# Ladies, opinions wanted **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 4, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324 "2009-11-04T20:03:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 8:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/1 "2009-11-04T20:03:19Z")
I’m doing some research for a business plan and seek some information. It’s not really a poll , but could end up as the frame work for one. So to the question What imagery invokes feelings of desire. If I were to do something similar for guys, scantily clad women, pictures of money , boats, etc. What does it for women when you look at an ad in a magazine. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 8:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/2 "2009-11-04T20:08:10Z")
Since you’re asking for opinions, I’m going to move this to IMHO. twickster, MPSIMS moderator ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/3 "2009-11-04T20:11:33Z")
A lovely dress, some beautiful jewelry, some tasty looking food. Pictures of exotic vacation locales. Cars, tools, boats not so much. ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/4 "2009-11-04T20:22:23Z")
IMHO women like to look at other women in ads too. Not because we want the women, but because we want to be like them. ---
**Author:** ![Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/malleus_incus_stapes/32/3293_2.png) [@Malleus\_Incus\_Stapes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malleus_Incus_Stapes)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/5 "2009-11-04T20:32:46Z")
Animals of all sorts, especially cats. Strawberries. The color blue. ---
**Author:** ![ThirdOne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@ThirdOne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ThirdOne)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 8:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/6 "2009-11-04T20:43:22Z")
chocolate… melting… drizzling. mmm creamy dark chocolate! Tastefully done food. A man with enough hair to run my fingers through, dressed in a well fitting suit, wearing a mischievous, I wanna f\*\*k you look on his face (ok the look on the face is optional). Tropical vacation spots where you can imagine yourself there. ---
**Author:** ![Sebastienne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a698b9/32.png) [@Sebastienne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sebastienne)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/7 "2009-11-04T20:48:18Z")
I’m a lesbian, a broke college student, and a sailor. So um, scantily clad women, pictures of money, boats… ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Fight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/90ced4/32.png) [@Cat\_Fight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Fight)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 10:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/8 "2009-11-04T22:58:51Z")
A paid off Visa bill. Hot boys in cool clothes. And, if I can get a bit clichéd here, a big banner reading 75% OFF EVERYTHING IN STORE. I don’t care what they’re selling. Poison, men’s galoshes. It’s such a good deal! ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 4, 2009, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/9 "2009-11-04T23:35:44Z")
I am a sucker for beautiful, moody, unattainable pouty men with nice bods and gorgeous preferably blond hair, gazing moodily off into the middle distance. Like in expensive men’s cologne ads. And nature - beaches, forests, trees, seashells, animals, sunsets, rainbows, blue sky/green grass like tele-tubby land, or a dark glowering sky - I’ll look at an ad twice if I can imagine myself in a beautiful natural setting. Beautiful animals - horses, bunnies, cats, deer, Dalmatians, cardinals, blue jays, peacocks, tropical fish, snow leopards, even frogs. If I saw an ad featuring, say, actor Jason Lewis, in a leather jacket, moodily striding through the autumn woods at sunset, with a pair of deer peeking out, I’d probably cut it out and frame it.🙂 ---
**Author:** ![ivylass](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/9de053/32.png) [@ivylass](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ivylass)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/10 "2009-11-05T00:15:41Z")
My folks travel every summer, and they love going out West. My dad has a subscription to [this magazine](http://www.americancowboy.com/), which I call Western Vogue. Full of beautiful people in tight jeans and cowboy hats, expensive boots, and a double page spread that I can only describe as “turquoise porn.” I love looking through it. ---
**Author:** ![SecondJudith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5ac83/32.png) [@SecondJudith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SecondJudith)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/11 "2009-11-05T00:59:24Z")
Red wine, white sheets and dark-haired men with strong jaws and shoulders. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/12 "2009-11-05T01:37:48Z")
I think anything that looks like something that I associate with indulgence, so that would cover the exotic locales, exotic animals, fine foods, wine and desserts, jewelry like pearls, silk things like gowns or bedding or (tasteful) lingerie – but if the lingerie is obvious, it will just look trashy. Moonlight. Really good wood, too, like a setting with fine mahogany paneling or furniture and detailing. Cars in general – not so much, but maybe truly classic luxury cars like an Hispano-Suiza. Anything that looks like it came out of _The Great Gatsby_. ---
