# What Is Attractive To Females **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 19, 2013, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218 "2013-09-19T07:11:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 7:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/1 "2013-09-19T07:11:57Z")
So I have a number of ideas related to this. Feel free to comment. One observation I see is that little girls are attracted to beauty, flowers, gentleness, which men later in life find attractive. Since little boys are often into playfighting, and things of a ‘fighty’ nature, this could be attractive (girls liking tough men) Primally speaking… men hunt, protect, lead (subject to debate), build. This may be primally attractive. Many animals (peacocks, bowerbirds, lions) have a set standard for finding mates attractive. Humans have this? Badboys, soldiers, rich ppl, actors, the cool kid, why? Strength, toughness, personality, means, seem to be the common thread. SPIRIT: There is a spiritual side to life. Girls might be into guys who are spiritually developed. Thoughts? ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 7:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/2 "2013-09-19T07:29:27Z")
Universally, women like physically strong men while men like beautiful women. But those two concepts develop and change, I suppose. Other measures of strength like height, money, power and intelligence can be equally attractive to women. In my old office, the guys who usually get the girl (or the most votes during informal talks) are the neat and “proper” dressers who give an impression of neatness, cleanliness and propriety. This, assuming everything else is equal. With women, it’s fair skin, no rough edges, a good/wealthy family, and simply being hot and available. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 7:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/3 "2013-09-19T07:50:00Z")
The only generalization that’s not wrong is this one. ---
**Author:** ![Kaio](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/c68b51/32.png) [@Kaio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kaio)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 8:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/4 "2013-09-19T08:40:37Z")
What Is Attractive To Females? To start with, not referring to us as “females” as if you are a Ferengi. Because you know, if I’m picturing [this](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/9300000/Quark-ferengi-9330446-581-740.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/ferengi/images/9330446/title/quark&h=740&w=581&sz=85&tbnid=sJr5raVu6MIFmM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=71&zoom=1&usg=__44CN5P85mvgB4PvGsiShzefE2Zs=&docid=CS0d3RUOir6KQM&sa=X&ei=_7c6UtHvOOmQyAHA9YCICw&ved=0CFQQ9QEwBg&dur=364), I’m laughing, not swooning. But seriously. Stop referring to us (and thinking of us) as if we’re some alien entity. We’re people. Not recognizing or understanding that is a giant turn-off. ---
**Author:** ![the\_diego](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7bcc69/32.png) [@the\_diego](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_diego)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 8:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/5 "2013-09-19T08:55:48Z")
Thank God for being married and able to dress as I please. Anything else we need to know about females? I’ve long given up on the lying game. Even my 10-year old child (female) can beat me. ---
**Author:** ![Waxwinged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c2a13f/32.png) [@Waxwinged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waxwinged)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/6 "2013-09-19T08:56:31Z")
General stability and good nature. Being buff doesn’t hurt, either. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![DrFidelius](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drfidelius/32/3447_2.png) [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 10:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/7 "2013-09-19T10:10:43Z")
Chicks hate being called “females.” That’s a start right there. Chicks hate being treated as if they were interchangeable. They like to be considered as individuals, with individual wants, needs, and preferences. Chicks also hate being called “chicks” as if the speaker were from the 1960s. ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 10:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/8 "2013-09-19T10:13:02Z")
> [@Kaio](#): > > What Is Attractive To Females? To start with, not referring to us as “females” as if you are a Ferengi. Because you know, if I’m picturing [this](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://images2.fanpop.com/image/photos/9300000/Quark-ferengi-9330446-581-740.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.fanpop.com/clubs/ferengi/images/9330446/title/quark&h=740&w=581&sz=85&tbnid=sJr5raVu6MIFmM:&tbnh=90&tbnw=71&zoom=1&usg=__44CN5P85mvgB4PvGsiShzefE2Zs=&docid=CS0d3RUOir6KQM&sa=X&ei=_7c6UtHvOOmQyAHA9YCICw&ved=0CFQQ9QEwBg&dur=364), I’m laughing, not swooning. > > But seriously. Stop referring to us (and thinking of us) as if we’re some alien entity. We’re people. Not recognizing or understanding that is a giant turn-off. But you ARE females. And yes, you are people, but what females are generally finding attractive can be a mystery. ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 10:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/9 "2013-09-19T10:52:42Z")
> [@Gateway](#): > > And yes, you are people, but what females are generally finding attractive can be a mystery. Indeed! It’s terribly hard to find any general rules that apply to all women! Why, it’s almost as if they have the temerity to have individual preferences that vary from organism to organism. ---
**Author:** ![pullin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/c57346/32.png) [@pullin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pullin)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 10:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/10 "2013-09-19T10:56:37Z")
I think they’re mostly attracted to certain smells. I’ve found the combination of Pledge, floor cleaners, Windex and laundry soap can render a male irresistible. If I sneak out of bed at 5:00 on a Saturday morning and quietly deep-clean the house and get all the laundry clean and folded, the smells of the cleaning agents apparently waft upstairs into the bedroom. This causes some sort of sexual response among females. I don’t know much about women, but when they awaken and find their house spotless, arousal is almost certain. ---
