the modeling community isnt packed with polish models, they're mostly ukrainian, czech, etc.. Poland can claim Anja Rubik and Daria Werbowy, though the latter was born in Krakow of Ukrainian parents. Swiss Model/actress Julie Ordon is of
Polish descent, her last name is actually Skwarczynski
Typical Polish look? Don't look at models and actors because they usually have a lot of make up on and their hair dyed. That doesn't make sense. S
So, this is what I've observed, living in Poland:
hair: most from medium blonde to dark brown. ginger, very fair blonde, very dark brown black are rare. You can see a lot of black, platinum blonde and bright red in the street, but these are usually dyed.
eyes: hazel, grey, blue, green, often strange mix-ups of colours in one eye. Very dark eyes are rare. Usually almond-shaped
skin: rather fair. If you see darker shades, it is usually tan or too dark foundation, not complexion. A lot of people get tanned in Poland. Most naturally dark-skinned people I know are of Jewish descent
figure: average Polish person is thinner than average American or English person. But I guess it's the diet: most Poles' diet is still based on stuff cooked at home from scratch, which is the healthiest; and fast food or ready-made dishes are only occasional.
facial features: I think it's the only distinct thing about Slavic people, but I can't tell what it is: something about cheekbones, superciliary archs and eyes. I can tell a Slav from non-Slav by facial features only. But I can't tell a Pole from a Czech by face.
OK, examples: me: dark blonde hair, hazel eyes, pale skin. 158 cm (which is very short), always underweight my mother: dark brown hair, dark complexion (but still not like a Mediterranean type), over 160cm, at my age also very skinny my father: greyish blonde hair (linen shade), pale skin, hazel eyes, short, slim
And something about dress I observed, comparing people in UK to Polish standards: Polish people wear more subdued colours, less patterned fabrics. Men usually don't wear bright colours, maybe apart from red in informal clothes. If you ever see a guy wearing pink, it is a shirt covered by a dark suit jacket. Polish women wear heavy make-up in the evening, but rarely during the day. The same with clothes displaying a lot - better for the evening. Obese Poles don't wear clothes that display and emphasize their rolls of fat - unlike people I saw in UK. Muffin tops in Poland are rare. Men wear shorts very rarely and only as something extremely informal. And Poles dress warmer than the British. In the weather, in which a Pole wears a jacket or a light coat, a Brit walks around in shorts and a T-shirt.
And to take all this stuff about bright colours, heavy make-up and displaying much: most of the girls I saw in the UK walking in the streets, shopping etc. looked like Polish girls going to a village disco. I had to fly to Brum to appreciate the Polish mainstream sense of fashion... and to appreciate how great is the mission Trinny and Susannah ;)
Ok two things here. One I have high cheek bones but i only have the slavic genes form my grandfather on my mothers side. so when it reached me it was diluted down to only 1/4 of what he had but still i have them. another thing is is it uncommon for polish women to have some olivy skin almost Greek or Italian in color? To me it seems odd because there so close to Germany and i am sure they intermingled somewhat. It just seems odd.Could it be of Jewish lineage? I didn't read all the posts so don't make dumb comments .
Yes, I am similar. I have Polish genes through my maternal grandmother. My maternal grandfather was Hungarian. My grandmother was short stature, slim, with very dark hair, a small face with high cheekbones, and small, deep-set eyes. She had a slight olive tone to her, and so do I. I posted a picture of myself on the "Do I look Polish" thread. I also am small stature, about 165 centimenters (5'4 and 1/2 inches), have an hour-glass figure, but am not bony, and have a good waist to hip ratio with a S-Curve and round butt. I have gathered that this is also an East European or Slavic look. I also am currently being checked for a possible hypothyroid issue and do best on a homemade diet of potatoes and meat; can't do a lot of grains. I thought I couldn't drink for years because I would get horribly hung over with just one or two beers, and then switched to Vodka and found I could drink like a fish, lol.
The Hungarians are not Slavic. And BTW, to the gentlemen a few posts back, Hungarians are most definitely related to Finns. They are called Finno-Ugric, and both originate from deep within the Ural Mountains, on the Siberian Plateau.
merriam-webster.com/dictionary/finno-ugrics
Finno-Ugric
Main Entry: Fin·no-Ugric Listen to the pronunciation of Finno-Ugric Pronunciation: \ˌfi-nō-ˈ(y)ΓΌ-grik\ Function: adjective Date: 1879
1 : of, relating to, or constituting a subfamily of the Uralic family of languages comprising various languages spoken in Hungary, Lapland, Finland, Estonia, and parts of western Russia 2 : of or relating to any of the peoples speaking Finno-Ugric languages
- Finno-Ugric noun
Hungarians are most definitely related to Finns. They are called Finno-Ugric, and both originate from deep within the Ural Mountains, on the Siberian Plateau.
