Court(That's a WHOLE lot more polite and well-mannered than "OP" don't you think?),

Only on PC can you ask a question to the guys and get attacked by a high-jacking, all-knowing female.

To your original questions:

Looks are the bait, personality is the hook.

Good looks will get a guys attention but only hold it if there is personality to add. If the initial attraction of "good looks" is not there, it's not usually a long-term deal breaker. It just makes things a little tougher for her. Perseverance and a great personality can alter a man's first impression of "pretty".

I can think of plenty of celebrities who are not what most people consider "pretty" but after time become "beautiful' and attractive. I'm sure you could think of a person or 2 about who you have said "how the heck are they considered xyz". Then after a while, you find yourself saying, "Hey, they're kinda cool".

Ultimately, there are people out there who are all about looks but if the only thing a guy needs is the pretty external shell, he's probably not a guy you'd want anything to do with anyway.