Love + Sex

Saturday, December 5, 2009

Do You Appreciate Unconventional Beauty?

Whenever I want to get my sister riled up, I'll start gushing about Natalie Portman, Penelope Cruz, Padma Lakshmi or some other perfect elevens. "Yes, Ryan, they're beautiful, but real women don't look like that! This is why you're still single!" She has a point--sometimes I do let my shallower instincts get the best of me. But I nonetheless consider myself a connoisseur of unconventional beauty. I'm gonna be straight with you--I have a nasty tendency to get distracted by people's physical "flaws", including my own. It's a significant character flaw that I'm working to fix. And I'm hopeful that I'll eventually get over it, because on more than one occasion I have grown attached to women who initially didn't really do it for me. After all, my idealistic sister and I were both raised to believe that the most important criterion for judging people is their character, not bone structure or body mass index. And we're not the only ones. While the celebrity culture we live in glorifies conformity and the pursuit of cosmetic perfection, humans are still capable of appreciating unique beauty. Here are a few celebrity examples.

http://reneeashleybaker.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/bjork-wearing-swan-dress-2.jpg

Bjork
I've had a crush on Bjork ever since I ran across this supremely strange video in middle school.

See our tips: 12 Secret Signs He’s Into You.

http://www.ratewall.com/cpics/sofia_coppola.jpg

Sofia Coppola

Even though she's way too hip for me, I've had a crush on Sofia Coppola since Godfather III. And she's also partially responsible for one of my favorite mood music albums, the soundtrack from The Virgin Suicides, which was composed by the amazing French duo Air.

http://ashleyenglish.files.wordpress.com/2008/11/sarah-silverman-cc08.jpg

Sarah Silverman
What I wouldn't give to be roasted by the indomitable Ms. Silverman--nothing gets me going like a sense of humor.

What's the common denominator linking these women? They are all supremely talented, which instantly makes them perfect elevens. Do you appreciate unconventional beauty in men? Which unsung hunks have stolen your heart? Do you ever struggle to overcome your more shallow impulses?

P.S. Have you ever dated a guy only because he was hot?

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From the Community…

Comments 1-10 of 28
  • Mistress's Avatar
    Posted by Mistress Tue Sep 8, 2009 9:04am PDT

    I to appreciate a good sense of humor over an extremely hansom face. I have a crush on Simon Pegg from Hot Fuzz.

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  • ladybella04's Avatar
    Posted by ladybella04 Tue Sep 8, 2009 9:05am PDT

    Absolutely love unconventional beauty. I think Sarah Jessica Parker is lovely. Other examples: Adrien Brody (am sure there are more male examples, but I've always found him sexy), Barbara Streisand, and BBW like Queen Latifah are so beautiful to me. Nothing against traditional beauty standards (although they do take it too far sometimes), but quirky beauty is great too. It makes the world more interesting.

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  • eccc's Avatar
    Posted by eccc Tue Sep 8, 2009 9:20am PDT

    Adrian Brody and Jack Black are very sexy to me

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  • Angel's Avatar
    Posted by Angel Tue Sep 8, 2009 9:59am PDT

    I totally agree about Adrian Brody - my husband teases me over that one!! Also Rob Thomas of Matchbox Twenty...

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  • Lizbeth's Avatar
    Posted by Lizbeth Tue Sep 8, 2009 10:04am PDT

    I'm not a fan of any of the above mentioned, unconventional beauties, sorry. I have a girl crush on Heather Graham. I do, however, like unconventional looking boys. I can't think of any examples, but I know I prefer guys who don't look like any sort of typical hunk...I love Johnny Depp, anyway.

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  • AC's Avatar
    Posted by AC Tue Sep 8, 2009 12:01pm PDT

    Sense of humor is a big thing. My husband is shorter than I am, and I am short. It was weird at first, but he really had the ex factor. He had the indie nerdy chic thing going on and I totally fell for him. We are inseperable now and I am so glad that I didnt let something small get in the way of true love.

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  • Kerry B's Avatar
    Posted by Kerry B Tue Sep 8, 2009 1:15pm PDT

    I am the Queen of appreciating unconventional beauty. A person's appearance actually changes for me once I get to know them, either becoming much more beautiful, or extremely ugly, depending on their personality. I'm just weird like that, I guess.

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  • Penny H's Avatar
    Posted by Penny H Tue Sep 8, 2009 1:33pm PDT

    Sorry but I cannot worship the megalomaniacs of Hollywood Idols. That's what wrong with this entire country! Everybody wants to look like some movie star or they try to dress like them because they don't like themselves.

    I can understand appreciating unconventional beauty and I have an eye for it just like alot of you, but we live in the real world, and I can't afford $50,000 breast enhancements, can alot of you? No, I try to keep my feet on the ground where yours needs to be.

    OP, be real, don't be fake. Look around you, people are people the world over. They're just in a different place,that's all.

    People need to stop the shallow stuff. Now look, if you look like a cave man, and smell like one, then it's time to change alot of things about yourself. Point is I don't like Rednecks,either. Call me shallow over that one, hey the truth hurts, but it's the truth,too.

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  • starfedra's Avatar
    Posted by starfedra Tue Sep 8, 2009 4:24pm PDT

    People is naturally attracted to beautiful people, even in studies babies stare longer at beautiful people faces than average or under average looking people, it is in human nature, we are shallow by nature but we have judgment to and we decide wether to act shallow or not, people that say other people should stop being shallow maybe it is because they have under average looks and might be overweight, if you are happy with yourself, you take pride on how you look then that is not shallow, it is normal, because there is always room for improvement, I like beautiful, conventional or unconventional, more than anything I like confidence and a positive attitude.

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  • JJ's Avatar
    Posted by JJ Tue Sep 8, 2009 7:07pm PDT

    I think Bjork is beautiful too. And the video that you put up, there are plenty more where she looks a lot better. lol. Red hair just isn't for her. =p

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Comments 1-10 of 28

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