Pondering life's eternal mysteries....

[dvandom]

Where do you draw the line between what I call "glasses ugly" (where a hot actress is dressed up in severe glasses and her hair put in a bun or maybe a ponytail or pigtails to convince viewers she's not hot), and "sexy librarian"?

They are clearly done with different goals, but the costuming is so similar.

Comments

[z-gryphon.livejournal.com]

The difference there isn't the packaging... it's all about the presentation.

[finback.livejournal.com]

Exactly what I was gonna say. It's about the savoir-fare.

[scavgraphics.livejournal.com]

makeup and hemline

[jameel.livejournal.com]

The secret is realizing that there is no line.

[stankow.livejournal.com]

"Glasses ugly" is a woman who's clearly wearing it to appear less attractive, as ridiculous as that seems.

"Sexy librarian" is a woman who's wearing it because that's what she wears anyway, particularly if she really doesn't realize how hot it is.

[z-gryphon.livejournal.com]

Not so ridiculous, really (at least when attempted outside the context of a movie where it's an obvious plot mechanism). I've been told repeatedly that it can be quite a hassle to be hot all the time.

In films, yeah, usually preposterous. But then, preposterous claims about beauty are the movie industry's stock in trade a lot of the time. Remember that remake of Cyrano de Bergerac where they expected us to believe that Uma Thurman was hotter than Janeane Garofalo? What was that about?

[z4nd4r.livejournal.com]

Truth about Cats and Dogs.

Yeah. Uma was fugly in that. Janeane... *DROOL*

[dvandom.livejournal.com]

It's not just a plot mechanism in movies, actually. I can recall at least one case where it's been used to give a role that's supposed to be homely (Moaning Myrtle, in Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets) to a Typical Hot Young Actress and then making her Glasses Ugly. Rather than, you know, casting a girl who isn't a hottie and thereby implying that those who aren't beautiful have a chance to break into films.

[stankow.livejournal.com]

The "ridiculous" part is that glasses make any woman less hot. I mean, seriously -- what sick pervert actually thinks that?

[precrisisyertle.livejournal.com]

The line has to be the clothing, usually movies pair Glasses-Ugly with homelier clothing like overalls, usually messy, and often baggy clothing; example being Rachel Leigh Cooke in "She's All That". Sexy Librarian usually is dressed well, or at least not homily