# What's more important in determining physical attractiveness: face or body? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [September 8, 2008, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653 "2008-09-08T18:53:36Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Goblin\_Queen](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/4da419/32.png) [@Goblin\_Queen](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Goblin_Queen)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/41 "2008-09-09T03:51:09Z")
Straight girl, here, 20. I would have to say face–there are a lot of guys with good bodies, but not many that actually have good faces or facial posture. Though really, the physical attributes that I really notice tend to be “intangibles” like voice, facial expressions, and movement. Sadly, most of the guys I notice who actually move in an interesting way tend to not be interested in someone with two X chromosomes. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/42 "2008-09-09T03:53:45Z")
Depends. Do I want a blow-job or do I wanna get laid? ---
**Author:** ![Sleel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/73ab20/32.png) [@Sleel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sleel)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 4:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/43 "2008-09-09T04:09:16Z")
Face has the edge, but body is also important. I can deal with a body that’s a bit chubby or something. On the other hand, if she’s got a body like Adrianna Lima’s but a face like Janet Reno, I don’t think I could deal with the ugly up top long enough to get to what’s underneath, and there’s not a paper bag made that will block out mental pictures. ---
**Author:** ![Mosier](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ea924/32.png) [@Mosier](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mosier)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 6:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/44 "2008-09-09T06:10:49Z")
> [@Shagnasty](#): > > I don’t think so at all. The reason I have so few sex partners is that I am extremely picky about looks. My wife is gorgeous and I tend to have lots of female friends. I use the same criteria to select them as any romantic partner. I don’t even like to talk to females with less than desirable faces let alone be with one. To say otherwise is the understatement of the century. I don’t want females with ugly faces around me at all and overall repulsion is not an understatement. There is no way I would ever pick a female with an ugly face over a decent body. I would would rather be celibate for the rest of my life. At least with a flabby body, you can can kick her ass to the gym every night or two. With an ugly face, the best you can do is to spend tens of thousands of dollars on plastic surgery and it still may not work out that well. There is no way a woman with an ugly face is ever going to see the inside of my bedroom let alone stay there. The username/post dichotomy has me giggling uncontrollably at how proud I am for noticing it. 🙂 Your username is a lie! ---
**Author:** ![dba\_Fred](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/c37758/32.png) [@dba\_Fred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dba_Fred)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 6:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/45 "2008-09-09T06:32:59Z")
Straight male a shade over 50. Thinking solely in terms of an across the room first glance, I’ll go with body because I’d hope to believe I can provoke all of the different faces I want to see: the light-up look when she sees me after we’ve been apart; the smile that starts at the corners of her mouth; the full-faced guffaw; the twinkle in her eyes when she’s having fun; the wrinkled brow when she’s seriously thinking about something I said; that sultry glance when she wants me; and the thousands of other faces. Just call me a hopeless (helpless?) romantic. ---
**Author:** ![Jennyrosity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/2bfe46/32.png) [@Jennyrosity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jennyrosity)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/46 "2008-09-09T07:37:10Z")
Face, definitely. I don’t find the “typical” attractive male body does much for me anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/47 "2008-09-09T08:55:52Z")
Body. It isn’t even close and I don’t know how any male could choose otherwise. Maybe people are assuming that you start off with a pretty good face and body, and you get to make one gorgeous. In that case, yes, the face would win. However, that doesn’t seem to be a fair assumption. Statistically, an “average” body is not that good, but an “average” face is fine. If you want both to be pretty good, you are making a much greater demand on the body than the face. Moreover, since we are ignoring personality, the face is even less important. A good personality can shine through and make a plain face attractive. But no personality can make a bad body physically attractive. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 10:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/48 "2008-09-09T10:16:14Z")
Face… but a nice pair of legs can sway me in a dark nightclub. ---
**Author:** ![calm\_kiwi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9fc348/32.png) [@calm\_kiwi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/calm_kiwi)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 10:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/49 "2008-09-09T10:51:09Z")
I’m sorry but face isn’t picky enough for me. The smile is what gets me. A GENUINE smile that makes the eyes twinkle is what matters to me. Yummy upper arms are good but you ain’t nothing without a bloody good smile (smirks work too!). ---
**Author:** ![Carmady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f04885/32.png) [@Carmady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carmady)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/50 "2008-09-09T11:48:10Z")
> [@calm\_kiwi](#): > > A GENUINE smile that makes the eyes twinkle is what matters to me. I don’t think this type of answer is in the spirit of the thread. “Genuine” seems to convey something deeper than physical structure, and the thread starter specifically ruled out considering personality/intellect. Though it could be argued that the face is inextricably linked to personality/intellect. The question is then unanswerable, because it is impossible to judge the attractiveness of a face without taking into account the impression of personality/intellect/genuineness that it makes on you. So, if we are allowed to see the face in action, thus getting insight into personality/intellect, I would agree the face is more important. If we just see the expressionless physical structure of the face, the body would be much more important. ---
