Walking around town I notice lots of women who have what I consider to be very nice bodies. However, there are not so many who have truly pretty faces. I’m not sure if this is because I have different criteria for the two, or if its simply because most of the womens bodies I see are clothed, and clothing can provide concealment and support. What say all you dopers? Feel free to expand the topic to men, except that men do not frequently wear clothing that is as revealing as that of women.
The results will be skewed because beauty is in the eye of the beholder, however, I notice more pretty faces then nice bodies. I know plenty of overweight women who have very pretty faces, but not a great body.
I would say overwhelmingly the former, in London at least. Many’s the time I spot what appears to be a stunner from behind, only to discover that she’s actually a bobfoc*. 
It’s much rarer to see a woman and think “She’d be gorgeous if she didn’t have a hunched back/lost 90lb/only had two arms/etc.”
- Body off Baywatch; Face off Crimewatch. Also known as a “stealth moose”, a “Monet”, or an “LRF” (low-resolution fox).
[QUOTE=Colophon* Body off Baywatch; Face off Crimewatch. Also known as a “stealth moose”, a “Monet”, or an “LRF” (low-resolution fox).[/QUOTE]
'Round here, we call that a butter-face. (Everything’s hot “but her face” (butter face).)
Nice body/average face seems to be a far more common combo than the opposite, if only because of the benefits of clothing.
And of course, average body, average face is the most common combo of all. 
Honestly, I think it depends hugely on what your definition of a “nice” body and/or a “pretty” face is. If your idea of a nice body is “not fat”, well, there’s a whole lot of not fat women out there. However, if your idea of a nice body is more specific, be it Ellen Pompeo, Halle Berry, or Linda Hamilton circa Terminator, then that narrows the field considerably.
Same with faces, of course. If anything, “pretty” is an even wider-open field than “nice body”.
I’d say I see more pretty faces.
Tough call but I think I agree. I have somewhat high standards for bodies, but I can find something to like in most faces. (There are some extreme exceptions of course.)
Maybe because I live in Florida but I see more nicer bodies on homely people. My arrogant ex husband used to often comment while we were out in public “Wow, there certainly are a lot of ugly people in this world and obviously they keep breeding.”
I’m fairly forgiving all around (when you look like I do, you have to be), but I’d say more pretty faces. I’ll even risk the anger of the PC gods, and break it down by the 5 major ethnic categories I come into contact with on a daily basis:
Hispanic: More faces
African-American / Black: More bodies
White: Fairly even
Asian (including SE Asian): Fairly even, with a slight edge to faces (due mostly to me not being a fan of the 13 y.o. boy figure)
South Asian: More bodies
My original assessment (more faces) comes from the fact that I’m likely to run into far more random Hispanics over the course of most days.
I would say better bodies. It’s easier and cheaper to exercise, diet and buy flattering clothes than to get plastic surgery.
As a former fat girl, I may be sensitized to the fat-girl-with-pretty-face package. I sure do see a lot of 'em, and many are youngsters and teens. Likewise, I see a lot of handsome-faced men with blobby bodies.
Bodies. Anybody can work on their body and make it look good (note – not necessarily will but can)
A pretty face, at least IMHO, requires not only a certain bone structure which cannot be achieved by just working on it, and – again IMHO – a certain minimum intelligence and personality, to “shine through,” as it were. I hardly ever think a stupid bimbo has a pretty face. But I’m probably weird this way.
I suspect the same applies to men, BTW (although I don’t swing that way, so I don’t have any personal thoughts on the subject)
Bodies, by far. A pretty face is a natural luxury. A hot body is something you can buy.
I’d say pretty faces. But, as pinkfreud points out, this may be because I’ve spent most of my life being told, “You have such a pretty face …”
Not so much for any sense of real life accuracy, but more to give a little sense of measure to my observations, I’d say my view of the female population goes something like this:
Great face, great body: 25%
Great face, not-so-hot body: 20%
Average face, average body: 20%
Great body, not-so-hot face: 20%
Bad face and body: 15%
I would like to say I attribute the prevalence of 65% of average-to-great faces to 35% not-so-hot to bad faces to the idea that unless the face is moderately attractive I just don’t pay that much attention to the whole package. I’d also assume that even a little makeup can fix all but the most unattractive face.
It’s rare for me to be bowled over by a knockout body that has an ugly head attached to it.
Definitely better bodies are more common. I’ve always said this, but what is most interesting about the female form is that it can look great (not just good) in a wide range of appearances. There are super skinny girls that look hot. There are 250 girls that still work it and look fabulous. Flat chest, big boobed, ghetto booty, pancake ass, 6 pack abs, belly- it can all look great (I’m not saying they always do, it’s just that I’ve seen girls with any combination of those attributes still look fantastic).
I think what makes a pretty face is more specific. To me, at least, good bone structure is key- high cheek bones are striking. I personally like big eyes, but I know that can vary.
If I can recall correctly though (and I’m far too lazy to dig up a cite), studies show that when it comes to what makes an “attractive” face, the vast majority of people always pick the person who has the most symmetrical features. From what I remember, it’s not so much about the straight nose or the upturned nose, the cleft chin or the rounded one, it’s more about how everything is put together.
So anywho, that’s my $.02. There are way more nice bodies than pretty faces.
I prefer a pretty face, and they are relatively rare, but the world is filled with good bodies, which as has been said, are achievable by anyone who really wants it.
Count me in the pretty body crowd. Cute faces are hard to come by, (but easy to come across :P)
[as for guys with hot faces vs. hot bodies, it’s difficult to tell unless their shirtless. Even then, I can’t remember the last time I looked at a guy and thought ‘Wow, nice body. If only his face were more attractive.’ If the face isn’t hot, he’s not hot. I barely look below the neck, except to see what he’s wearing.]