A few weeks ago, my mother and I went to a record store in Tokyo that was advertising two CDs. One album cover, by a Japanese woman, featured the artist in a white lace dress, surrounded by flowers, candy, and a puppy. The second album cover showcased a Korean girl group, all in mildly suggestive poses and body-skimming dresses.
It was my mother who pointed out the difference between the two albums and by extension the difference between the two entertainment industries.
Japan is the queen of cute, while Korea strives to be sexy.
These two terms are also often used to divide the attractiveness of people in general.
See, sometimes people can be cute and sexy, and many people are. However, there are also people who are cute, but not sexy. And people who are sexy, but not cute.
For example: Olivia Wilde is sexy, not cute. Zooey Deschanel definitely falls into the cute category.
Do you think there's a cute/sexy dividing line? What do you prefer? Which category are you in?
Image Source
Recommend
Comments (30)
horrible stock photo.
what the fuck? lol
You definitely need more pictures in this post...to titillate, and inform. Trust me on this one.
Cute and sexy are moods/phases, not permanent states of being. Unless you're Zooey Deschanel and your entire career is based on portraying yourself as quirky and adorable.
@SlackerSociety@xanga - I concur.
There is definitely a difference. Both of them imply that the person is attractive. Cute guys are the ones that I fantasize about being all romantic with like baking cookies and taking them on a picnic and kissing them in the rain. With guys that are sexy, I just want to get thme in bed and maybe, do romantic things with them if they want, if not they can get me a beer and then leave (they can make their own sandwich as well).
They're different, thats why they are different words. They convey different messages. I can be both, depending on my mood, what I'm wearing, where I am, the circumstances. I don't prefer one over the other.
There is certainly a difference between "cute" and "sexy." I feel I am more "cute" than "sexy," but I was hoping I could be the "perfect combination of cute and sexy" just as described in that movie "Crazy, Stupid, Love." Or maybe I wouldn't mind having a drink with Ryan Gosling.
Zooey=Very sexy.
Want a girl who can do both, when she wants to
i mean, for what it's worth, i would totally fuck olivia *and* zooey.
@SlackerSociety@xanga - and the chicks in the photo, too.
on a more serious note, this topic has been done to death, but i have an interesting spin on it that's never been done before: let's show two photos of girls, one with a cute girl, and one with a sexy girl, each wearing clothing acceptable for everyday wear. then, let's see which girl guys prefer, as a function of age. several years ago, one d-ish reader posted this on her blog (though it wasn't published on d-ish, to the best of my recollection) and suggested that the younger guys preferred the cute girl, whereas the older ones preferred the sexy girl. she conjectured that this was because the outfit conveyed the girl's attitude--the younger guy was more intimidated by the independent attitude exuded by the sexy girl.
aaaaand we can all ignore this comment since there are only like 5 guys on this site, which will not give statistically interesting results anyway.
when I see a cute guy, I'm like, he's cute! but that lasts maybe for a few seconds and I'm over it(
) because whatever, there's lots of cute guys. there's two categories of cute guys; the plain/average cute guys are often friendzoned, and the OMG he's sooooo cute(korean rap, T.O.P. he's also sexy. why aren't there more asian guys on xanga, who are cute as him, but there's lots of cute girls. we always have a shortage of male eyecandy. like the hottest guys at the club/bar is often the bartender and not the regular guys, but it still depends on the area) and this ultra cute guy is the one where I think about/pay more than a few seconds to, but a couple minutes or more and might keep him in mind to daydream about later
when I see a sexy guy, my senses widen and I can't believe how sexy he is...david gandy is the prime example. I pump my fist in rage as I want him badly as my blood gorges my mating parts
he is probably the only exception and I'd have a fling with him immediately
@TheNotoriousGOD@xanga - It doesn't matter. You can do this and ask the question and women will vote too.
while we're all on the subject of tokyo, can someone here tell me why the pad see ew i just made doesn't taste anything like the mouth orgasms i get at thai restaurants? this is why i only cook like, twice a month.
@TheTheologiansCafe@xanga - no problem with that--the purpose of the experiment (in my mind) was just to observe any difference in preference on behalf of the guys, so any data from girls would just be irrelevant, is all.
There's totally a line. I am more in the 'cute' category, though I totally wouldn't mind some day corssing over. -_-'
As of right now, zero chance of that happening.
I like either a pix, or sexy. Cute is cute, but it doesn't make me want to ravage you. :p
(Unless it's a 'woo, he's sooo cute! but then that might be a mix, haha )
I think saying Japan is the queen of cute and Korea tries to be sexy is way too simplistic. You're talking about entire countries and cultures. I can only imagine that both have their elements of marketing that go for cute and others that go for sexy.
I've been told I'm both by all kinds of people of all ages, kinds and variety.
It's funny because I don't even try to look good. I'm lazy when it comes to looking good for the public and I still get hit on when my whole point of dressing down is so people will back off me. :/
@Erika_Steele@xanga - you crack me up. ever the practical
I really don't know why this is, but for some reason I associate cute with chubby little babies or puppies or something, so when I get called cute all I can think of is this chubby little girl with plump, rosy cheeks or something.. Lol. I really don't know why. So I hate being called cute. Especially since when I lost a ton of weight & was really skinny, I was "sexy" "hot" & "gorgeous", but I gained a little weight & am back to cute! xP
I've had this conversation plenty. I understand where you're coming from , but I agree with @SlackerSociety. This post is kinda lacking content for those who wouldn't understand immediately :P
I've been told to look sexy with a cute personality. It really doesn't match bc guys expect all this sexy behavior from me based on my look & dress, but I get super shy and quirky sometimes o.0
I think they are moods, as well as being characteristics. Not everyone finds the same thing to be sexy. Some men find a girls cuteness and innocence to be extremely sexy and also endearing. And in the same instance, if a girl who seems to only fall under the cute category breaks out and becomes sexy, it can come as a shock (and not a bad one, especially for an SO ;) ).
Facinatin
I've read somewhere that women who fall into the "cute" category get less dates and have a harder time finding an SO than those deemed "ugly" or "hot"/"sexy"/you get the point. I think its because people who think they are ugly don't try for the "cute" girl, and those guys who are "cute" try for "hot".
Anyway...that was only slightly related. I'm definitely cute, but I can have sexy moments.
I'm both, which I think is the best because then people don't lump me into one thing and assume I am only one thing. I have friends who are one or the other and they have problems with the labels some times.
*Note* My name includes the word sexy but I am also cutetall. My name should really be cutesexytall. Hell, it should be cutesexysmartbeautifulfunnycoolsweetbadasssuperawesomeETCtall, but I went with one.
Eh I don't find olivia wilde sexy, nor do I find Zooey cute. I find olivia a little strange looking for the most part, and zooey's attitude and personality just drives away any attraction to her at all...if I'd never seen her before and just saw some pictures of her I miiiight think she was an awkward girl who was trying to be cute though.
There's definitely a difference between sexy and cute, and I know many who are cute but can rarely if ever pull off a sexy look, and I know some girls who've tried so hard to get to sexy that they can no longer turn it off and fail horribly at trying to be/look cute.
When looking at someone and initial attraction I don't think I have a preference, if I find them attractive whether they're cute or sexy they're attractive. As for relationships though I generally go for more plain everyday looking people.