**Author:** ![ivan\_astikov](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/58f4c7/32.png) [@ivan\_astikov](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivan_astikov)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 12:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/51 "2008-09-09T12:30:13Z")
> [@Carmady](#): > > I don’t think this type of answer is in the spirit of the thread. > > “Genuine” seems to convey something deeper than physical structure, and the thread starter specifically ruled out considering personality/intellect. > > Though it could be argued that the face is inextricably linked to personality/intellect. > > The question is then unanswerable, because it is impossible to judge the attractiveness of a face without taking into account the impression of personality/intellect/genuineness that it makes on you. > So, if we are allowed to see the face in action, thus getting insight into personality/intellect, I would agree the face is more important. > > If we just see the expressionless physical structure of the face, the body would be much more important. Yes, if she has a pretty face and laughs like a hyena, that’s off-putting. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 12:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/52 "2008-09-09T12:51:50Z")
> [@Mosier](#): > > Body, body, body, a thousand times body. I think most straight guys would agree. Not this one! Definitely the face for me. A great body’s nice and everything, but for the most part, body shape can change. While the face can shift over time (age, weight change, etc), what I find attractive in a face will often remain. ---
**Author:** ![Hypno-Toad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b2d939/32.png) [@Hypno-Toad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypno-Toad)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/53 "2008-09-09T13:37:08Z")
I remember times being attracted to a lady with a hot body but not so hot face. I can’t remember it ever being the other way around. I like athletic ladies and as such appreciate the effort that they have taken to get into and stay in shape. But a face can’t really change short of surgery. So I accept what she has in that regard. ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/54 "2008-09-09T13:42:52Z")
Face every time. I’ve seen so many guys with ripped bodies who have either average or fugly faces on them on the gay scene due to our demographic’s obsession with the body and it does nothing for me. Don’t get me wrong, I like a nice bod as much as the next gay guy, but it’s the face that will make me turn my head and keep looking (body is generally only worth glancing at). I’ve been into far more guys who had faces I liked but with average bodies than the other way around. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 3:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/55 "2008-09-09T15:13:26Z")
> [@Gatopescado](#): > > Depends. Do I want a blow-job or do I wanna get laid? I find it somewhat disturbing that you have to ask US that. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/56 "2008-09-09T15:31:17Z")
Body; a trim torso with a taut belly and a face that comes just short of stopping clocks is definitely a nicer combo than a spectacular face linked with a somewhat dumpylower abdomen. But only the extremes of “bad” in either category would constitute “don’t go there”. I’m not very picky 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Lionne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Lionne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lionne)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/57 "2008-09-09T16:23:10Z")
Face. 27 year old female. ---
**Author:** ![kasuo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/8c91f0/32.png) [@kasuo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kasuo)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2008, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/58 "2008-09-09T16:33:29Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > It’s not the face you fuck, it’s the fuck you face. > > Body. Words of wisdom. ---
**Author:** ![CookingWithGas](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cookingwithgas/32/485_2.png) [@CookingWithGas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CookingWithGas)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/59 "2008-09-10T15:00:50Z")
Face. I was working out last night when I saw a woman on the hamstring machine (i.e., face down). She had a hot body and nice hair but when she stood up and I saw her face, any semblance of interest\* drained out of me. The Monks did a song about it: “Nice Legs, Shame About The Face” To psychoanalyze a bit, I think ultimately people unconsciously project certain personality traits onto facial features, which can affect the level of attractiveness beyond the pure physical. Studies show that attractive people are perceived to be more competent, intelligent, friendly, etc. * * * \*I am very happily married so this interest was purely hypothetical, a guy can still look, can’t he? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Illuminatiprimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/illuminatiprimus/32/11520_2.png) [@Illuminatiprimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Illuminatiprimus)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2008, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653/60 "2008-09-10T15:14:24Z")
> [@CookingWithGas](#): > > To psychoanalyze a bit, I think ultimately people unconsciously project certain personality traits onto facial features, which can affect the level of attractiveness beyond the pure physical. Studies show that attractive people are perceived to be more competent, intelligent, friendly, etc. I think people underestimate this and it doesn’t just apply to the opposite sex either. We are more kindly disposed to attractive people of EITHER sex, no matter what our own proclivities. It’s not just about sex, attractiveness can be an unconscious indicator of how good someone’s genes are. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-more-important-in-determining-physical-attractiveness-face-or-body/462653.md?page=2)