# What makes people cute? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 9, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226 "2004-07-09T03:37:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![START](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@START](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/START)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 3:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/1 "2004-07-09T03:37:36Z")
What makes someone cute,handsome, or pretty in the face? I am mainly referring to people at least 13 years old, because we all know why little kids are cute. They have round, smooth faces with big eyes, so what about the older folks. ---
**Author:** ![fishbicycle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aeb1de/32.png) [@fishbicycle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fishbicycle)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 3:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/2 "2004-07-09T03:58:09Z")
I saw one of those programs on PBS or TLC on this very subject. They took pictures of hundreds of faces and studied everything about them. Then they asked people to look at the pictures and make note of which faces they thought were beautiful. What it boiled down to has something to do with the symmetry and distance between the eyes, the height of the cheekbones, the shape of the chin, the shape of the nose and the distance from it to the chin, the height of the forehead, the shape of the face. There was no one thing that made people cute, but a convergence of the right attributes caused people to think that some faces were prettier than others. IIRC, a lot of the test subjects seemed to agree that the same faces in the study were prettier than others. What they all had in common was this unusually perfect facial symmetry. ---
**Author:** ![Thaumaturge](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/858c86/32.png) [@Thaumaturge](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thaumaturge)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 4:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/3 "2004-07-09T04:02:14Z")
Another thing found in that study IIRC was that the prettier and cuter faces tended to have the most average features. Whereas faces that deviated from the norm were less pretty. ---
**Author:** ![Cosmopolitan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/94ad74/32.png) [@Cosmopolitan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cosmopolitan)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/4 "2004-07-09T04:04:08Z")
See, I think that “cute”, “pretty” & “handsome” are all quite different terms - that is, they bring to my mind different images. For example, the most often-used overall compliment that I get is that I’m “cute”; that word means something very specific, IMO - it has specific indicators (big eyes with long eyelashes, a rounded face, cupid’s-bow lips) that differ from the indicators for “sexy”, let’s say. IMO. ---
**Author:** ![Electronic\_Chaos](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Electronic\_Chaos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Electronic_Chaos)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 4:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/5 "2004-07-09T04:32:58Z")
I agree with Cosmo on this. “Cute” denotes rounder features, and perhaps darker complection, wheras “pretty” denotes sharper, more pronounced features (such as higher cheekbones), usually with lighter hair. Neither is better than the other, in my opinion. Cute people are just as attractive as pretty ones. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/6 "2004-07-09T05:56:27Z")
Attractiveness is usually manifested with good symetry, facial proportions, and lack of blemishes. Unique features tend to stand out more too. Keep in mind though that some people thought Margot Hemmingway was cute. :eek: ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 8:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/7 "2004-07-09T08:11:49Z")
> [@Thaumaturge](#): > > Another thing found in that study IIRC was that the prettier and cuter faces tended to have the most average features. Whereas faces that deviated from the norm were less pretty. “What is ugly may be beautiful. What is pretty, never.” Indeed. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 10:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/8 "2004-07-09T10:37:43Z")
Like \*\* Thaumaturge \*\* I read that the faces found to be the most attractive by the people studied were the most “average” (computer-generated pictures “averaging” a large number of pictures of different persons). ---
**Author:** ![Skully](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f04885/32.png) [@Skully](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skully)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 6:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/9 "2004-07-09T18:14:05Z")
I heard about a study on why babies are so cute. They found out it was because of their over sized head. So now when drawing cute cartoon characters it is mandatory to have a head not at all in proportion to the body. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 6:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/10 "2004-07-09T18:32:55Z")
> [@Thaumaturge](#): > > Another thing found in that study IIRC was that the prettier and cuter faces tended to have the most average features. Whereas faces that deviated from the norm were less pretty. Yeah, i read that too, i think it was discover magazine. Averageness and symmetry are the main factors in attractiveness. Clear skin is important too as that signifies being healthy. I think symmetry and averagness signify healthiness too. I was reading an article on yahoo news a year or so ago that said handsome men had healthier sperm than unattractive men. Their sperm were less likely to be deformed and would function better. I don’t know if that fact alone is what makes men attractive or if that is just a side effect of being attractive since being attractive is usually a sign of biological health and healthy men will have healthier sperm. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/11 "2004-07-09T18:36:22Z")
