Distinctive Beauty... or just distinctive looks

[Stoid]

I have a theory, and I'd like a little help testing it out. Without undermining my test by explaining it out the gate (I will explain it at some point), I'll jsut say that I think that the greatest beauty is distinctive. By which I mean that I find Elizabeth Taylor far more beautiful than Grace Kelly, for instance. To me, Grace Kelly was beautiful in a very "yeah, whatever" sort of way, and she blended in with a thousand other perfect looking blondes.

Taylor, on the other hand, stood out from the crowd, she was very distinctive and unmistakable, no matter how many brunettes you lined her up with.

I was just reminded of a cool bit of knowledge I have about Elizabeth Taylor... I'll do a different thread about it...

Anyway, more recent examples would be...Angelina Jolie v. Halle Berry ... both gorgeous, but Jolie has it all over Berry in the distinctive department.

Males..David Beckham: perfectly beautiful. George Clooney: distinctively beautiful.

That said, please vote on which of the following you think are "distinctively" beautiful.

[Rubik]

My friend is the most beautiful woman I've ever encountered in my short little life.

By common standards, she's not particularly beautiful.

So to spout a cliche, it's all relative.

[needscoffee]

I hope you meant Elizabeth Taylor 55 years ago, not today.

No Cary Grant?

[Rubik]

What is this hellfire lust for ol' Cary there?

He looked a bit like the school teacher that nobody got for lessons.

[Fastidiots]

Did my best to vote for both sexes, though I was born in the 80's and can't remember the appearance of a few of these very clearly.

[Stoid]

I hope you meant Elizabeth Taylor 55 years ago, not today.

No Cary Grant?

It's a relatively random list of famous people who are (were) attractive, not a comprehensive one.

[aceplace57]

Ingrid Bergman has one of the most interesting and classic profiles. She's someone you want to look at and take in. Much like a painting.

It's a different kind of beauty than the pin up models.

http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_zAoyoHwC5IQ/Sd0pjbh98jI/AAAAAAAACpc/2rlpMmikBSA/s400/Ingrid+Bergman+and+Humphrey+Bogart.jpg

[elfkin477]

That said, please vote on which of the following you think are "distinctively" beautiful.I assume you're going for positively distinctive only, not funny looking, so I guess we avoid voting for people we don't find either kind of beautiful?

[Shagnasty]

I only voted for the women because the rest fall into the 'other' category which includes dogs, turtles, and some fish.

Vivian Leigh is my dream girl mainly because I have a thing for brunettes with light eyes but also because she was smart and evil in some ways. I like pure evil in a women as long as it is done intelligently and goes along with a pretty face. Lindsey Lohan has passed the point of no return but she was starting to do it for me for that reason.

Cameron Dias is certainly pretty but she is also funny and quirky and that is good. I could go for her.

Marylin Monroe - can't pull it off. Fat skank hack.

Julia Roberts - positively average looking at not a standout at any level. She has the cash so she could have me for a night if she wants but the carriage turns back into a pumpkin at midnight. Sandra Bullock would be a marginal improvement and would get a discount.

The two most beautiful 'nice girls' from that I know of are Lynda Carter and Elizabeth Montgomery (good rest her soul). I got the Wonder Woman TV series on DVD a few years ago just to see if my childhood tastes still stood. I am lucky the TV didn't catch on fire. That is the ultimate hot there, I don't care who you are.

[MeanOldLady]

None of these. I find most of the people on this list to be attractive, and while a few of them may have vaguely distinctive facial features, for the most part, they are good looking in a very mainstream, blah kind of way.

[Stoid]

Please name any beauties you find distintive, that would be helpful.

[MeanOldLady]

Off the top of my head, Eva Mendez, Lea Michele from "Glee."

[Rhiannon8404]

I would have added Katherine Hepburn and Lauren Bacall as exapmples of Distinctive Beauty. Neither was the traditional "beauty" of their time.

[NDP]

I hope you meant Elizabeth Taylor 55 years ago, not today.
I'm assuming for the older selections, the poll is for when they were in their prime. It wouldn't be fair to compare someone who's almost 80 and in a wheelchair like Elizabeth Taylor with 20-somethings like Natalie Portman and Scarlett Johanssen.

Anyway, with regard to the women, I find them all at least considerably above-average in terms of appearance. However, in terms finding one more distinctive over another, a lot of intangibles and factors not having to do with appearance come into play for me. That have to be more than mannequins. They also shouldn't be publicity-mad attention whores. No matter how attractive they are, someone who constantly needs media attention can tiresome quickly.

