The Male Gaze

The Male Gaze

Marjorie Ferguson - 

Chocolate Box: the Chocolate Box expression, is described as a half or full smile, with the lips together or slightly parted, and the face full or three-quarters to camera. The projected mood aims to be soft and sweet, not too hot or cold, where the uniformity of the woman’s features in their smooth perfection (like the surface of a chocolate) is more important than her quirks or individuality.

Invitational: emphasis on the eyes, mouth shut or with only a hint of a smile, head to one side or looking back to camera. This is suggestive of mischief or mystery, the hint of contact potential rather than sexual promise, the cover equivalent of advertising’s soft sell.

Super-smiler: full face, wide open toothy smile, head thrust forward or chin thrown back, hair often wind-blown. This reveals an aggressive, ‘look-at-me’ demanding, the hard sell, ‘big come-on’ approach.

Romantic or Sexual: a fourth and more general classification devised to include male and female ‘two-somes’; or the dreamy, heavy-lidded, unsmiling big-heads, or the overtly sensual or sexual. This presents the person as possibly available and definitely available.

Trevor Millum - 

Seductive: similar to the cool/level look in many respects - the eyes are less wide, perhaps shaded, the expression is less reserved but still self-sufficient and confident; milder versions may include a slight smile.

Carefree: nymph like, active, healthy, gay, vibrant, outdoor girl; long unrestrained outward-flowing hair, more outward-going than the above, often smiling or grinning.

Practical: concentrating, engaged on the business in hand, mouth closed eyes object-directed, sometimes a slight frown; hair often short or tied back.

Comic: deliberately ridiculous, exaggerated, acting the fool, pulling faces for the benefit of a real or imaginary audience, sometimes close to a sort of archness.

Catalogue: a neutral look as of a dummy, artificial, wax like  features may be in any position, but most likely to be with eyes open wide and a smile, but the look remains vacant and empty; personality has been removed.