Essays About Appearance: 5 Great Essay Examples And Prompts

When talking about physical appearance, there are many things to consider; if you need to write essays about appearance, here are sample essays to help you.

Today, more than ever, we live in a world where our appearances have become very important. But, unfortunately, outer beauty, or appearance, is something that can be faked. There are various ways for a person to appear attractive, but inner beauty cannot be faked. 

Sometimes, outer beauty is important – for instance, in fashion shows. In beauty pageants, contestants need beauty and an upbeat personality. It will be difficult for them to win the title if they have negative personalities.

However, inner beauty, our personality, attitude, and behavior toward other people, is the only thing that will remain with us till our last breath. Even after we are gone, people will remember us for our behavior, kindness, and professionalism.

If you are writing an essay about appearance, here are five essay examples to help you get started.

1. What Does “Don’t Judge a Book By Its Cover” Mean? By Clay Ramsey

“Everyone can recall the first days or even months of high school. We all walked through those big castle doors, wondering what this new school was going to be like and who we would meet. I thought I knew who would be my friends. However, as the days turned into months and the months into a semester, I realized that some of my first impressions were completely off.”

Clay Ramsey shares his life experiences that tell us why we should never judge someone based on their appearance; instead, we should take our time to get to know them better.

2. Essay: Finding Peace With My Body Image By Rachel Armany

“I started to notice that my body didn’t look like my friends’ when I was in fourth grade. I remember sitting with my best friend and asking, “Do you think I’m fat?” Given our age and lack of any education or discussion on body image, she was startled by my question and immediately responded, “No, of course not.” But her response didn’t comfort me. I felt like she said those words out of pity. My friend didn’t mean any harm. In fact, she probably meant to make me feel better. But since then, I have been hyper aware of my body because I realized that the way I see myself isn’t the same as how others see me.”

Rachel Armany talks about her life experiences, telling us how difficult discussing body image with other people can be (especially as a young girl and even now as an adult) and how she managed to handle all her struggles. 

3. Nonverbal Communication and Components of Professional Appearance By Lee Caldwell

“Business dress, personal grooming, body language, and attitude are components of a person’s professional appearance. These things can serve as forms of nonverbal communication and send messages to others about an individual. Before a person ever speaks a word, typically others around them can make judgments and form opinions based on the subtle messages provided by that person’s appearance. These components largely influence how well an individual is received and how well their message is heard.”

Lee Caldwell discusses the different components of professional appearance and how they can affect a person in the business world. 

4. Physical Appearance Should Not Be The Most Attractive Thing About You By Brianna Wiest

“In my opinion, the most attractive people are the ones who know that their physical appearance isn’t the most attractive thing about them. They have a certain kind of confidence, they’re usually more fun to hang out with, and they’re the kind of people who are ready to love you for who you are. Not what you are.”

Brianna Wiest believes that your physical appearance shows how you care about yourself, but it should not be the only thing great about you.

5. Why Do Children From The Same Parents Have Different Appearances And Personalities? By Kim Vande Wydeven

“The answer to why this happens has to do with our genes and how they are passed on. Each gene has the instructions for one small part of you. You are who you are because of the particular set of 25,000 genes you got from your parents and the environment you developed and grew up in.

So part of the explanation is easy…you and your siblings grew up in different environments so you are bound to be different. But you also each inherited a completely different set of genes from each parent. This means you are a completely new, never before seen genetic combination.”

Kim Vande Wydeven shares some facts about the human body that enlighten readers who are still wondering about the topic “Why do children from the same parents have different appearances and personalities?”.

Essay Prompts About Appearance

1. What Is Physical Appearance?

This essay discusses physical appearance and how it can be interpreted differently. For some, physical appearance means clothes, make-up, and hairstyles. For others, it is achieving a style or aesthetic.

In your essay, discuss what physical appearance is to you. Include research on how others interpret physical appearance and discuss the differences.

2. What Is The First Thing You Notice About A Person?

In this essay, discuss the first thing you notice about a person. Is appearance so important that we make our first impressions based on this? Or do we judge a person by their personality?

Discuss the different features that you notice first. For example, perhaps you notice bright and colorful clothes first, hair color, tattoos, and if someone is wearing clean or unclean clothes. This is a topic that opens up a lot of opinions for discussion. 

3. Why Is Physical Appearance So Important?

Your physical appearance is important as it can significantly change your personal and professional life. However, it can make you feel insecure in many situations, regardless of how comfortable you feel in your skin.

In any interview process where you are an exact match with someone else in other aspects, it can also make you a second choice. In your essay about appearance, give more examples of how it can affect one’s personal life and professional life. 

4. How Does What We Wear Affect How We Feel?

The clothes we wear are a representation of our style and personality. However, due to financial reasons or lack of resources, many people don’t choose clothes based on their looks. Therefore, this poses an interesting essay topic “how does what we wear affect how we feel?”

Discuss how different clothing items can boost or lower your mood and how self-expression can help a person feel more confident. Next, discuss how wearing clothes you don’t particularly like can lower your mood. Finally, delve into the reasons why we can’t always wear clothes we like—for example, strict uniform policy, financial struggles, and lack of eco-friendly and sustainable clothing options.

5. How To Be Happy With Your Physical Appearance

It’s all too easy to get caught up in what society considers attractive. Maybe you’re not happy with your physical appearance, but it’s probably because of the ideals you see in people on their best days. 

Your essay about appearance should be able to encourage your readers to feel better about how they look. “It doesn’t matter what you look like on the outside; it’s what on the inside that counts.” as the saying goes.

Tip: For help with this topic, read our guide explaining what is persuasive writing?

If you’d like to learn more, our writer explains how to write an argumentative essay in this guide.

If you’re stuck picking an essay topic, check out our guide on how to write essays about depression.