Of course better looks get you farther, its human nature. Equality is boring, do you really want everyone to look the same? is it fair? no really but there is nothing you can do about it.

This is SO true in NYC... I never dressed for business while in school before (unless I was going to a conference), but I wear a suit and/or very dressy office wear most of the time just so I can get treated with respect at stores. (Of course, it's always good to overdress as a first year teacher, so that didn't hurt me either.) I think I also look really young for my age (when I turned 29, a lot of people thought I was 19 or 20, for some odd reason). I think young and casual-looking people get the shaft a lot of the time, because there are so darn many people here, but an easy way to separate the classes is by dress.

It's the truth!
I notice a difference even when I am dressed nice with make-up and ncie hair compared to when I just got out of the gym with no-make up a ponytail and sweats

No surprise there! If I'm having a great day, when I know I'm looking my best, I certainly notice I get more attention etc. It's sad, but true.

Yes! This is true for jobs, social situations and love lives. Good looks get you more than what you bargained for. This is sad because I've heard plenty of people say, its the personality that counts but as soon as this person continue their life, its about another person's looks that matter.

100% true. If I'm done up and lookin' good, things definitely go differently than when I'm post-workout, in sweats. So yup, sad but true.

I'm surprised this is even a topic of conversation anymore.
Of course that's true, Everyone knows that.
It's like having a conversation about 'if the sky is crystal clear blue and it is 12:00 in the afternoon, do you think you are likely to see the sun somewhere in they sky??'

ok ok i re-read that, it was a little on the b*tchy side. LOL
Having a bad day
Sorry

Very true!...when U dress up..people treat U a lot diffrent then when U dress down. Its funny

This is so true it's not even funny. I'm honestly surprised this is even a question anymore.

True good looking people get treated better. Same is true if you dress well versus dressing like a bum. People don't take you serious in the office or if you walk into Neiman's if you don't look put together. But I think looks and appearance (how you dress) are two different things though. Either way, both can help you get what you want.

Absolutely.

Lol absolutely! I do that pretty often, actually

From a guy's perspective this is definately true. We'll trip all over ourselves to do things for a good-looking lady or a well-dressed lady. Of course, we can even be found fighting over who will help her. I went to a Catholic boys-only high school and I remember we had a desk-throwing brawl in a student council meeting over who would take the best-looking girls around on a student exchange visit. Needless to say, we would have done whatever those girls wanted. Today, the game is just more subtle when I see it going on. Plus ca change, plus c'est la meme chose.

That being said, it also works the other way around too. My faculty has a lot of ladies on the staff and when I dress in my London suits and look sharp they go far out of their way for me. They give short shrift to my scruffier colleagues. It is a good incentive to always look sharp.

In my opinion, when someone looks like they made the effort to look nice, I'm more impressed by them. Sure it gets to a point where it's like "Wow, you need to step away from the make up bag a little sooner" or whatever, but when someone has their hair done nicely, or a really pulled together outfit on, I'd rather talk to them, since I want to emulate them and look that nice myself.

i always feel more confident dressed up so I think that plays a part in getting what you want. Not necessarily the pretty face gets the perks but i think it's the confidence you exudes that gets you what you want. If you know you're dressed and ready, you'll be confident and it'll all be smooth sailing from there... i always like to get a bit more dressy before going into an important meeting or designer stores and high-end boutiques just so I get more respect and sales time. People take you more seriously when you take your appearance seriously.

You have to ask? Good looks help anyone get their way.

I hate to say it but in this largely superficial (at least with looks) society, being "easy on the eyes" does benefit women (and even men) more than the "plain janes" of the world. The unfortunate thing is when those easy on the eyes ladies take advantage of it and go too far. /:

I agree with someone who said its a confidence thing. An attractive girl often is still attractive dressed down in sweats and a ponytail, but you feel better about yourself when you're all dressed up. I know after the gym when I'm all sweaty and gross I don't want to bump into anyone I know, and I try not to be noticed.

If a person can't be bothered to wash their face and put on something other than sweats when going into work why should I bother with them. Granted coming into work in a full Armani Suit may be overkill, but taking pride in your appearance does count. If you take care of yourself than it is a fair conjecture that you can take care of business. And in today's market people will use any excuse to fire you. Besides dressing up is fun.

For this case, I think it's more appearance then looks, she's the same person but since she took the extra effort she sees the benefit. Obviously it's true for people who are prettier/handsomer as well, but it has to be expected like someone said, if you go that extra bit and always try to look your best people will want to look like you and do things to make your life easier.

I notice a huge difference when I wear makeup and do my hair for work, alot more people are noticing and mentioning things, or offering to help carry my laptop etc. But I work with a bunch of blokes, so they are easy pickings LOL

I agree with Jammi. I think this proved that getting dressed up was more influential than natural beauty. I mean, there are plenty of women that wear lots of make-up. wear skimpy clothes (and don't even necessarily look good in them), and get good treatment. Then, there are other attractive women that don't wear make-up and cover up their bodies more, and get ignored. I think any woman can get attention if she dresses up, regardless of her genes.

Of course they do.

This topic is really old.

It really depends on the context. In general life, it's true. In contexts where smartness and book intelligence count more than anything: not so true! I've noticed that in academic environments, a well-dressed woman who pays attention to her looks is actually looked DOWN upon; 'if she pays attention to the packaging, she must have no content at all'. Same goes for naturally good-looking women; whether they dress up or not, they are given a hard judging. Overall, 'Ugly Betty'-types are taken more seriously in book-smart environments. Wish it weren't so.

