[Mariana Trench]

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

I like interesting faces. Not necessarily "good-looking", in the way, for instance, models are good-looking.

Interesting faces (and generally, interesting appearances) mean, to me, a face or appearance that oozes (or seems to ooze) a lot of personality, and in a non-verbal way, says a lot (or seems to say a lot) about who the person is, what his or her mood, character or background is.

It's the same here.

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

A very, very interesting face.

Originally Posted by Acting Like Godot

Too weird to be "beautiful", but oozes quirkiness, originality, emotion.

Interestingly to me, I find these two the most beautiful of all the pictures you posted. "Interestingness" gets factored into overall aesthetic appeal in my mind.

Originally Posted by Criseyde

This has been rolling around in my head for a while, and I thought it would make a neat thread.

Do you care about your level of physical attractiveness (innate -- I'm not talking about grooming etc)?
- Why?

I do, quite a lot, and quite a lot less than I used to. For me, there are two reasons I've been able to identify, one that I embrace and think is quite healthy and one that can be... well, next to tragic.

The first, and healthy reason is that I love beauty (not just visual beauty, and not just carefully crafted or glamorous or larger-than-life beauty of any sort). Beauty, in its broadest definition, is actually one of my highest values, and one of the things I love most about life. I love the experience of, creation of, and appreciation of beauty anywhere I can find it. I like being a part of that. I like appreciating the parts of me that I can see that way, and the occasions I can see myself overall that way.

The horribly unhealthy reason, that I've been able to move away from since my eating disorder days, is that being (or trying to be) conventionally attractive is a way to try to establish self-worth. That, hey, maybe if I'm perfectly f---able and nice to look at I can justify my existence. That also tied into cultural narratives about women that communicated, at least to me, that nothing else you do matters if you're not masturbation material.

How much do you care about physical attractiveness in others?
- Friends?

The only time I really notice physical attractiveness in friends is when a characteristic of theirs sticks out to me as exceptionally beautiful or interesting.

- Lovers?

I couldn't be with someone I found ugly or off-putting, but I've been told I have rather odd taste, and often times other characteristics will draw me to someone and I end up associating everything I like about them with their look, which makes them look more and more wonderful and sexy to me over time.

- Everyone else?

Much the same with friends. Sometimes something I find ugly at first glance will stick out to me too, but I don't tend to dwell on it, care, or do anything with that information...because there's really nothing to do with that information that's any of my business.

Where is physical attractiveness on your list of desirable qualities?

Hmm. I suppose that would depend for whom. I don't really have a general list of desirable qualities.