One other thing:this list was missing Audrey Hepburn.

[Joey P]

I went with Clark Gable and Liz Taylor. In her heyday, you could drown in her eyes.

[Robot Arm]

There is no excellent beauty, that hath not some strangeness in the proportion.

Francis Bacon (http://www.authorama.com/essays-of-francis-bacon-43.html)

[BigT]

Man, you really didn't pick very different looking people. But I guess some of them are on the distinctive side. I might as well explain.

Johny Depp--one of the few guys I've ever seen that I though was actually beautiful, at least, when he was younger. (I thought he was a girl before I heard him speak.) And a being a beautiful guy is distinctive.

Winona Rider--probably the least qualified of the people I voted for. But there's something geeky looking about her.

Cameron Diaz--that giant mouth of hers. Still, unlike a lot of people, I don't find a big mouth unattractive. (That's based on the fact that I've seen pictures people who just have a tall mouth judged as quite ugly.)

Penelopy Cruz--the most ethnic female I noticed on the list. That is at least relatively distinctive.

Adriana Lima--last because I've never heard of her before, but she has the same qualities as Cruz. Actually, she's a little less ethnic looking, but a little more beautiful.

The only distinctive looking person I saw on there that isn't pretty is Tyra Banks. I never could figure out why until a stint on America's Next Top Model where she pointed it out for me--she has a really big forehead, and refuses to soften it with bangs.

I don't know if she's the only one, but a person who is absolutely gorgeous but not distinctive enough is Scarlett Johansen.

I do think that nearly all the guys on there are distinctive in one way or another.

[FuzzyOgre]

I'd have to agree these people mostly fit the notion of ideal beauty rather than exotic.

I did vote for Cameron Diaz because of her eyes and big smile. Along with her personality shes a heart stopper. I'm also blond with blue eyes, so shes not exotic/opposite, which is what I think the OP is getting at. She's only about 6 centimeters shorter than I am too.

No what counts is symmetry and balance of features. Exotic works while you are young, but I think actresses like Angelina Jolie end up as funny looking old ladies. Right now shes still interesting to look at. She was prettier(and more conventional) when she was younger.

On the other hand, run of the mill models are not very attractive. I remember thinking "ugh." to those TV advertisements for adult phone chats in the pre/early internet days. They were at once bland and fake looking while nominally sporting features that would be deemed attractive.

I am much more attracted to the girl-next-door look. Women like Kari from myth busters are incredibly appealing. Shes interesting to look at without having Jolie-like exotic features. You might say shes beautiful because shes not a supermodel. She manages to put across her intelligence and nice personality.

I guess I am not attracted to women who are caricatures of themselves.

[alice_in_wonderland]

Uma Thurman
Linda Evangalista
Alek Wek

[Stoid]

I'd have to agree these people mostly fit the notion of ideal beauty rather than exotic.

Exotic and distinctive are not the same thing.

Distinctive simply means "easily distinguished from others".

There is attractiveness which is rather generic, such as Faith Hill (http://behindblondiepark.com/category/faith-hill/). Unquestionably pretty. But if you put her in a room of other similarly pretty, generic blondes, you'd have a hell of a time picking her out. There's nothing distinctive about her.


Think of someone who is not considered beautiful, merely attractive: Jennifer Grey. Prior to her nose job, you could pick her out easily. After, she could probably walk right up to you and say howdy and you'd have no idea - she just blends in with other women of similar feature sets.

Ashley Simpson is another good example. She was a pretty girl with a prominent nose that gave her a very distinctive look. Fix the nose, become technically what most people consider prettier, but also become very generic. She removed her most distinguishing feature.

I happen to think her sister, Jessica, is, in the "All AMerican Uber Blonde" category of beauties, absolutely stunning, from head to toe. And I think it would be an absolute crime if she "perfected" HER imperfect nose. That nose is what makes her distinctively and especially beautiful.

But you could never call her "exotic".

I'm not asking about whether anyone likes a particular look, or is attracted personally, or to rate degrees of attractiveness.

I'm asking specifically and narrowly about distinctiveness. If you put these people in a lineup with people of similar age, height, build, hairstyle, eye color, etc.... would they still be easily distinguished from the rest?

[Stoid]

Interesting that so far, Sharon Stone is the only one that absolutely no one finds distinctive.

[panache45]

I went with Clark Gable and Liz Taylor. In her heyday, you could drown in her eyes.

And his.

