# Imperfection and Beauty of Character **Abstract:** Beauty has often been associated with perfection, but many philosophical accounts of beauty allow that in some cases, an imperfection can make something more beautiful. Here, I consider this idea in the context of beauty of character. I argue that certain character f laws can enhance our appraisal of a person’s beauty of character by revealing other important qualities that they also possess. In doing so, I also consider how we come to know what sort of character a given person has. I also look to our experience of fiction for insights as to the appeal and importance of character imperfections. A concern with aesthetics is often associated with fastidiousness and connoisseurship. For the aesthete, things must be just so, and the myriad imperfections that most of us overlook irritate them. But this association can be exaggerated: many of us, in our aesthetic lives, make a place for and even celebrate imperfection. In fashion, for example, some prize the worn look of distressed clothing, and tousled hair and dishevelled looks have their appeal. More generally, abandoning the pursuit of some specific ideal of perfection can open space for expression and creativity (Brown, ‘Feeling My Way’). We see the same tolerance of imperfection when we look to other cultural traditions, the most famous example being the Japanese wabi-sabi, an aesthetic that cultivates love for the humble, transient, and imperfect (Saito, ‘Aesthetics of Imperfection’; Sartwell, Six Names; Koren, Wabi-Sabi for **Authors:** [[Glenn Parsons]]