First impressions matter, and the British have a wonderfully colourful (and sometimes brutally honest) way of describing how people look!
From looking flawlessly dressed to the nines to stumbling in like a drowned rat after a typical burst of British rain, appearance idioms are baked right into everyday conversation.
Here are 20 appearance idioms you'll actually hear native speakers using in the UK. Grab a cuppa, learn their meanings, see how they flow in a natural sentence, and steal a few to impress your mates.
20 Appearance Idioms
skin and bones
too thin
After his illness, he was nothing but skin and bones.
keep up appearances
pretending that things are going well
They struggled financially but tried to keep up appearances.
butter wouldn't melt in her mouth
looks innocent, like she wouldn't do anything bad
She looks so sweet, like butter wouldn't melt in her mouth.
drowned rat
was very wet
I got caught in the rain and looked like a drowned rat.
five o'clock shadow
the beginning of a beard
He had a bit of a five o'clock shadow by the evening.
seen a ghost
looked very scared or shocked
You look like you've seen a ghost!
thin on top
going bald
He's starting to get a bit thin on top.
dead ringer
looks extremely similar
That guy is a dead ringer for a famous actor.
two peas in a pod
extremely similar to each other
Those two brothers are like two peas in a pod.
look a million dollars
looked extremely glamorous
She looked a million dollars in that dress.
dressed to the nines
elegantly dressed and well presented
They were all dressed to the nines for the gala.
shabby
in a bad condition
He wore a shabby old coat.
past its sell-by date
likely to stop working soon; too old
This television is well past its sell-by date.
as dull as dishwater
extremely boring
The lecture was as dull as dishwater.
rough around the edges
not perfect; in need of more work
The draft of the book is still a bit rough around the edges.
as flat as a pancake
very flat
The landscape around here is as flat as a pancake.
as snug as a bug in a rug
very warm and comfortable
The baby looks as snug as a bug in a rug.
hair stand on end
was very shocked or frightened
The ghost story made my hair stand on end.
the pits
very difficult or unpleasant
The weather on our holiday was the pits.
leave a lot to be desired
was not as good as expected
The cleanliness of the room left a lot to be desired.
How to Play It Safe
As with all idioms about people, context is everything! Most of these expressions are highly playful, meaning they go down best when you're chatting with friends or people you know fairly well.
You can't go wrong handing out a massive compliment with look a million dollars or commenting that everyone is dressed to the nines at a wedding. But tread carefully with the negatives! Telling someone they look like a drowned rat or that they're thin on top is best kept as friendly banter—otherwise, you might end up in a bit of trouble!
Now you've got the vocabulary to sound natural, observant, and just the right amount of cheeky.