I should qualify the above statement. Hungarians and Finns are co-related groups, I guess. They are both of the Finno-Ugric linguistic group of people, but Hungarians are thought to originate in lands farther east in Siberia than the Finns. The Finns first arose in the Northern areas between Norway and the Ural Mountains, whereas the Hungarians spanned beyond. But there is definitely a historical connection between them and their language, which is why linguistically they both resemble each other more than the Finns do the Scandinavians and the Hungarians do the Slavs.
A relatively small number of Finno-Ugric speakers dominated the land that we now call Hungary. The origins of the Hungarians lies to a large extent with the same people who formed their neighbouring countries such as Slovakia, Slovenia and so on. The Magyars closest linguistic neighbours are the Ob-Ugrians on the eastern side of the Ural mountains. Quite a long distance away if you consult your Atlas. The two sides of this linguistic group - the Hungarians and the Ob Ugrians seem to have very little in common.
The Ob-Ugrians were pushed north by the Turkic-speakers of the steppes, and into colder lands where they took on the reindeer herding practices of the Samoyed peoples they partially displaced, partially subsumed.
The Magyars took on the ways of their southern neighbours - a much more nomadic lifestyle that involved forming tribal allegiances with other similar groups and occasionally attacking bits of Europe. Those dwellers of the steppes dominated by Magyar speakers who invaded and settled in Europe gave their language to this part of the world without actually settling there in large numbers.
The dominant language of Ireland these days in English, not because the people of Ireland are largely of English descent, but through a history of British domination.
Thanks for the discussion. As I understand it, distance had little to do with the migration/movement of people and tribes of the Siberian Plateau and Steppes. It certainly didn't stop the multiple tribes and confederations that rampaged from the East to challenge the West, such as Attila the Hun in Gaul and Italy, the Avars, and Genghis Khan. I know the migration of nomadic herding tribes are different, but the grassy plains of the Steppes obviously weren't a hindrance for the movement of successive waves of multiple tribes and multi-ethnic confederations from the vicinity of the Ural and Altai Mountains.
You are right about the Ob-Ugrians, who are the closest linguistic relations to the Finno-Ugric language; they are the modern indigenous Khanti-Mansi people of the Autonomous Okrug administrative region of Russia. There are various competing theories about the origins of Magyars and the beginning of their kingdom, but I have never come across any accounts which argue against their Finno-Ugric origins in the Ural Mountains, which may have later combined with other tribes from the Altais.
At any rate, there is no doubt that the original Magyars were a blend of these tribes and multi-ethnic confederations. There is also no doubt that the Slavic languages surrounding them are different. Matters of statehood and geopolitical dominance do not necessarily explain ethnic origin, although I agree that all of Central and Eastern Europe - and Western Europe for that matter - were mixed. I would also argue that your example of the shared English language between Irish and English also supports my point -geopolitical domination has very little to do with ethnic origins and identity. In the case of the origin of early Magyars, however, it wasn't about domination but migration. And the fact that the surrounding states who were once part of the Magyar Empire still speak completely different languages nullifies your example further.
Not that I doubt there are alternative and contradicting theories, I just don't think the example of distance as an argument in this case is relevant. I am still learning about the various alternative theories, but I think I am leaning toward the theory that there were two significant migrations of the original Magyars.
I have to run, but I will find some links later. Sorry if I am boring others with this discussion.
harrisonmcmanus your views are distorted. I would say most common colour is Brown, varying in all shades, but there's still fair bit of blonde, black etc. Whenever I go down to the local Polish Club, it is very hard to find somone with blonde hair and who fits in with your idea of what a typical pole looks like. I have noticed that we have All colours of eyes from brown, blue, hazel, green etc. We are certainly darker than the Germans lol
Switezianka has about the best post to describe the "average" polish look
it is in the face that poles(and Slavic peoples) are set apart from the Germanic peoples next door
Rounder heads HIGH cheek bones often wide cheeks and the eye lines will turn ever so slightly up(betraying the eastern origin of Slavic peoples)
colour is light to dark(swarthy not black) just like Germanic and Celtic peoples
the Baltic states Ukrainians Czech Slovaks will all look very similar to Polish peoples
Finns look more Slavic because of the Laplanders but many still retain the Nordic looks
Hungarian's would have been just like Poles UNTIL the Hun's invaded giving the people more Asian/eastern looks to most of the population: even rounder heads broader cheeks less pointy bones in the cheeks but the years have rounded them off to look more like the Slaves to the north
you have to remember that Poland has Germanic and Slavic people mixed in many parts. Prussia is a fine example of it changing hands and the inter-mingling of the people there.....the same go's for Germany(and they don't like it....just as much as Poles don't like them)
Models in ANY country are not a good way of giving an "average" look to a people and Royalty they are some of the most Mixed people on the planet
PS: as for Fat America is a land of vast contrasts some states are Hugely fat others are very fit Australia does not have massive extremes But on "average" people maybe just over weight making the "average" Australian heavy but not necessarily Obese
I found Switezianka's post the best because it was the most objective and believable.