If you want to test the symmetry theory you can either use a 3 way mirror and use it to mirror one half of your face or you can take a digital picture and use some kind of mirror function on your computer. The more symmetry you have the more attractive people will find you. I remember when some news program did this. they did people like monica lewinsky and her mirrored face looked deformed and cartoonish while denzel washington’s mirrored face was identical to his normal face. ---
**Author:** ![ParentalAdvisory](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/53a042/32.png) [@ParentalAdvisory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ParentalAdvisory)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/12 "2004-07-09T20:57:31Z")
My nose is slightly crooked, am I screwed? ---
**Author:** ![Cockatiel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/43a26b/32.png) [@Cockatiel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cockatiel)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 9:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/13 "2004-07-09T21:09:14Z")
IMO, although certain aspects of people tend to be more attractive, as brought up by **Thaumaturge** , like symmetry and more average features, I still feel that it’s at least partially subjective. ---
**Author:** ![Wesley\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wesley_clark/32/20581_2.png) [@Wesley\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wesley_Clark)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/14 "2004-07-09T21:45:52Z")
> [@ParentalAdvisory](#): > > My nose is slightly crooked, am I screwed? yes. i recommend buying a small green hat and living under a bridge ASAP. its not a huge deal. Monica lewinsky’s face was almost cartoonish looking when it was mirrored (if im remembering correctly) and she was with the most powerful man in america who was also rich. So theres always hope. ---
**Author:** ![Jpeg\_Jones](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/4bbf92/32.png) [@Jpeg\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jpeg_Jones)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/15 "2004-07-09T21:51:40Z")
Just thinking out loud here: I think ‘cute’, as applied to a woman, means having a young (almost childlike) face, but a sexually mature body. Head size in relation to body? I’m not so sure about that. But definitely child features: big eyes, small upturned nose, long eyebrows, blemish-free skin. Maybe even lighter-toned hair (lots of people were blond as babies even though their hair got darker later in life). Combine these facial characteristics with your body type of choice and you’ve got a winner. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/16 "2004-07-09T21:56:09Z")
My cats are cute and here is why I think they are this way: 1. They have round faces. 2. They have relatively flat faces (the cat who’s the cutest has the flatest face). 3. They have relatively big eyes. 4. They have one special feature or facial abnormality. For my cat **monstro** , he has little gray streaks under his chin. For my other cat, she has a chin that juts out a little bit, especially when I stroke her neck. I know some cats that are beautiful or handsome that aren’t cute…and it’s because they don’t meet at least one of the criterion listed above. IMHO, cute humans also fit the criteria above. Cute people also tend to be smaller and fluffier, with softer features. A cute woman: Belinda Carlisle (especially in her “The Go-Gos” days). A cute man: [Michael Beach](http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0004729/). ---
**Author:** ![jebert](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ec9cab/32.png) [@jebert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jebert)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/17 "2004-07-09T22:24:50Z")
For me, facial attractiveness includes: 1. Nice smile - symmetrical shaped mouth, white, straight, even teeth with no gums showing. 2. Eyes - clear whites, no red. Bigger is probably better. I think longer lashes probably enhance things, too. 3. Skin - clear, even tone, no moles. 4. Nose - “average” size, the straighter the profile the better, not too concave and especially not too convex. Of the above, I think the smile is worth about twice as much as all the rest put together. ---
**Author:** ![Lobsang](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobsang/32/4067_2.png) [@Lobsang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobsang)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 10:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/18 "2004-07-09T22:30:39Z")
D.n.a. ---
**Author:** ![Burrido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Burrido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burrido)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2004, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/19 "2004-07-09T23:39:26Z")
'…because we all know why little kids are cute…" Because we’d kill them if they weren’t. ---
**Author:** ![flamingbananas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f4b2a3/32.png) [@flamingbananas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/flamingbananas)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2004, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226/20 "2004-07-10T04:45:56Z")
What about freckles? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-makes-people-cute/254226.md?page=2)