Good points, austerity. And how hypocritical...do those sorts of people not realize that if they judge someone poorly because of how good they look, that makes them no better than people who judge others poorly because of how not-so-good they look?

yes, i know this first hand, because i dont look very good without mascara and bronzer~ when i go out without makeup i get ignored so when i'm fully made up and dressed fashionably (or i think i am), people seem to be much more eager to help me in stores. especially when i am carrying a designer purse~ its like they can smell the reward (commission or whatever)

well d'uh of course it helps. I used to weigh quite a bit more (as in I used to be a 12 and now I am a 4/6)and din't have a nice wardrobe (because my family was poor growing up). I do notice I get things way eaiser now that I am more attractive/weigh significantly less and can afford to buy nice clothes and makeup.

When all the girls were learning how to get free drinks and stuff I was studying or working...so I still don't know how to get a free drink at a bar. DAMNIT I am missing out. Though my boyfriend seems to think it an adorable trait...go figure

yes, it really does, and we can't really complain though, because let's face it, we do favor's and whatnot for attractive men, don't we?

havok I agree...I mean if Michael Phelps just happened my way at the pool and asked for help unzipping his swimsuit because his arms are tired after winning all those medals I would totally help...I am a giving person that way! HAHAHAHA

Definitely. Good looking people get treated better, and people who are more dressed up also get treated better than those who have not dressed up.

Oh, I never do favors for good-looking men. I guess I'm still bitter about middle school and high school when the attractive guys dated the blonde girls that put out and said Asian girls were ugly (Even the Asian guys!).

That happened to me up until high school as well, Silverlining (the thing about boys saying Asian girls are ugly). Thank God I went to a high school that was nearly half Asian.

It's sort of funny, because so many grown men have a crazy fetish FOR Asian women...I guess not those boys we went to school with, though.

That made me sound juvenile. I just meant I don't do favors based on looks alone.

HAHAHA, Jude C, it's true. I think when we're younger, guys go for girls that are more American, blonde with blue eyes, and as they get older, they acquire a taste for more exotic women.

Yeah, I think kids are more put off by "otherness" than adults, who often find it attractive.

Yes, I think good looks help. I used to be really awkward in middle school and then after that all of a sudden I got all this attention and I just keep thinking, why this didn't happen before but its obvious it's because of looks and its so unfortunate that that is the first thing people actually notice.

In a word: Yes.

Also, if an attractive person has INNER beauty on top of that, the world is her oyster.

But Phelps is a butterface, good thing he has the bod.

JudeC ~ yes, and the pity is they are supposed to be the 'intelligent' people of society that should be above this kind of behavior :S

I think dressing up to be noticed (whatever the style of clothing) makes more of a difference than pure genetics. It is cliche (like this topic) but confidence has a lot to do with being noticed.

Also, I have noticed slutty looking girls without waists (less than ideal hip to waist ratios), "unfeminine" faces (golden ratio once again) and the bad skin/obvious makeup combo get plenty of attention. Men are presumably programmed to notice beauty, but they are often tricked or happy to settle for easy!

Good observation, sldc. Men - especially very young men who are still 'sowing their wild oats'- have a stronger radar for loose women than women with good genes; 'short-term benefits' overrule the long-run benefits here (i.e. marriage and procreation).

I agree with austerity - I myself have more trouble being a good looking woman (that's my real pic ) who looks after herself than I might if i didn't bother. No matter what environment I am in I attract some sort of b*tchiness. Certainly in the UK I frequently find that if someone appears too 'together' (mentally and physically) they are viewed as a threat and are backstabbed.

Seems to be the culture here now, something I noticed from a very early age. I was bullied by other girls as far back as primary school for being both pretty and intelligent and I remember thinking age 8 "It doesn't seem to matter how I am - if I am pretty and clever I am hated and attacked, if I were especially 'unattractive' and not very clever I would be hated and attacked - I can't win!"

Furthermore I also have a very kind nature which only makes things worse for me, not better. If I was a complete b*tch I would probably do alot better!

I am attractive, intelligent, socially competent, compassionate and positive. Yet it is because of these attributes that I find so often I am among the most hated of our society, frequently targeted for taunts, jibes, backstabbing etc... Says alot about human beings doesn't it! We have a problem, seriously.

In my view, these days, callousness and lack of empathy get people places far more than looks/intelligence/personality ever do.

I don't plan to change though - I would rather be a kind heart living in a cardboard box than an evil demonic soul living in a mansion!

Jude C - I think Asian women are beautiful looking!

Sol xx

sldc - wow spot on! I too have noticed how some very unfeminine looking women seem to be getting the most attention while traditionally pretty women like myself are being left behind more and more. I really do wonder what it is in men that causes them to do this.

My dad thinks that the human species has lost sight of wisdom and real values so much that expectations and standards (reproductive choice = tell tell sign) have dropped right down. In his view s scary number of men and women don't care anymore - they will take anything because they have no real foresight beyond the short term of getting drunk, getting 'some', spending money, getting generally entertained, and well that's about it really. An education has too often become reduced to a piece of paper that most people bluff their way to receiving - there is no real wisdom or knowledge in there. I find education is now frequently a regurgitation of old views with every annual academic cohort, with new ideas and new knowledge being ignored because nobody wants to hear or admit that they have been wrong about something for 150 years! Y'know?

Basically society is declining due to a materialistic, consumerist live for today sod tomorrow mentality and that decline is reflected most acutely in the low standards of beauty/reproductive attractiveness we now see around us.

A very interesting subject is this which at first glance seems suerficial but in when you look a little deeper tells us alot about what is happening in our society today.

Friends, the human species is evolving indeed....backwards.....

Devolving!!!!!

Sol xx