The other day I told a girl she looked very cute, which to me is a very high complement, but she took it as a border line insult because I didn't think she looked hot.
This lead to a very long conversation where I attempted to explain that to me 'hot' was not better the 'cute' but apparently sounded like I was trying to dig myself out of the hole she felt I was in.
To me 'hot' is defined by mainstream media as the Barbie doll (or Ken doll). The tall beach blond with the rock hard body, where 'cute' is the small dark haired girl, the sweet, approachable girl next door or the sexy librarian.
I'll take cute any day of the week.
To me this just goes to show the beauty really is in the eye of the beholder.
eena:
I'm a small, dark haired girl next door type. AND I so want to be a librarian. You've described everything I aspire to be! Haha! Cute (in that definition) is waaaaay better than hot! X
akari:
I completely understand this. Some "types", based on hair color/length, stature, size, natural vs fake, clothes, personality... These things seem to define which a woman will most likely be called. At least from what I've experienced. I can go from one to the other, and usually I border on both. Either way, the girl you're talking about should've taken that as a compliment! Her loss, for not.