I would add Gary Cooper, Vanessa Redgrave, Hugh Laurie and Adrien Brody . . . and a young Joan Crawford. (http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_Qzd9HIsRWeA/SjjYj_ZvZMI/AAAAAAAAXp4/4Db2ETqts5I/s400/Joan%2BCrawford.bmp&imgrefurl=http://moviedearest.blogspot.com/2009/06/women-we-love-joan-crawford.html&usg=__HTiJOWJKtjY66jVG0h9RXkWaBgE=&h=400&w=281&sz=20&hl=en&start=38&zoom=1&tbnid=OhxR_jzSfnQoRM:&tbnh=161&tbnw=112&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djoan%2Bcrawford%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26safe%3Doff%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26sa%3DN%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US:official%26channel%3Ds%26biw%3D1151%26bih%3D1140%26tbs%3Disch:10%2C633&um=1&itbs=1&iact=hc&vpx=535&vpy=478&dur=6903&hovh=268&hovw=188&tx=96&ty=290&ei=P3CqTPSvNsaknQfXmoTdBg&oei=yG-qTKrYM9D-nAeqsOT2Bg&esq=2&page=2&ndsp=38&ved=1t:429,r:3,s:38&biw=1151&bih=1140)

[Stoid]

For a long time I only knew of Gary Cooper as an older man. When I saw pictures of him in his youth (http://www.ioffer.com/i/gary-cooper-extremely-young-signed-8x10-preprint-coa-65059786), I was blown away. Talk about beautiful!

[Stoid]

Also I have that famous mugshot of Sinatra when he was 23... his eyes were to die. But I didn't think he was very good looking as he got older.

[MrDibble]

If Grace Kelly had been in the poll, I would, in fact, have voted for her. Much more distinctive than Taylor, IMO. Not a generic blonde in the Monroe mould by any means.

Oh, and Ingrid Bergman, while beautiful, can't really be said to be distinctive, since her daughter is really her spitting image.

[Stoid]

Really? I have always thought Grace Kelly was absolutely generic. Generically PERFECT, mind you... but utterly boring in her perfection. Snore. Line her up with a dozen other similarly perfect looking blondes... can't tell the difference.

Oh, I just thought of someone I think was really lovely in a very distinctive way: Carolyn Kennedy. LOVELY woman, unmistakable. As was her mother-in-law. Nobody looked like Jackie but Jackie.

[Merneith]

Really? I have always thought Grace Kelly was absolutely generic. Generically PERFECT, mind you... but utterly boring in her perfection. Snore. Line her up with a dozen other similarly perfect looking blondes... can't tell the difference.

I'd say this is true of Scarlett Johansen but not Grace Kelly. I think Johansen's lovely when she's acting but in still photos I almost never recognize her.

I also wouldn't call any of the men on that list "beautiful" although some of them are handsome - except for Daniel Day Lewis who has a gorgeously delicate jawline.

[Merneith]

Meant to add - I couldn't pick Halle Berry out of a lineup. Ditto for Alex O'laughlin.

I would have put the following on the list:

Taye Diggs
Audra MacDonald
Kate Walsh
Mariska Hargitay
Audrey Hepburn
Daniel Dae Kim
Kristen Bell

It's interesting that no one's mentioned Princess Diana.

[Evil Captor]

I went with Sophia Loren, Scarlett Johanssen and Giselle Bundschen. Actually, Bunschen was a mistake, she's too rangy and hard-faced fro my liking, I had her confused with Estella Warren, who is in fact beautiful in a distinctive way, with that puffy upper lip of hers and her almond eyes. I chose Loren and Johanssen because they have the sort of lush beauty that appeals to me ... well developed figures with sexy faces ... both have huge eyes, and appealing, expressive lips. The people who think Johannsen is not distinctive are not really looking at her, IMHO. Most of the rest are kinda skinny-ass.

I did not take personality into account, as it tends to be independent of looks.

Also, I note that the first two names on the list have by far the most votes. Obvious example of sampling effect. Everyone went "Taylor, beautiful, yup, Depp, beautiful, yup" and then when they got to the third name thought, "I'd better not check everyone."

[Stoid]

I appreciate participation and commentary is obviously fine, but as far as my poll and my theory... please just consider DISTINCTIVE - whether you LIKE the way they look or not is not the point. The point is can you pick them out of a lineup of similar types (aside from their fame, obviously).

[Skald the Rhymer]

I would have added Kate Winslet and Angela Basset to this list. Both, at their primes, are so heart-thumpingly lovely that if they lived in a magical world, wars would have been fought over their hands long ere there.