As for everyone generalizing Americans in this thread... I am of Polish descent but born & raised here in the USA. However, genetically, there is no such thing as an American unless you are talking about indigenous peoples (whom are descended from Eastern Asians). Since this thread is about GENETIC characteristics, talking about how Americans don't look like Poles is irrelevant.
(In addition, generalizing 2/3 of Americans as fat is inappropriate and insulting. To the people running their mouths about this... You have many Polish cousins who live in America, were maybe even born and raised here. It's not very nice to insult us like that, and not only that, it can give Americans a very negative opinion about Europeans. Americans already feel that Europeans are overly judgmental, and statements like "2/3 of them are fat" only lends to this opinion. We are not all fat. Please see the thread I created in the Poland Genealogy forum and you'll see what I mean!)
Hi,hope you do not mind me replying,first time.Im a second generation Pole,born in UK,Polish parents. Both very dark hair, my father almost black hair if you like,both blue eyes,mother very dark brown.Both when children had blonde hair,in fact almost white.I however,have kept the blonde hair, and to this day almost white,I am 40.
Why ? You say this gene is recessive,and I totally agree with what you say, it makes complete sense and your statements carry a lot of insight into this.Just wondering if their was an explanation for my instance,where it has certainly not been recessive, as also is the case with my children ????????????????????????
my friends tell me i look russian so lets see how slav i really look ive got a heart shape face, my both eyes use to be almond shaped but when i was little i fell & had to get stiches to hold the skin suronding one of my eyes to geter so only one is almond now ive got a huge bottom lip but no top lip really lol & a high bridged nose with globular round tip and rather large nostrils so ive got 3 outa 4 :)
I can always tell when someone is from a different country. Just the features are different. high cheek bones, shape of head, etc.. general appearance.
When I think of Polish people, I think of fair features. The eyes, the hair... Also, all the Polish guys I know tend to be quite tall and slender.
People always tell me I look Russian or Ukranian (which is flattering), but, I am of mixed nationalities, and I am neither one of those.
But yes, not every person you meet will look like they are 100% of something... just sometimes you see a resemblance between some people from the same country.
Polish guys I know tend to be quite tall and slender.
Don't forget the big foreheads, short, short hair and in the summer they wear these tiny swim suits, barely covering the chuj (which is sometimes long, but very skinny)
...well i can't tell the exact countries, just that they are foreign.
Don't forget the big foreheads, short, short hair and in the summer they wear these tiny swim suits, barely covering the chuj (which is sometimes long, but very skinny)
=P well, i think american men in bathing suits are a bit worse. haha
Hello, as a Cultural Anthropologist with a PHD, I would like to clear up a few things written on here. First of all, Polish people speak a Slavic language but are not Slavic in Ethnicity!! They are of Germanic descent. Please do your homework Iskra
this has nothing to do with poland but you know that saying people look like there pets? i know this guy from lithuania & he looks like a borzoi if they where people im not even kidding, he looks very eastren european
I was wondering whats the typical Polish look of the Poles. The hair, eye, skin color, body build in both men and women, facial features.
You can tell someone is Polish by the twinkle in their eye; the shiny clean hair, melting smile, erect posture, courteous manner, philosophical wisdom, good manners and self-confidence.
from what ive noticed any one that is a tiny bit eastren european can make really weird & dramatic faces its kinda funny but only eastren european people can make those faces the germanic peoples funny faces are similar but not as dramatic also most eastren europeans cant make that one face that the site modles make you know with your toungue out to the side & looking up yeah that just dosent work with are beatiful faces lol watch a video of a eastren european singer or lip singer or pianist when they really get into the music they look like retards
Home / Genealogy / The typical Polish look, or all Eastern Europeans
