Why do some girls repress their looks?

[moongirl00]

Maybe they think they won't be taken seriously if they are too attractive or high-maintenance looking. There is a stereotype that pretty women are dumb, I believe. So they are probably trying to avoid being stereotyped, is my guess.

[FrontierMan]

Some women aren't aware of their beauty. Some may be shy and feel awkward getting attention.

[253valerie]

I was a late bloomer in every sense of that phrase. I looked malnourished and I was so, so pale.

When I was in middle school I really wanted to be pretty. I tried to look like the other girls, but I was painfully aware that I could never get it just right... then one of my friends told me that my group of friends had been joking around about what to be for Halloween and one of them suggested wearing oversized clothes to look like me, and the reply was, "oh I'd kill myself if I were her". We were the outcasts of my school, we were supposed to all be friends. That was very damaging at the time.

By the time I got to my senior year of High School I had finally grown into myself and people kept telling me how pretty I was, but it was awkward to hear and I didn't believe them. I had become okay with the fact that I was ugly and always would be, because I had a great personality, I was intelligent, and I was very talented - I didn't need looks.

Around 21 is when I think I actually started to believe I was attractive in a conventional sense. Now at 28, I'd still rather be complimented on my abilities and talents before my looks, but I've learned to take a compliment. It was a good coping mechanism that I really needed for many years.

[purehuman]

Originally Posted by bewitchyou

My questions is, what causes a girl to repress her looks all in the name of wanting to be liked for something other than 'superficial beauty'

Who says the pretty girl is "repress her looks all in the name of wanting to be liked for something other than superficial beauty".
Maybe she's repressing her looks so she won't keep getting hit on by men with their brains in their [little] heads....that's probably all there is to it.
Also, any women I"ve known, never felt the need to"compete for mates", nor were they EVER jealous of other beautiful women, nor did they ever put them down for their lifestyle choices....course I'm talking women who are mature (not old) enough to know and respect that we all live our lives in different ways.

I don't think ANY women would "repress" her looks for any reason other than to deter being harassed by others.