[MrDibble]

I appreciate participation and commentary is obviously fine, but as far as my poll and my theory... please just consider DISTINCTIVE - whether you LIKE the way they look or not is not the point. The point is can you pick them out of a lineup of similar types (aside from their fame, obviously).

Who, exactly, from her time, are you considering a "similar type" to Grace Kelly?

[Merneith]

The people who think Johannsen is not distinctive are not really looking at her, IMHO. Most of the rest are kinda skinny-ass.

Her eyes are squinty and too close together. Her nose is unmemorable. Ditto for her lips. Her jawline is vague. Her cheeks are puffy. Her brow is ok, I guess. I don't mind her ears. Her hair is just standard issue. I think she's a terrific actress and she does have a great body but she's no Blake Lively in the photo department. Oh - Leighton Meester's another one who I think is lovely when she's live but forgettable in photos.

And Stoid, I would argue that the people I mentioned *are* distinctive looking. I can elaborate, if you like. But in general, I think the most distinctive looking people have the most interesting bone structure. In retrospect, I maybe wouldn't put Taylor on that list after all.

[Nzinga, Seated]

The people who think Johannsen is not distinctive are not really looking at her, IMHO. Most of the rest are kinda skinny-ass.

...Her nose is unmemorable. Ditto for her lips...

Actually, I have always noticed that her nose is a bit...different. And her lips do seem memorable. I don't know too many white girls with lips like hers.

[Hilarity N. Suze]

I couldn't pick Halle Berry out of a lineup even if all the other people were white. Especially if one of them were Natalie Portman. I could probably tell Halle from Scarlett Johansen as long as only one of them is blondish. Not sure I could tell Scarlett from Mariska. There's a whole bunch of male stars who are very nice looking and all, but not really distinctive. Johnny Depp is distinctive.

I think Demi Moore should have been on that list. Gorgeous, and distinctive.

[Stoid]

I appreciate participation and commentary is obviously fine, but as far as my poll and my theory... please just consider DISTINCTIVE - whether you LIKE the way they look or not is not the point. The point is can you pick them out of a lineup of similar types (aside from their fame, obviously).

Who, exactly, from her time, are you considering a "similar type" to Grace Kelly?

No one in particular, im not comparing famous people, they are just convenient examples to use. I brought up Kelly because I've always thought it strange that she was so raved about as a beauty, for reasons I've stated.

[Stoid]

I couldn't pick Halle Berry out of a lineup even if all the other people were white. Especially if one of them were Natalie Portman. I could probably tell Halle from Scarlett Johansen as long as only one of them is blondish. Not sure I could tell Scarlett from Mariska. There's a whole bunch of male stars who are very nice looking and all, but not really distinctive. Johnny Depp is distinctive.

I think Demi Moore should have been on that list. Gorgeous, and distinctive.

Again: list is random assortment of famous people widely considered very attractive just to assess people's opinions about distinctive. Not designed to be considered a list of people who necessarily ARE.

And I agree: I think Demi is gorgeous.

[Skald the Rhymer]

Meant to add - I couldn't pick Halle Berry out of a lineup. Ditto for Alex O'laughlin.

I would have put the following on the list:

Taye Diggs
Audra MacDonald
Kate Walsh
Mariska Hargitay
Audrey Hepburn
Daniel Dae Kim
Kristen Bell

It's interesting that no one's mentioned Princess Diana.

Except for Kate Walsh and Audrey Hepburn, all the persons you nominate are high on my heart-thumpingly-gorgeous list.

And Diana was all but peerless.

[mundylion]

An actress I don't see mentioned is Lake Bell. Certainly not a classic beauty but there is something about her that pushes my buttons.

[Skald the Rhymer]

An actress I don't see mentioned is Lake Bell. Certainly not a classic beauty but there is something about her that pushes my buttons.

Lake Bell has a smoking body but an ... other than Praxitelean visage. She's close to being an exception to my usual rule about the face ruling.

[Stoid]

It's interesting that no one's mentioned Princess Diana.



And Diana was all but peerless.

Really? I thought Diana was a pretty woman in a very ho-hum sort of way. For a British Royal, she was stunning, of course, but that's not saying anything at all!

[Skald the Rhymer]

And Diana was all but peerless.

Really? I thought Diana was a pretty woman in a very ho-hum sort of way. For a British Royal, she was stunning, of course, but that's not saying anything at all!

