonplace on television that I hardly notice anymore.

[Jan C.]

Andy in eyeliner is not an image I can wrap my brain around.

Every watch "Lost"? There's a character on there named Richard who has the permanent eyeliner thing going on, and I can't HANDLE it!