History Main / TrueBeautyIsOnTheInside

* ''Webcomic/CursedPrincessClub'': This is the basis of the main story arc surrounding main character Gwendolyn. The youngest princess of the Pastel Kingdom, she's a kind girl who acts and thinks of herself as a PrincessClassic like her two older sisters but [[FaceOfAThug has an intimidating appearance more akin to a witch or a goblin]]. Neither she nor the rest of her family see anything out of the ordinary about her appearance at the beginning of the story, but when Gwen overhears Prince Frederick, her arranged fiancé from the Plaid Kingdom, calling her "really ugly" to his brother, her self-image is severely damaged. It takes running into the eponymous Cursed Princess Club, made of misfit princesses who suffer from various unbreakable {{Curse}}s that render them "unfit" to represent their kingdoms, for her to try to regain her confidence in her own inner and outer beauty with the help of the girls there. While all that is going on, Frederick gradually realizes that his initial shallow and selfish impression of Gwen was wrong as he interacts with her more and comes to know the benevolent girl underneath the freaky face.

* ''Webcomic/CursedPrincessClub'': This is the basis of the main story arc surrounding main character Gwendolyn. The youngest princess of the Pastel Kingdom, she's a kind girl who acts and thinks of herself as a PrincessClassic like her two older sisters but [[FaceOfAThug has an intimidating appearance more akin to a witch or a goblin]]. Neither she nor the rest of her family see anything out of the ordinary about her appearance at the beginning of the story, but when Gwen overhears Prince Frederick, her arranged fiancé from the Plaid Kingdom, calling her "really ugly" to his brother, her self-image is severely damaged. It takes running into the eponymous Cursed Princess Club, made of misfit princesses who suffer from various unbreakable {{Curse}}s that render them "unfit" to represent their kingdoms, for her to try to regain her confidence in her own inner and outer beauty with the help of the girls there.

** However the sequel is probably a straight example of this since Fiona chooses Shrek as an ogre despite how handsome he was as a human and that she herself would live as an ogre instead of a human. And she even chose him over Prince Charming

* ''Film/TheTenCommandments'': During Nefertiti's attempt to win back Moses' love, she argues that Sephora is not as attractive as her, but Moses tells her that she fails to understand that there is a beauty of spirit.

* This is basically the message behind the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "[[Recap/SouthParkS11E14TheList The List]]". The girls make a list that ranks the boys from cutest to ugliest. Kyle is voted the ugliest and spends the episode being depressed and contemplating burning down the school for it. The ghost of UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln visits Kyle and takes him on a journey to show him that ugliness can be more of a blessing than a curse. First, they visit an elderly woman who was considered the most beautiful girl around when she was younger. Everything was handed to her and boys would constantly tell her she was interesting, smart and funny, but none of it was sincere. It wasn't until the woman reached middle-age and began losing her looks that she realized she wasn't very interesting and special at all. Next, they visit one of Kyle's new ugly friends who is learning to play the piano. Abe tells Kyle that the ugly friend may be struggling now, but the struggle will pay off when he's an adult. Since ugly people have nothing handed to them, he'll have to put in work in order to make people appreciate him and as a result, [[MiseryBuildsCharacter he will develop character]], something that people who are hot rarely do.

* Quasimodo of ''WesternAnimation/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' fits this trope as well. It probably helps that it's from the same directors of ''WesternAnimation/BeautyAndTheBeast'' (Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise).

* The ending of ''Webcomic/ZombieAndMummy'' episode [[http://www.zombie-and-mummy.org/go/to/beauty_salon.html "...Go to Beauty Salon"]].
* In ''Webcomic/{{Sinfest}}'', [[http://www.sinfest.net/archive_page.php?comicID=2887 Slick assures Monique she will still have her inner figure in her old age -- like inner beauty, but sexier.]]

One of the most common StockAesops out there: We shouldn't judge people based on how they look on the outside but rather how they look on the inside. It is usually accompanied by the message that looks are a shallow motivator for wanting to be with someone, but often ends up implying that you're obligated to be with someone you normally wouldn't be attracted to attracted to ''because'' they're unattractive, and that [[HasAType having a type]] is inherently wrong unless it is considered unconventional by societal standards.

* It's a well-treaded Aesop, but it [[SomeAnvilsNeedToBeDropped still bears repeating]] and [[https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XNqQUojBg84 "More Beautiful You" by Jonny Diaz]] does it in a rather heartwarming way from a Christian perspective, telling young women that they were put here for a special purpose, and as such, nothing they change on the outside could make them more beautiful than they already are. And as a bonus, the video even shows the two young ladies' "flaws" being photoshopped away to help make the point that the standard of beauty promoted by popular media doesn't actually exist.

