OK, let's lay some groundwork here. I see that you're a genuine Jazz fan who's laid down some tracks walking the walk. Probably not a crying in his beer philosopher or another type of old fart who's got nothing but lost dreams. So here's how I'd like to frame this question:
everything exists in some context which is essentially an infinite network of circumstances in the real world, or an infinite neural network of connections within a human mind. Guys go to their strength by focus and drive to achieve a specific goal. Women tend to read the whole scene so to speak. In the mind of the woman, that "whole scene" is interpreted in terms of whether or not she matters to you in some way she considers important. If she has "looks" you got to notice them. If she has brains, you've got to notice them. If she is religious, you've got to love that in her.
The picture you paint of the choice between a girl you consider to be "hot" or "sexy" or "the nice girl next door", whatever your reason or motive, is going to be judged pretty much the same way by both girls.
The "hotty" is still going to be looking for all those clues about whether you love her in total.
The "girl next" door is still going to be looking for all those clues about whether you love her in total.
In real life, a guy is probably gonna bop over and drop some pick up line on the hotty to see if she will even tolerate the interest. Most guys will get some kinda simple, plain ignore. If you're a "hot" guy, the two of you will probably smile a lot, make some jokes, and laugh and get something going.
The guys who just get blown off by the hotties will probably one day meander over next door and just say "hi. . . . how ya doin'". If she thinks you're the nice boy next door who's sorta good looking and maybe mentally stable, she'll start talkin'. After a while you might be talkin' about every day, and doin' stuff together.
Whichever case it proves to be, life will still go on. Every day brings some new twist on what you each think. You'll start to have to make some adjustments for the sake of the friendship/relationship. How much you're willing to do for each other is what determines whether it will last or not.
So in the end, it all boils down to how much you care about the girl. And how much she cares about you.
Sometimes a little time will show you what you should really do.
And by the way. . . . with all kinds of "values" in the mix, physical appeal is not meaningless and does in fact matter. . . . but there is a sort of spread in how people will react to another's looks particularly in sexual attraction. And there is probably no woman that someone won't actually want. . . well, pretty much not very many. . . . There is some guy out there who is gonna think your nice girl next door is really hot.
I think the reason you ask this question reflects a capacity to think seriously about more things than just a woman's looks. By all means go talk to the most attractive women you run across. Someday you'll find one who will talk back and care just as much for you.
And all the same, go talk to the nice girls like the one next door too. Someday you will find one who just gets prettier every time you see her, because she's happy to see you.
