Decades of muscle

[Aardvark2]

Without giving away too much information, I have an idea that I'm looking to expand on, and would like some input from others.

Each decade of the 20th century has its own little "vibe." If you were to think of a muscled-up male stereotype from each decade, what would it be? What I mean is, rich playboy from the '20s, pinstriped gangster from the '30s, the Ozzie Nelson-type '50s dad, or a '70s swinger in a polyester leisure suit and disco shirt.

Of course these are just examples. Throw your ideas at me and feel free to be as detailed as you want. Whether you have suggestions for all ten decades, or just one, I want to hear them.

Thanks guys!

[CelticMuscle]

Originally Posted by Aardvark2

Each decade of the 20th century has its own little "vibe." If you were to think of a muscled-up male stereotype from each decade, what would it be? What I mean is, rich playboy from the '20s, pinstriped gangster from the '30s, the Ozzie Nelson-type '50s dad, or a '70s swinger in a polyester leisure suit and disco shirt.

Typical 1900's outfit
World War I uniform
1920's
1930's
Second World War uniform

Anything post 50's is pretty obivous really.

50's: Teddy Boys
60's: Hippies
70's: Tasteless
80's: Businessman
90's: Grunge
00's: Modern Day

[Mad Dog]

Yeah for the 1910s, maybe a fresh-faced WWI doughboy with massive muscles. Maybe 18/19 years old farmboy from Iowa recruited into the army, innocent but hardworking.

Also, totally a yuppie/stockbroker-type for 1980s, all slicked-back hair and tailored suits and a focus on superficiality and material wealth.

[wolfotehmoon]

Well, for the 20's, I always imagine the fatcat gangsters and businessmen (was there a difference?) of the Prohibition Era. That would be an interesting decade to do, because back then, even the bad guys were idolized to some degree. Masculinity was about power, in a unique combination of political influence, wealth, and physical robustness, and as for guys like Al Capone and the 20s gangster-inspired Kingpin... Them and their ilk "took care of business" in that exact order: if they couldn't smooth talk or bribe, it was time to bust some heads to secure their interests. And, with Al Capone as the example once again, you can bet it affected their physique: good food and hands-off "management" put some chub on their frames, but not a one let themselves go too far off their more strenuous glory days on the front lines of the gangster operation. So, I'd imagine that they'd look a bit like slightly rangier versions of today's powerlifters. But, ah, since it's a muscle growth scenario, I'd expect that it'd take those characteristics (robust strength hidden under a girthy silhouette and a suit) up to 11.

[Yachirobi]

I don't think any one look can capture a decade. Multiple looks can capture different facets of a decade, but you can't choose just one. What you MIGHT do is just focus on muscle stereotypes from each decade. If you can't find a muscle type, then music types are an easy fall back.

Remember that as the 20th Century wore on, our culture didn't just fragment but it also came to realize and accept that it was already fractured into multiple, beautiful pieces. You might even give your transforming muscle men the ability to transform themselves, not magically but through hair and fashion, into other types of that era. A guy who was a grunge rocker at night might be an internet tycoon by day. And of course those Gordon Gecko businessmen were also 80s gym bunnies.

Aardvark, you always create fascinating characters, so don't hesitate to really flesh them out and let them be three dimensional before and after the transformation. I'd like to see how you compare and contrast your before and after characters. Maybe there are parallels between your subject's old and new life. Maybe after the change he really isn't so different, or maybe he just seems more muscular at first but later reveals he's gone through a larger change than one that's physical.

BRAIN FLASH: To really capture an era, you might have your guy go through multiple transformations through different people of a decade. As he goes through mental states representing different years and moments and movements of an era, he gets more and more muscular. If you think you can really swing it, the finished transformation can represent a man that encapsulates the whole decade--or it could just be our original hero with a better perspective... and more muscle.

[nypup2train]

Meh. I think you're overthinking it, Yachirobi.

You're right that "[no] one look can capture a decade", but that doesn't need to be the goal ? and I'd question the idea pretty strongly, if anyone really wanted to set out with that as their goal. Any sort of "representation" is going to be, at best, an incomplete shorthand... more signpost than summation.

But any one of several looks/images can very strongly and immediately invoke a decade (that signpost thing) ? or even, less specifically, a "time period" ? which is all you really need. In fact, the multiplicity just gives you more options to choose from. Completeness or comprehensiveness in representing all of the options really isn't necessary.

And if you break from the strict "decade" structure and look at it as more of a timeline, there's even room to include multiples that technically fall into the same decade. (For one thing, the 1960's were a very fractured period in at least US history ? no matter how you look at it, really, the early part of the decade ('61, '62, '63) bears no resemblance whatsoever to the years at the tail end.

[georgiaguy240]

I really like the idea the one about the 20s 50s and 80s gets me excited talking about a transformation in the gaudy 20s and the wonderful clothes they wear where formal wear was always worn in the evening to the 50s were some transforms into a buttoned up wholesome dude with sweaters and gray flannel suits and hots. to some power exec in the 80s sounds hot what a great new series idea! I can't wait