diff --git a/src/attr/_make.py b/src/attr/_make.py
index 4b9c654b..241f62f7 100644
--- a/src/attr/_make.py
+++ b/src/attr/_make.py
@@ -41,7 +41,8 @@ Sentinel to indicate the lack of a value when ``None`` is ambiguous.
 
 
 def attr(default=NOTHING, validator=None,
-         repr=True, cmp=True, hash=True, init=True):
+         repr=True, cmp=True, hash=True, init=True,
+         convert=None):
     """
     Create a new attribute on a class.
 
@@ -81,6 +82,13 @@ def attr(default=NOTHING, validator=None,
 
     :param init: Include this attribute in the generated ``__init__`` method.
     :type init: bool
+
+    :param convert: :func:`callable` that is called by ``attrs``-generated
+        ``__init__`` methods to convert attribute's value to the desired format.
+        It is given the passed-in value, and the returned value will be used as
+        the new value of the attribute.
+    :type convert: callable
+
     """
     return _CountingAttr(
         default=default,
@@ -89,6 +97,7 @@ def attr(default=NOTHING, validator=None,
         cmp=cmp,
         hash=hash,
         init=init,
+        convert=convert,
     )
 
 
@@ -342,7 +351,8 @@ def _add_init(cl):
     attr_dict = dict((a.name, a) for a in attrs)
     exec_(bytecode, {"NOTHING": NOTHING,
                      "attr_dict": attr_dict,
-                     "validate": validate}, locs)
+                     "validate": validate,
+                     "_convert": _convert}, locs)
     init = locs["__init__"]
 
     # In order of debuggers like PDB being able to step through the code,
@@ -395,6 +405,19 @@ def validate(inst):
             a.validator(inst, a, getattr(inst, a.name))
 
 
+def _convert(inst):
+    """
+    Convert all attributes on *inst* that have a converter.
+
+    Leaves all exceptions through.
+
+    :param inst: Instance of a class with ``attrs`` attributes.
+    """
+    for a in fields(inst.__class__):
+        if a.convert is not None:
+            setattr(inst, a.name, a.convert(getattr(inst, a.name)))
+
+
 def _attrs_to_script(attrs):
     """
     Return a valid Python script of an initializer for *attrs*.
@@ -402,9 +425,12 @@ def _attrs_to_script(attrs):
     lines = []
     args = []
     has_validator = False
+    has_convert = False
     for a in attrs:
         if a.validator is not None:
             has_validator = True
+        if a.convert is not None:
+            has_convert = True
         attr_name = a.name
         arg_name = a.name.lstrip("_")
         if a.default is not NOTHING and not isinstance(a.default, Factory):
@@ -437,6 +463,8 @@ else:
 
     if has_validator:
         lines.append("validate(self)")
+    if has_convert:
+        lines.append("_convert(self)")
 
     return """\
 def __init__(self, {args}):
@@ -456,17 +484,22 @@ class Attribute(object):
     Plus *all* arguments of :func:`attr.ib`.
     """
     _attributes = [
-        "name", "default", "validator", "repr", "cmp", "hash", "init",
+        "name", "default", "validator", "repr", "cmp", "hash", "init", "convert"
     ]  # we can't use ``attrs`` so we have to cheat a little.
 
+    _optional = {"convert": None}
+
     def __init__(self, **kw):
         if len(kw) > len(Attribute._attributes):
             raise TypeError("Too many arguments.")
-        try:
-            for a in Attribute._attributes:
+        for a in Attribute._attributes:
+            try:
                 setattr(self, a, kw[a])
-        except KeyError:
-            raise TypeError("Missing argument '{arg}'.".format(arg=a))
+            except KeyError:
+                if a in Attribute._optional:
+                    setattr(self, a, self._optional[a])
+                else:
+                    raise TypeError("Missing argument '{arg}'.".format(arg=a))
 
     @classmethod
     def from_counting_attr(cl, name, ca):
@@ -498,7 +531,7 @@ class _CountingAttr(object):
     ]
     counter = 0
 
-    def __init__(self, default, validator, repr, cmp, hash, init):
+    def __init__(self, default, validator, repr, cmp, hash, init, convert):
         _CountingAttr.counter += 1
         self.counter = _CountingAttr.counter
         self.default = default
@@ -507,6 +540,7 @@ class _CountingAttr(object):
         self.cmp = cmp
         self.hash = hash
         self.init = init
+        self.convert = convert
 
 
 _CountingAttr = _add_cmp(_add_repr(_CountingAttr))
diff --git a/tests/test_make.py b/tests/test_make.py
index f9720bc3..3fa100f5 100644
--- a/tests/test_make.py
+++ b/tests/test_make.py
@@ -96,7 +96,7 @@ class TestTransformAttrs(object):
             "No mandatory attributes allowed after an attribute with a "
             "default value or factory.  Attribute in question: Attribute"
             "(name='y', default=NOTHING, validator=None, repr=True, "
-            "cmp=True, hash=True, init=True)",
+            "cmp=True, hash=True, init=True, convert=None)",
         ) == e.value.args
 
     def test_these(self):
@@ -297,7 +297,7 @@ class TestAttribute(object):
         with pytest.raises(TypeError) as e:
             Attribute(name="foo", default=NOTHING,
                       factory=NOTHING, validator=None,
-                      repr=True, cmp=True, hash=True, init=True)
+                      repr=True, cmp=True, hash=True, init=True, convert=None)
         assert ("Too many arguments.",) == e.value.args
 
 
@@ -392,6 +392,32 @@ class TestFields(object):
                    in zip(fields(C), C.__attrs_attrs__))
 
 
+class TestConvert(object):
+    """
+    Tests for attribute conversion.
+    """
+    def test_convert(self):
+        """
+        Return value of convert is used as the attribute's value.
+        """
+        C = make_class("C", {"x": attr(convert=lambda v: v + 1),
+                             "y": attr()})
+        c = C(1, 2)
+        assert c.x == 2
+        assert c.y == 2
+
+    def test_convert_after_validate(self):
+        """
+        Validation happens before conversion.
+        """
+        def validator(inst, attr, val):
+            raise RuntimeError("foo")
+        C = make_class("C", {"x": attr(validator=validator, convert=lambda v: 1 / 0),
+                             "y": attr()})
+        with pytest.raises(RuntimeError):
+            C(1, 2)
+
+
 class TestValidate(object):
     """
     Tests for `validate`.