So I've decided to add a new tag to our Wearability posts. Normally this is not cause for a major announcement, but in this case I thought it was sort of funny/interesting and might need a bit of explanation. "Sexy-ugly" is a term first coined by the movie Kissing Jessica Stein, about this insufferably neurotic bi-curious girl. The term is used to describe people, as Urban Dictionary notes: "Someone who is not conventionally good-looking (or any kind of good-looking in some cases), but possesses an appealing personality, style, or talent, and is thus considered attractive."
Classically "sexy-ugly" celebrities: Mick Jagger. Harvey Keitel. Danny Trejo. Steve Tyler. Amy Winehouse. In fact, a LOT of musicians.
I'm going to argue that this term can absolutely apply to fashion, too. I would define it as something off-beat, with oddball proportions, strange materials, and other elements that defy the usual laws of symmetry and beauty. But, when worn by just the right person, in just the right way, can convey immense appeal, great style, and general sexiness.
I created the tag because I realize a LOT of the things we blog about here are sexy-ugly! And I'm not about to stop now! Here's to many moons of future sexy-ugly blog posts. Check out the ones from our archive here.
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From Kissing Jessica Stein:
Jessica: He just wasn't funny, you know? That's always been my problem, I think. Not smart or not funny. Or not smart AND not funny. Or funny, but in a totally unappealing way like funny stupid or funny dopey, rather than funny witty, or funny ironic or funny goofy. Or, you think they're smart- and then you realize that they're not- and that's funny. But funny tragic. And then, if you're lucky enough to find someone who's the right kind of smart and the right kind of funny, usually they're just... kinda...
Helen: Ugly?
Jessica: Ugly, exactly. Oh my god, is that awful?
Helen: No, not at all. Ugly doesn't do it for you. That's okay. See me, I'm kinda into ugly... But only if it's sexy ugly.
Jessica: Sexy-ugly? Define.
Helen: Okay, well, um...I was gonna say Mick Jagger. He's the big one. Oh, Lyle Lovett, um, James Woods, Harvey Keitel. Harvey Keitel. He's very sexy-ugly.