:: shrugs ::

Mileage always varies when talking about beauty. And I really liked her nose.

[Monstera deliciosa]

Really? I thought Diana was a pretty woman in a very ho-hum sort of way. For a British Royal, she was stunning, of course, but that's not saying anything at all!

:: shrugs ::

Mileage always varies when talking about beauty. And I really liked her nose.

The nose is part of made her distinctive, rather than ho-hum pretty, in my opinion. That large, asymmetrical nose would have pushed plenty of other women over the edge into ugliness. But her, it suited.

[Skald the Rhymer]

:: shrugs ::

Mileage always varies when talking about beauty. And I really liked her nose.

The nose is part of made her distinctive, rather than ho-hum pretty, in my opinion. That large, asymmetrical nose would have pushed plenty of other women over the edge into ugliness. But her, it suited.

I'm kind of a fan of distinctive noses. Paget Brewster also has a nose some might think wonky, but I find her a major hottie as well.

[Robot Arm]

I don't mind her ears.What distinguishes plain, run-of-the-mill ears from hot, distinctive ears?

[Hilarity N. Suze]

You know, there's a certain something that some people have, and others don't. I'm going to call it "class" but really, that's kind of misleading, as that sounds like they're particularly well dressed or well educated, and that's not it. Whatever it is, it doesn't really have a lot to do with beauty. You can't buy it, or Paris Hilton would have it, and she doesn't. If you can fake it, you've got it.

So, for instance, Jackie Kennedy, who was not by any stretch a beautiful woman, had this quality like nobody else. Of course she dressed well and carried herself well, but she had something else, that made people think she was quite the great beauty, when her sister (Lee something) was much prettier (and also had class).

In real life I know a woman, not terribly well. She's in her late 40s, slender, well-dressed, and she looks remarkably like Mick Jagger (and not the young MJ, not that that was any improvement, but the late 40s-aged MJ). Anyway, she is considered by men in my acquaintance to be remarkably hot; she gives the overall impression, with her posture and carriage and everything else, that in fact she IS a great beauty, and yet...she looks like Mick Jagger, and people will even admit this.

She makes looking just the way she looks, and being her, seem like the most desirable thing in the world. People are irresistibly attracted to her. Including me, I always want to say hi and bask in her wonderfulness for a second or two.

I think if this came across on film (or if she wanted it), she could be quite famous.

[Stoid]

The nose is part of made her distinctive, rather than ho-hum pretty, in my opinion. That large, asymmetrical nose would have pushed plenty of other women over the edge into ugliness. But her, it suited.

I'm kind of a fan of distinctive noses. Paget Brewster also has a nose some might think wonky, but I find her a major hottie as well.

Paget is a very pretty woman, but in profile that nose is bordering on Pinocchio territory... it's really comical.

I have to say the intensity and flawlessness of the makeup on her (and JJ) in CI has gotten downright distracting. Really? 24/7 while solving murders? C'mon...

And of course, CI has what I consider to be a man SO over-the-top perfect in his beauty that he is a cartoon of beauty, and that's Shemar Moore. It's simply ridiculous how perfect that man is. And I say that while finding him completely uncompelling in any way whatsoever. I am left utterly cold.

Matthew Gray Gubler, on the other hand, I have a massive crush on. MASSIVE. Wait...maybe not on Gubler...it's really on Reid. That brilliant nerdiness in that gorgeous casing...YUMMY

[Perciful]

I recently saw Sophia Loren on a commercial and she is still sexy as a senior citizen. I think it is her beautiful bone structure and smile.

[Dangerosa]

I think that all people are beautiful, but what you are calling "distinctive beauty" I call "kinda funny looking, charismatic, and famous." I prefer my physical beauty as truly classical beauty. Ingrid Bergman. Cameron Diaz is funny looking, charismatic and famous. With a good stylist. Julia Roberts is frankly kindy horsey looking - in another era she'd have been called "handsome." Tom Cruise has a huge nose and isn't handsome at all - except he has a killer smile.

[Skald the Rhymer]

I'm kind of a fan of distinctive noses. Paget Brewster also has a nose some might think wonky, but I find her a major hottie as well.

Paget is a very pretty woman, but in profile that nose is bordering on Pinocchio territory... it's really comical.


Like I said: mileage varies hugely on this issue.


I have to say the intensity and flawlessness of the makeup on her (and JJ) in CI has gotten downright distracting. Really? 24/7 while solving murders? C'mon...


I don't watch Criminal Minds and refuse to, so I can't comment there.