What does someone mean if they describe you as 'striking'

[surlycurly]

As per the thread title, close to me someone regularly describes me as 'striking'. Unfortunately it doesn't feel like a compliment. I'm on holiday at the moment and was commenting to them about the cultural differences re catcalls beeping horns etc, when they said well 'I suppose you're quite striking. And Italians are boobs men and you have big boobs. It's probably that'. To be honest, I've never heard that kind of stereotypical crap before, and I'm not a teenager who needs to get compliments from random men. It's just that this person regularly describes me as 'striking' rather than attractive. Are the two synonymous to you?

I get told I'm striking a lot, I used to hate my features when I was young as I wanted to be pretty with a symmetrical face! I just looked odd, never was fancied..
But I grew into my looks and get references to Angelina Jolie, Morticia etc so I'll take that! 😂
The older I get, the more I love how I look. Pretty looks fade, striking lasts because it's about bone structure etc.

To me it’s a massive compliment! Probably strong features, maybe a feature that stands out. I wish I was striking but I’m a very Plain Jane.

Striking is definitely a compliment. I would say it about someone whose beauty is unconventional. Someone like Tilda Swinton, or as pp mentioned above, Angelica Houston. Someone with contrasts in their features. I was occasionally called striking (before my hair went grey) because I had black hair and blue eyes. I certainly didn't feel offended.

Think yourself lucky you weren't referred to as handsome. I used to get that as a teenager, even though I'm female!

Daryl Hannah is very striking.

Tall with very long ginger hair here. I get called striking. Never know how to take it either but since becoming single a few years ago, I've never been short of offers so I'm going to say it's not a negative thing.

I would find being called striking more of a compliment than being called pretty. To me it requires you to have presence as well as a beautiful feature. It sounds like it wasn’t said in such a way.

Agree with others, I think of someone not conventionally pretty but that’s makes you do a double take.

for me, Salma Hayek is striking.

Ah well, in that context, then they might be being a bit - er - snarky and trying to booster their own self-esteem.

I do have the cheekbones thing, and I'm also very curvy, as well as tall. I get male attention. It's just a biological thing as I look like a big Amazon. The person who says it is conventionally blonde with blue eyes and way probably more striking than pretty herself!

I think Nicola from girls aloud is striking (and gorgeous)!

I think it’s a tall thing. I get called… or did… striking and I love it. No one would say I was pretty. Your mate sounds a bit jealous.

Was going to say tall, as others have said.

I was told many moons ago that I had "very striking features". I’m tall with a long face, strong bone structure, and enormous boobs, which I think is want the (male) person was referencing. I’ve never felt pretty, though.

Erin O'Connor is the best example.

If you are getting the sense that the person that is saying it means it negatively I would assume that they are jealous.

You're are member of the RMT Union?

Honestly I’d take “striking” as a very nice compliment. It means dramatic and bold looking. Far better than “attractive”.

You beat me to it, she sums up striking to me.

Very attractive in a dramatic way, turns heads, like raven black hair type of beauty.

"Attractive" is a subjective judgement. Striking is someone who is eye catching but not necessarily pretty in a conventional sense. I think of Grace Jones, Molly Bair, Sierra Skye...

Big nose

As someone who is tall with raven black hair and a big nose, who has repeatedly been called 'striking', I concur with pretty much all of this thread!

I think it can be a compliment or not, depending on who's saying it and the context.

People who look like you and me don't get called 'pretty' or 'cute'.

Stereotypes come from experience.

Handsome, rather than pretty. Like Tilda Swinton. Who I would be thrilled to look like (I very much don't).

It's a compliment! She's saying you're attractive, people notice it, it's not an obvious or conventional pretty but you look good.

I'd be happy with wing called striking