To think 'not conventionally attractive' means ugly?

You admit yourself that you think the combination of your features on your face 'don't work'. And you're not keen on photos of yourself. So you know what you look like. It doesn't mean to say you're ugly.

To me 'conventionally attractive' means people who could look like an AI image of a handsome or attractive person. So quite generic looking. Easy on the eye but not really interesting to look at. The way people in Hollywood all start to look the same because they've all done the same surgeries.

Having a kind, open seeming look and manner and a friendly, honest and funny character is much more important than looking like a catalogue model.

Disagree - see Tilda Swinton

I immediately thought of Adam Driver and Barbra Streisand too. Strong distinctive features that might not be described as 'pretty' but very attractive/beautiful.

One positive that comes from not being conventionally attractive (bit weird looking but with amazing eyes) is that it tends to put off shallow men whose ideal is the conventional, stereotypically pretty woman. You still get some wankers but in my experience far fewer than my 'pretty' friends. One ex friend actually asked how I ended up with DP who is conventionally attractive, quite cute and lovely 🙄

Adrien Brody I think of

I think it means attractive but not stop the traffic pretty .

Not conventionally attractive to me means, attractive, but not in the way that is portrayed by media as standardly attractive. So I actually think this is more of a compliment, ie you are attractive, but not average joe attractive looking like bog standard interchangable model face.
Non conventionally attractive people could be, Helen Mirron, katherine hepburn, meryl streep, cate blanchett, benedict cumberbatch.
It implies your beauty and attractiveness transcends normal beauty standards.

I'm thinking the actress from the Queens Gambit Anya Taylor something.

I never thought it meant ugly - but more not fitting the current fashion of pretty and fashions do change with time.

I don't think it's the same as charismatic which is more personality - and is what Cleopatra likely had. Striking I think means they have unique or unusual features or that they dress really well - but again aren't fashionably pretty.

Agree with all the "eye-catching but not Disney-pretty" comments. I always think of Barbra Streisand.

I think it sounds pretty cool actually. Some people are wedded to a very conventional idea of attractive which is “ pretty”. You see these comments online about “ you have to have petite features to have short hair” for example which is bull-shit as far as I’m concerned. I’ve got a strong Roman nose and now I’ve lost weight quite an angular face and I’m certainly not pretty but I’m striking ( and I wear strong angular clothes that suit this look). Quite a few successful models are not pretty.. I’ll try and find one and add some images for you.

(For reference Marilyn Monroe was minuscule. I saw her famous white dress in a big costume exhibition and it was much smaller than the blue gingham dress worn in the Wizard of Oz worn by Judy Garland which was next to it. )

I always took it to mean attractive but not in a conventional way. But it is a bit of a risky compliment to give someone.

I think it means eye catching but not in the typical Disney prince or princess way. Not the girl next door, but someone unique and interesting.

No, not at all.
I'm sure that your son is absolutely beautiful, the hormones can cause older sensitive thoughts to pop back into your head. Don't worry.

You would be unreasonable to think that’s what it means.

It just means you will never be cast as a love interest / leading woman/man in a Hollywood movie but still ok.

”Average” if you will.

Conventionally attractive is someone who is attractive but not in the obvious way, maybe they have quirky features or are slightly plain looking but their personality elevates them to attractive levels. Of course you get loads of plain people and a small number of people who might be considered as ugly but I wouldn't describe them as not conventionally attractive. I'd describe them as plain or ugly ( obviously I'd keep that to myself). And everyone is attractive to someone.

I think it means striking in some way. Maybe not 'pretty' but something about the person makes you notice them.

Definitely not a euphemism for ugly

I’d say it’s Erin O Connor or Karen Elson rather than Claudia Schiffer or Cindy Crawford

in the high fashion world looking conventionally pretty is actually a bit of a no no and considered a bit cheap and tacky whereas a more edgy and interesting look is preferred

Same here- I think of someone like Anjelica Huston as not conventionally attractive.

However, she was a model when young and has what I think is a stunning face. She's just not your usual conventional instagram model type that we have become so used to seeing in the media is all. Hence, she isnt the "conventional" beauty

I’ve only ever heard this said in a complimentary way to refer to someone who is strikingly beautiful rather than pretty. I doubt very much you’re “ugly” OP!

Noooo, I don’t think it means that at all OP!
I might say that about someone I found striking, but striking in a way that isn’t the stereotypical ‘Hollywood beauty’.
I certainly wouldn’t say that about someone I thought was ugly. I’d just call them a pig.

I've always read it to mean not boringly attractive. I would take it as a compliment!

No it doesn’t.

I think in every generation there is a "look". Think of Marilyn Monroe who was thought of as gorgeous and rightly so, yet nowadays she would be considered too big. Also today there is a rather typical artificial look, with big lips and exaggerated brows. If you have a natural looking face, perhaps it's not beautiful by the conventional way according to our times, but as pp said it is in eye of the beholder. Maybe you have a lovely bone structure that shows in certain turns of the head, maybe you have lovely eyes. There is probably something that you can't see from looking in the mirror.

One example I think of is Andrea Risborough. She is not "conventionally" beautiful, and often plays very plain featured characters, but her face is fascinating to watch, and she can portray beauty as well as plainness.