One of the most common StockAesops out there: We shouldn't judge people based on how they look on the outside but rather how they look on the inside. It is usually accompanied by the message that looks are a shallow motivator for wanting to be with someone, but often ends up implying that you're obligated to be with someone you're not attracted to ''because'' they're unattractive, and that [[HasAType having a type]] is inherently wrong unless it is considered unconventional by societal standards.

* OlderThanPrint with ''Literature/TheCanterburyTales'': in the Wife of Bath's tale, the DesignatedHero knight of the story finds himself wedded to a smart woman with a great personality -- who's also a terribly ugly crone. She catches on to his distress and delivers this Aesop to him (along with a few others regarding wealth and noble birth), and then offers him a choice: as an enchantress, she could make herself young and beautiful, but then he'd always have to risk her sleeping around with his friends -- or she could remain old and ugly, but be the best wife he could possibly ask for. His choice. He [[spoiler: [[TakeAThirdOption humbly says that the choice is up to her]], and she, delighted that he's learned how to respect her, announces that she will be both beautiful ''and'' faithful. And they all life HappilyEverAfter]]. Chaucer may have borrowed from folktales of the “loathly lady” here — see under “Folklore” above.

One of the most common StockAesops out there: We shouldn't judge people based on how they look on the outside but rather how they look on the inside. It is usually accompanied by the message that looks are a shallow motivator for wanting to be with someone, but often ends up implying that you're obligated to be with someone you're not attracted to ''because'' they're unattractive, and that [[HasAType having a type]] is inherently wrong unless it is considered unconventional.

One of the most common StockAesops out there: We shouldn't judge people based on how they look on the outside but rather how they look on the inside. It is usually accompanied by the message that looks are a shallow motivator for wanting to be with someone, but often ends up implying that you're obligated to be with someone you're not attracted to ''because'' they're unattractive, and that [[HasAType having a type]] is inherently wrong unless it is unconventional.

One of the most common StockAesops out there: We shouldn't judge people based on how they look on the outside but rather how they look on the inside. It is usually accompanied by the message that looks are a shallow motivator for wanting to be with someone, but often ends up implying that simply ''being attracted'' to them or [[HasAType having a type]] is inherently wrong and makes you a bad person.

->''"You can have a wonky nose and a crooked mouth and a double chin and stick-out teeth, but if you have good thoughts they will shine out of your face like sunbeams and you will always look lovely."''

* Done ''beautifully'' in the ''WesternAnimation/JohnnyBravo'' episode "To Helga and Back" where Johnny orders what is essentially a [[GettingCrapPastTheRadar mail-order bride]]. Of course what he gets is ''hideous'' and all he wants is to get rid of her. He drags her to places like the monster truck rally and pro-wrestling trying to drive her away, but it turns out she's into all that stuff as well and falls for him harder. After everything is said and done, he has an epiphany about how "she isn't pretty, and she doesn't smell too good", but comes to the realization that she's the perfect woman for him and decides her looks don't mean anything. Unfortunately this leads to him trying to woo her with his ''typical'' Bravo charm, which [[StatusQuoIsGod very promptly disgusts her and makes her dump him]]. Poor guy.

* A variant in ''Manga/AnatoliaStory'', where Japanese teen Yuri is transported to the late Hittite Empire and becomes [[http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mursili_II Prince Kail's]] concubine. While Yuri is fairly attractive by modern standards, by ancient Hittite standards she is very scrawny and plain; indeed she is often mistaken for a young boy at first, leading many characters to wonder what is wrong with Prince Kail that he has fallen in love with someone like her. Invariably, they find themselves smitten with her as well, not because of her looks, but because of her spirit, intelligence, and personality.

One of the most common StockAesops out there: We shouldn't judge people based on how they look on the outside but rather how they look on the inside. It is usually accompanied by the message that looks are a shallow motivator for wanting to be with someone, but often ends up implying that simply ''being attracted'' to them or [[HasAType having a type]] is inherently wrong.

One of the most common StockAesops out there: We shouldn't judge people based on how they look on the outside but rather how they look on the inside. Looks are a shallow motivator and are almost always wrong.

* ''Webcomic/AxisPowersHetalia'' fanfic ''[[https://www.fanfiction.net/s/11886910/1/Gankona-Unnachgiebig-Unità Gankona, Unnachgiebig, Unità]]'': Although [[{{Keet}} Italy]] is ''[[{{Bishounen}} definitely]]'' [[{{Moe}} attractive]] on the outside as well, what really attracted Germany and Japan to him was his inner beauty and kindness.