**Author:** ![JR\_Brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d6d6ee/32.png) [@JR\_Brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JR_Brown)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 2:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/13 "2009-11-05T02:09:32Z")
> [@Declan](#): > > I’m doing some research for a business plan and seek some information. > > It’s not really a poll , but could end up as the frame work for one. > > So to the question > > What imagery invokes feelings of desire. > > If I were to do something similar for guys, scantily clad women, pictures of money , boats, etc. > > What does it for women when you look at an ad in a magazine. From your examples for guys, you seem to want images that provoke “desire” generally. Things that make me go “want”: - Doe-eyed prettyboys in a state of sensual undress - Fresh, shiny, juicy-looking fruit & other mouthwatering food items - Glossy high-tech nerd toys - [Art Nouveau](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Nouveau) and [Arts & Crafts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_and_Crafts_Movement) art, illustration and especially [jewelry](http://images.google.com/images?q=art+nouveau+jewelry) - [Cute furry animals](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&sa=1&q=fluffy+puppy) But if it’s part of an ad, the appropriate image would depend heavily on the product being advertised. ---
**Author:** ![Fetchund](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b2d939/32.png) [@Fetchund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fetchund)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/14 "2009-11-05T02:45:14Z")
> [@Sebastienne](#): > > I’m a lesbian, a broke college student, and a sailor. > > So um, scantily clad women, pictures of money, boats… Almost a “ditto” from me, but - Strong women dressed butch, whitewater sufficient to kayak on, and nature shots - especially unusual critters in their native habitats. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 5:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/15 "2009-11-05T05:12:46Z")
IANAW but um, me doing the dishes? ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 6:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/16 "2009-11-05T06:21:31Z")
> [@JR\_Brown](#): > > \*\*From your examples for guys, you seem to want images that provoke “desire” generally. \*\* > > Things that make me go “want”: > > - Doe-eyed prettyboys in a state of sensual undress > - Fresh, shiny, juicy-looking fruit & other mouthwatering food items > - Glossy high-tech nerd toys > - [Art Nouveau](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Nouveau) and [Arts & Crafts](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Arts_and_Crafts_Movement) art, illustration and especially [jewelry](http://images.google.com/images?q=art+nouveau+jewelry) > - [Cute furry animals](http://images.google.com/images?hl=en&safe=off&sa=1&q=fluffy+puppy) > > But if it’s part of an ad, the appropriate image would depend heavily on the product being advertised. Not so much , being a guy I can relate to what we desire . Its when it comes to marketing for women, that it seems to be all over the place. So far from what I can extrapolate, subtle decadence seems to be the emerging theme. More opinions ladies if you please. Declan ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 9:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/17 "2009-11-05T09:05:12Z")
What _kind_ of desire? Food? Sex? Warmth and safety? Companionship? Answer will be different for every one of those. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 10:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/18 "2009-11-05T10:48:11Z")
A proper Porsche (ie, not the Cayenne). Seriously, being passed by one of those sexy babies on the highway is going to get me into an accident one of these years. Strawberries. Ice cream. Chocolate. Melted chocolate being poured onto two large strawberries placed on top of a slab of vanilla ice cream. Men in kilts (and I’m in Scotland!) Satin dresses and nightclothes, but not satin sheets. A neckrub. Long hair being put up on a loose bun. Understated beauty: a bun, a braid, an elegant dress that doesn’t look like you need one hour to get in it and two to get out, a tasty meal of simple dishes, a carved table that’s being used as a table (not treated as a sculpture). I’ll take “pasta bolognese” over “a zesty pomodoro sauce aux fines herbes with prime USDA beef mince on a bed of handmade tagliatelle, served on our beautiful Santa Fe plate” any day of the week - and yes, that second thing is a description of pasta bolognese (the longest one I’ve seen took three full lines; as it usually happens IME, it wasn’t good). I avoid menu items in more than one language. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 12:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/19 "2009-11-05T12:58:22Z")
[http://victoriantradingco.com](http://victoriantradingco.com) THIS catalog is like crack/blow/pornography to me. I save them and look at them more than I’ve ever pored over any family photographs, lol. Also pyramidcollection.com, second runner up but not by much. I also, contrarily, like simple. I admire the photos of food or decorating items on AOL - very clean, brightly lit, simple, perfect pictures of, say, apples in a glass bowl. Or a tall vase with stark branches, or one perfect bird-of-paradise. I like these photos because they depict an elegant, spare, spacious home that isn’t covered with dust and clutter - this home is all clean and bright and needs just that one perfect touch…where do you get a home like that, anyway? I’m serious, I yearn for that beautiful house like ‘some guy’ yearns for a new car. ---
**Author:** ![Declan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecae2f/32.png) [@Declan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Declan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2009, 7:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324/20 "2009-11-05T19:59:15Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > What _kind_ of desire? Food? Sex? Warmth and safety? Companionship? > > Answer will be different for every one of those. I’m thinking along the lines of lifestyle , rather than the more bling type desires. Declan [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ladies-opinions-wanted/516324.md?page=2)