Descriptions of looks...

[lighterman75]

Couldn't think of a title for this, but here goes with the description.
When would you describe a woman's looks as cute, hot, beautiful, pretty, handsome, good looking etc? I mean what age? I may get shouted down on this, but I'm just curious as to the use of language. You would never call an 18 year old handsome, but could use the words cute, or pretty, but an 80 year old would use the word handsome, beautiful, but probably not cute.
Is this an agist thing? It isn't meant to be

 

[SweetSam42]

You're talking strictly about describing women, correct? Not sure I'd ever call a woman "handsome," unless this is the 19th century? I wonder if this discussion has any cultural implications though - you might call a woman handsome in the UK, but I'm not sure Americans would (at least after 1939 perhaps).

I am 40, and like being called cute. I'm sure some women my age do not like it. I've seen beautiful 80 year old women, and I've seen 80 year old women I'd describe as cute. I'm sure there are older men who would classify older women as "hot," even if a younger man would not.

Not sure I'm helping. lol.

 

[lighterman75]

You're talking strictly about describing women, correct? Not sure I'd ever call a woman "handsome," unless this is the 19th century? I wonder if this discussion has any cultural implications though - you might call a woman handsome in the UK, but I'm not sure Americans would (at least after 1939 perhaps).

I am 40, and like being called cute. I'm sure some women my age do not like it. I've seen beautiful 80 year old women, and I've seen 80 year old women I'd describe as cute. I'm sure there are older men who would classify older women as "hot," even if a younger man would not.

Not sure I'm helping. lol.

I think that does help, and calling a woman handsome may well be a uk thing. I'm British, so I'm allowed