plain Jane

plain Jane

A female who is not considered physically attractive by societal standards. Betty always felt like she was a plain Jane, so she was very surprised when the most handsome boy in school asked her to be his prom date.
See also: Jane, plain
Farlex Dictionary of Idioms.

plain Jane

an unattractive girl or woman.
2002 Guardian [The film] assembles its stereotypes (the sexy exchange student, the plain Jane who's really a fox, the jock who is only dating her for a bet) then proceeds to gunk them all with a ton of scatalogical prankery.
See also: Jane, plain
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary

a plain ˈJane

(disapproving) a girl or woman who is not very pretty or attractive: She was a shy girl, who always thought of herself as a plain Jane.
See also: Jane, plain
Farlex Partner Idioms Dictionary
See also:
  • a plain Jane
  • appear to
  • a change of heart
  • a mystery to (one)
  • (lone) voice in the wilderness
  • a voice in the wilderness
  • a hidden agenda
  • a turn of phrase
  • able to do
  • able to do it
References in periodicals archive
Plain Jane, a reality television series that transforms a woman each week, is now in its third season and airs in 66 countries.
BEFORE AND AFTER: Former policewoman Anne Smith was transformed from grey plain Jane to colourful character.
The 25-year-old British actress plays a sickly plain Jane in new flick 'Never Let Me Go', which co-stars Carey Mulligan.
Bear in mind that adding butter, salt or sweet coatings will change the benefit you get from the plain jane version.
In those days, the Barnes X bullet was pretty much Plain Jane, but worked exceedingly well.
She's a real plain Jane, but has set her sights on kind-hearted Eddie.
These are collaborative features/incremental innovation which makes Gmail a far more productive email client than other plain jane webmail products.
Some stories are based on geometry, others on logic, probability or plain Jane arithmetic.
After viewing the pin striping, polished chrome, flames, eye-popping color and other fancy detailing at the "The 3-Lefties" exhibition at Sevengaits, your trusty ride might seem like such a plain Jane by comparison.
A quick stroke here and a quick stroke there; the lady is being transformed - from a plain Jane to some exotic model - right in front of us.
- Fresh from a completed merger that its execs said has made their company a player of consequence in a "hot" Northeast market, A&P execs said yesterday they are is taking advantage of their purchase of ex-rival Pathmark to "refresh" the latter's "Plain Jane" stores and create a new combined private label program.
Tyra is registered with Cardiff's Popstars dance school, as well as with London company Plain Jane.
A Rhino Entertainment presentation of a Plain Jane production in association with Cactus Three.
Visitors who walked through his beautiful new home would enter the backyard and see a Plain Jane swimming pool.
An interesting character is Melanie, the plain Jane caught in the middle.