**Author:** ![Mrs.Cake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/2acd7d/32.png) [@Mrs.Cake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mrs.Cake)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 10:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/11 "2013-09-19T10:57:36Z")
What Females find attractive? Confidence, competence, a balanced sense of the serious with humor, and a great arse. Not always in that order. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/12 "2013-09-19T11:05:53Z")
> [@Gateway](#): > > But you ARE females. > And yes, you are people, but what females are generally finding attractive can be a mystery. But are you only interested in human females? Bright, shiny plumage, and a good loud squalk does it for some chicks. Have you considered building a bower? ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/13 "2013-09-19T11:17:31Z")
> [@Gateway](#): > > But you ARE females. > And yes, you are people, but what females are generally finding attractive can be a mystery. They’re females, but so is the cat next door and the bird on my window ledge. It’s understandable that many would find it distasteful to refer to them as “females”, when that category includes a myriad of non-humans. Whether you mean it or not, using the label “females” implies an otherness, as though the default human category is something other than female. You don’t hear too often women referring to “males”. I recommend you refer to female humans as “women”. That’s a good start. I’m being serious here- language matters. ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/14 "2013-09-19T11:19:51Z")
After reading this thread title I had a bet with myself regarding the join date of the OP. I won. ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/15 "2013-09-19T11:23:06Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Indeed! It’s terribly hard to find any general rules that apply to all women! Why, it’s almost as if they have the temerity to have individual preferences that vary from organism to organism. Yes, it is indeed interesting, especially when each individual girls preference tends to just about across the board to find certain traits desirable or not. For example, a lot of women seem to find Brad Pitt attractive, as individuals. For the record it IS case by case, but I am pretty sure there are some common threads ---
**Author:** ![iiandyiiii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/iiandyiiii/32/7924_2.png) [@iiandyiiii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/iiandyiiii)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/16 "2013-09-19T11:24:27Z")
To answer the OP- women like lots of different kinds of men. Some characteristics seem to be common among the different types that women like- I think these are the characteristics that most (straight) women find attractive: confidence, employment, compassion, honesty, responsibility, neatness, good hygiene, and physical fitness. Some women will have some “veto” characteristics- for example, they may not go out with a man with bad hygiene, or an unemployed man, or a slovenly dresser, or a man who is overweight. If you have bad hygiene, that is fixable- so fix it. If you are overweight, that may or may not be fixable- but luckily, there are many women that will give an overweight guy a chance (thankfully, my wife did!). In general, be yourself. Be an honest and decent guy. If that’s not “being yourself”, then change yourself into an honest and decent guy. Even if it takes a while, honest and decent guys usually find honest and decent partners. Don’t get discouraged (and I know this can be tough)- just keep trying. Don’t be a jerk. Don’t use women. ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/17 "2013-09-19T11:27:32Z")
> [@kayT](#): > > After reading this thread title I had a bet with myself regarding the join date of the OP. I won. You won? THATS GREAT! You should post that on all my threads because it is obviously relevent there too! ---
**Author:** ![Gateway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/dbc845/32.png) [@Gateway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gateway)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/18 "2013-09-19T11:31:44Z")
> [@pullin](#): > > I think they’re mostly attracted to certain smells. > > I’ve found the combination of Pledge, floor cleaners, Windex and laundry soap can render a male irresistible. If I sneak out of bed at 5:00 on a Saturday morning and quietly deep-clean the house and get all the laundry clean and folded, the smells of the cleaning agents apparently waft upstairs into the bedroom. This causes some sort of sexual response among females. > > I don’t know much about women, but when they awaken and find their house spotless, arousal is almost certain. Yeah, in my experience though they don’t like the smell of fermaldihide, well after they wake up at least. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![kayT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayt/32/3633_2.png) [@kayT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayT)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/19 "2013-09-19T11:31:45Z")
never mind ---
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [September 19, 2013, 11:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218/20 "2013-09-19T11:38:10Z")
> [@Gateway](#): > > Yes, it is indeed interesting, especially when each individual girls preference tends to just about across the board to find certain traits desirable or not. For example, a lot of women seem to find Brad Pitt attractive, as individuals. > > For the record it IS case by case, but I am pretty sure there are some common threads Many women find Brad Pitt physically attractive. And some don’t. But there is a huge difference between being physically attractive and actually being attractive for long enough to survive an actual encounter with a female of the species in the wild. Human beings find symmetry in features physically attractive. We also tend to want well balanced features. This holds true for women and men. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-attractive-to-females/669218.md?page=2)