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The unconventional things that attract women to men
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What you need to know:
- There are a number of things that attract a woman to a man and what works for one may not work for another. And these features or characteristics that draw her to him may well be considered strange or odd. JOSEPHINE MOSONGO takes a look at some of the odd things that attract women to men.
Have you ever walked down the street and wondered how that couple in front of you met, but more specifically why that beautiful lady is with that guy she’s with? We have all succumbed to some degree of vanity at one point or another.
Gone are the days (for some women) when looks were all that mattered when looking for a suitable partner. The ideal ‘tall, dark and handsome’ does not cut it anymore, hence most of us will be forgiven for thinking ‘she can do way better than him, he is loaded’, or, for someone that hot she ‘must have some major issues to be with him’.
Women are looking for guys with substance (again, most women), a guy with that extra something, or je ne se quois, that has you giggling and hanging on to his every word, laughing at the silliest of jokes, has your heart aching every time you are apart for a few hours and even makes you not want to walk out of a room when you have a heated argument – that last part might be stretching it a bit too far but you get my drift. This may all seem story book romance and a bit on the ‘they-lived-happily-ever-after’ side, but as with most women, it is the little things that count.
Opening doors, pulling out a chair, splurging on the birthday gift or flowers and chocolates when you have royally messed up are all thoughtful gestures. But women will always want more. So what is that extra something that a woman is looking for in a guy?
Guys probably do not know it but, you as a man, have that “it” factor that makes her attracted to you. It is not just Idris Elba’s face that she finds attractive, or Channing Tatum’s abs, or Nick Mutuma’s smile. There are other things that ladies find attractive in men, but, men may not recognise it right off the bat.
Clean as a pin
The first thing that attracted Betty to her boyfriend is how neat and orderly he is. She had never been with a guy who cleaned up after himself, so to her this was totally refreshing and it sealed the deal in beginning their relationship.
Her boyfriend, she says, never leaves dirty dishes or clothes piled up like most men do. Even his house plants are alive. To her, this showed he had a caring and nurturing side to him. And if a guy pays that much attention to detail about his stuff, he would definitely take care of her too.
She found his neatness appealing and sexy. Of course Chris, her boyfriend, does not think it is a big deal and is completely oblivious to his charms. That is what makes Betty love him even more.
“The fact that he thinks everyone cleans up after themselves and his self-deprecating personality is why I find him so endearing to me, and it would be a different story if he was a slob.”
Whereas some women may find this quality in a man attractive, others may think it a turn off and may be of the view that real men do not clean: if a man is too clean then he must be cheating because he is trying to hide something, or there is another woman cleaning up after him. And if he is too clean, then he does not need a woman!
If a guy decides to clean up he is either having a guest over, of the female kind and the prospects of getting laid are very high!
Sweat
I know, the first thought that comes to mind is ‘disgusting’. How the hell does anyone find a sweaty guy attractive? Well, some women do, for instance, why are some women into sports?
Granted, most of them would not know what a three-pointer, a penalty, scrum or offside means and would be forgiven for thinking all these terms are used in one type of sport, but they will be there, cheering (ogling is more like it) whenever there’s any kind of sport that requires physical exertion on telly.
Lack of knowledge of the rules of sports aside, ladies like to watch hot men in tight shorts running around all sweaty chasing after a ball and tackling each other. The thought of the men being in need of a cold shower, taut muscles and all after the game is enough to set off any woman’s imagination to unbidden territory.
According to researchers, androstadienone, a chemical found in male sweat, is purported to increase sexual attraction and has garnered attention on women’s moods, brain activity and physiological arousal.
Beards
While some women may find guys with beards unattractive or a major turn off, some have it as the basis upon which they’ll consider a guy for a possible relationship.
We are not talking about just any beard; heavy stubble, light stubble, full beard or clean shaven, every woman has her own preference.
But women who like guys with beards prefer a heavy stubble over a clean shaven look or light stubble. Light stubble will lose out to heavy stubble as it always comes off looking patchy, like someone got called away on an emergency while waxing your face!
Men with an intermediate level of beardedness look tougher, more aggressive and masculine and would appear to make better romantic partners. On the other hand full bearded men are perceived to be better parents who are likely to invest in their offspring.
So the next time you see a woman swooning over a poster of Hugh Jackman, David Beckham, Charlie Hunman or … Rick Ross, blame it on the facial hair.
Geeks and Nerds
You know those movies where the cheerleader dates the captain of the football team but is secretly in love with the school chess champion? Geeks are assumed to be naturally smart and intelligent. Contrary to popular belief bad boys do not always finish first, chicks dig geeks. Geeks are never pretentious; they know who they are and stay true to themselves.
Geeks are sensitive; a trait that bad boys seem to lack. They will be more open to discuss an issue with a woman until they are on the same page. It is like having your best friend and your boyfriend all rolled into one, as it should be ... what more could a girl want? Women love someone who they can watch Vampire Diaries, Gossip Girl or Hart of Dixie with.
Geeks are selfless and will usually put the woman’s interests first before his and will extend this selflessness and other needs beyond movie night to the bedroom. They are adventurous lovers, and there are women who prefer four eyes to the six-pack.
Women love a smart man who they can call to fix whatever gadget that needs fixing and explain things to them in geek speak over and over again without getting frustrated. How cool is it to have a boyfriend who will cook for you, watch sappy movies with you, fix your computer and rock your world all in one night?
Fame
The male species may never fully understand why ladies are attracted to celebrities. A woman, like a baby, always wants what someone else has or what she cannot have. The celebrity your girlfriend is salivating over may not even be half as handsome as you (her boyfriend) but as long as the celebrity status is intact, she will salivate for ages to come.
Women fantasize about spending just a day with their favourite celeb. We all love a happy ending, but it is just that, a fantasy. It could happen, but not really. Women fall in love with the character the celebrity is playing and that is where the lines get blurred. They cannot separate the real person from the character being played (hence stalkers and groupies came to be). But a girl can dream …
Whatever peculiar things that attract a woman to a man, be it rough hands, grey hair, how one enunciates, scars or ripped clothing, they probably have a deeper meaning that is the cause for the attraction.