not just a pretty face

Noun

not just a pretty face

1. (humorous, sometimes) Someone who is more intelligent, talented, or emotionally complex than might be assumed.
   • But she was not just a pretty face. She was brilliant, accomplished, powerful, and tough-minded, a woman of burning passions.2002, Leslie Downer, Women of the Pleasure Quarters, →ISBN
   • Wouter Bos seems too good to be true. He's smart, relaxed and impossibly telegenic, with a knack for coming across as humble and sincere.2003 January 19, Abi Daruvalla, “Not Just a Pretty Face”, in Time, retrieved 02 May 2014
2. (idiomatic) Something that is more useful, versatile, or intrinsically valuable than might be assumed.
   • But it's not just a pretty face. This soccer sim also offers authentic physics — including ball dribbling, passing and scoring, and how the players react to one another — and more than 500 officially licensed clubs, totaling roughly 15,000 players.2011 December 2, Marc Saltzman, “What to buy a gamer on your gift list”, in USA Today, retrieved 02 May 2014
   • “I was thinking of flowers being not just a pretty face. They produce oxygen and keep us alive,” said the designer backstage.2013 September 16, Suzy Menkes, “Fashion Review" In London, the Sexual Language of Flowers”, in New York Times, retrieved 02 May 2014