Imagine you walk into a bar and notice an amazing-looking woman on the other side of the room.
But how is she supposed to notice you in the crowd if you look like every other guy there?
You need to know how to up your attractiveness and immediately stand out, catch her eye.
You have to understand the sometimes subtle traits women find attractive in a guy.
Of course, not all women are attracted to all things a man can do to stand out. This is why I've used scientific studies to give you proven advice – these tips really work.
This first trait women find attractive is for the bold…
#1 Women Find Full Beards & Bald Heads Attractive
It's no secret that the fine details of style and a man's appearance are critical to his confidence.
Equally, these nuances are important to women judging a guy's attractiveness. Grooming is necessary. It shows refinement, discipline and attention to detail.
But there are various grooming styles available to men. Many ladies like grooming that is outside of the norm. Some of the hair-related traits women find attractive are:
Full Beards
1,500 women surveyed by the University of New South Wales in 2014 found beards sexier in areas of the world where most men are clean-shaven. Why do women love a beard?
One advantage of a full beard is you look healthier and more youthful. The hair provides protection from ultraviolet rays, weather, and other irritants that can harm your face.
What other benefits does a beard give you?
- Health – Another attractive trait the study found was that guys with a full beard are perceived to be healthier than those who didn't any facial hair at all.
- Parenting skills – Gents who have facial hair were thought to be better parents. Think about it, what lady doesn't want the guy they date to be a good dad?
- Masculinity – The more facial hair you have, the more masculine you are perceived as being. Participants associated these guys with authority and strength.
Having said all this, note the implication in the study. Beards will differentiate you from others if you live in North American, or European cities where most men are clean-shaven. But, if you live somewhere beards are more common such as India or rural parts of America then you need to do the opposite and shave. The important thing is doing the opposite of what the men around you are doing if you want to stand out.
Bald Heads
Great hair has long been touted as one of the most important things women consider when rating the attractiveness of a guy. There are always exceptions to a rule though and being bald is the exception here. To be clear, I'm not talking about gents who are balding or have thinning hair. I'm referring to the gents who take a razor or clippers and deliberately rid themselves of their locks.
Men who sport the ‘Mr. Clean' look are often said to:
- Look crisp – bald guys don't get bedhead or have sweaty hair plastered all over their head after a tough workout. They also don't have to worry about random bits of hair sticking up throughout the day.
- Be manlier – Hollywood has had a role in forming this opinion. Think about Bruce Willis, Vin Diesel, Jason Statham, etc. Many of the rugged macho protagonists who save the day in movies are clean-shaven. What can I say? Women love a hero.
- Emphasize other features – with less attention paid to your hair, more will be paid to other parts of your face or body. If you have a particularly nice smile it may seem even better without hair on your head.
- Be more confident – It takes a great deal of courage to part with your hair. Women recognize and appreciate that bold streak in your personality.
Losing your hair is something that can be dreadful for many men. So much so, that a lot of guys hold on to their thinning hair when they probably shouldn't.
#2 Women Love A Good Story Teller
Knowing how to tell a tale can be a sexy trait. A series of studies conducted by researchers at The University of North Carolina Chapel Hill and State University of New York found that storytelling is a desirable trait in men because it conveys high status.
One of the authors of the study states “storytelling ability reflects a man's ability to gain resources. Good storytellers may be more likely to influence others or to gain positions of authority in society.”
In order to tell a captivating tale, you have to be:
- Able to display a great sense of humor to keep people engaged
- In-tune with social cues and body language to know how to work your audience
- Fearless enough to speak about personal experiences (sometimes someone you've just met!)
- Comfortable being in the spotlight
There is also a physiological response to a great story. When someone is telling a fascinating story with some sort of emotional trigger (conflict, tension, resolution), it releases a rush of chemicals:
- Cortisol that makes you pay attention
- Oxytocin causes you to feel empathy with the characters
- Dopamine makes you feel good when the story has a happy ending
These chemicals draw the listeners in and connect them with the speaker. From a romantic stance, these responses can be the foundation for attraction.
#3 Women Find Popular Men Attractive
Sounds funny, right? But, a 2013 study published in Psychological Science found people were rated as more attractive when they were part of a group. When a woman looks at a group of guys, her brain tends to ‘average out' the facial features of all the gents in the group. This makes all of their faces look more average than they would on their own.
Calling someone average-looking might not sound like a compliment. Drew Walker, from the University of California, explains “average faces are more attractive, likely due to the averaging out of unattractive idiosyncrasies.” In essence, being in a group hides any traits you have women don't find attractive.
Another school of thought is women look for the assumed roles of each guy in a clique. Generally speaking, someone will emerge as the leader, another guy may be the charming one in the bunch and so on. By observing the dynamics of the group, a woman can pick out the personality trait that's most attractive to her – it might be charm, intelligence, humor, everyone is different.
#4 Women Love A Man In Textured Clothing
Wearing textured clothing can activate different emotions and associations in people. It seems odd, I know, but consider how touching a soft throw blanket will calm you. Or how about when you touch satin, it can conjure up sensual feelings.
Textured clothing is no different. There are all kinds of overtones women will assign a guy based on the type and texture of the fabric that he is wearing.
- Leather is associated with masculinity. It’s tough and rugged – creating the mental image of a guy who has been doing a hard day’s work in the sun.
- Denim is strong but when broken in is very comfortable. Ladies may think that a man who sports it is tough on the exterior but is gentle and kind at his core.
- Knit textures like cashmere cause women to want to touch your sweater.
Click here to discover the varieties of texture in men's shirts.
The final trait women find attractive?
#5 Women Find Men With Gray Hair Attractive
The University of Abertay found in a 2010 study that women of all ages and levels of wealth prefer older men. In short, women are turned on by gray hair.
It may be a set of the population, but they say that they love it.
It's important to note – not everyone will be attracted to you but you can never please everyone in life. It's better to be on the extreme side and have someone who is crazy for it than choose a middle-of-the-road option and not win over anyone.
We can thank legends like Sir Sean Connery and George Clooney for this. Gray hair communicates distinction and sophistication. When a guy has grays, he's often thought to be wise and a bit of a silver fox.
If you are a younger gent and grey hair is creeping up, embrace it – wear it as a badge of honor. Confidence can be magnetic and draw in a woman. The juxtaposition of your young face with graying hair is an edgy style element that will translate well. It becomes a conversation piece!
But wait, there's more! Here are some other associations with gents that have a bit of ‘salt and pepper':
- Maturity
- Healthy life experiences
- Thoughtful, wise and well-read
- Makes a woman feel safe
Are you an older gent who wants to know how to wear gray hair without looking old? Click here to discover how.
Let me sum up by saying a healthy combination of the traits women find attractive will be most effective for men. Catch a woman's eye with your distinctive facial hair, keep her focused on you with an incredible story and win her over with the confidence you wear your grays. Don't be afraid to stand out from the crowd, gents!
Traits Women Find Attractive: Resources
Janif Zinnia J., Brooks Robert C. and Dixson Barnaby J. 2014. Negative frequency-dependent preferences and variation in male facial hair” Biology Letters. 10(4). Link
Donahue, J.K. and Green, M.C. 2016. “A good story: Men's storytelling ability affects their attractiveness and perceived status” Personal Relationships. 23: 199-213.
Walker D, Vul E. 2014. “Hierarchical Encoding Makes Individuals in a Group Seem More Attractive” Psychological Science. 25(1): 230-235. Link
Moore F, Cassidy C, Perrett DI. 2010. “The effects of control of resources on magnitudes of sex differences in human mate preferences” Evolutionary Psychology. 8(4): 720-35. Link
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