* This is basically the message behind the ''WesternAnimation/SouthPark'' episode "The List". The girls make a list that ranks the boys from cutest to ugliest. Kyle is voted the ugliest and spends the episode being depressed and contemplating burning down the school for it. The ghost of UsefulNotes/AbrahamLincoln visits Kyle and takes him on a journey to show him that ugliness can be more of a blessing than a curse. First, they visit an elderly woman who was considered the most beautiful girl around when she was younger. Everything was handed to her and boys would constantly tell her she was interesting, smart and funny, but none of it was sincere. It wasn't until the woman reached middle-age and began losing her looks that she realized she wasn't very interesting and special at all. Next, they visit one of Kyle's new ugly friends who is learning to play the piano. Abe tells Kyle that the ugly friend may be struggling now, but the struggle will pay off when he's an adult. Since ugly people have nothing handed to them, he'll have to put in work in order to make people appreciate him and as a result, [[MiseryBuildsCharacter he will develop character]], something that people who are hot rarely do.

* Folklorists Identify the [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Loathly_lady Loathly Lady]] motif; a hideous old crone or full-scale monster who is actually a beautiful woman, magically transformed. Many loathly ladies are the innocent victims of curses, and can be restored to their true, externally beautiful forms by an act of TrueLove; some might be enchantresses teaching the hero AnAesop. The Literature/ChildBallads include some examples.

** Parodied in ''Literature/{{Jingo}}'' -- Nobby Nobbs, who is so ugly that he has to carry around a paper from the Patrician of Ankh-Morpork stating he is human, complains that women won't date him. Angua points out to him that maybe he should lower his standards, as he shouldn't expect to be able to date the more sought-after women. Nobby eventually settles on a Verity "Hammerhead" Pushpram, an ill-tempered fish seller whose eyes don't face the same direction and who usually reacts to seeing Nobby by [[SlapSlapKiss telling him to bugger off and throwing fish at him]] (because hey, free seafood). When Nobby does land himself a gorgeous girlfriend, Tawnee, in a later book, Angua is horrified for her, though fortunately by the end of the book Nobby is back with Verity (largely because she's [[ThroughHisStomach a better cook]]), while Tawneee is cured of [[AttractivenessIsolation "jerk syndrome"]], the cause of the situation.
** Also parodied in ''Literature/{{Maskerade}}'', where the plump and plain Agnes Nitt is sick of condescending comments like this, and thinks to herself that boys don't normally fall for an attractive pair of kidneys. It's also played with in that the local standards of attractiveness in her native Lancre (but not in the city the story takes place in) actually favor large women; her main problem is her extreme emotional isolation. The end of the book actually suberts the trope; Agnes is still looked over for the much more outwardly appealing Chritine, despite the fact that Agnes is clearly the better singer and Christine has a voice like a violin if they'd just tied a cat to it instead of strings.
** For the most part, though, this is played straight, albeit silently. Most of the people who can be termed "heroes" in this world tend not to be the best lookers.

* In ''Literature/HarryPotter'', [[FrenchJerk Fleur]] [[JerkWithAHeartOfGold Delacour]] [[spoiler:says that Bill's scars just show how heroic he is. She still wants to marry him, no matters how he looks]].

[[quoteright:350:[[Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/belle_paints_beast_8269.jpg]]]]

* This appears as AnAesop at the beginning of the Disney version of ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast''. A beautiful enchantress changes her form to look like an old woman and is not allowed to stay the night at the castle by the prince. She punishes him for judging her by her appearance (and not providing hospitality) by turning him into the Beast. This trope is supposed to be the overall message of the film, as Belle falls in love with him despite his monstrous appearance -- once he cuts out the actual monstrous ''behavior''. As well, the Beast becoming a good person is contrasted with Gaston, the handsome hero of the village, becoming more and more repulsive and ruthless as the story progresses simply because Belle rejects his advances.

* Quasimodo of ''Disney/TheHunchbackOfNotreDame'' fits this trope as well. It probably helps that it's from the same directors of ''Disney/BeautyAndTheBeast'' (Gary Trousdale and Kirk Wise).

* Done in the ''Anime/{{Pokemon}}'' episode "Pokemon Fashion Flash", though somewhat poorly -- Vulpix is ''not'' a particularly ''un''attractive Pokemon, and yet it's used to prove this point. (Specifically, her trainer cultivating its natural beauty is contrasted with the tacky makeovers Jesse, James, and Meowth are giving other Pokemon.)