Men - how important are looks?

emmab0902
emmab0902 Posts: 2,338 Member
My partner often says "beauty is only skin deep" and while I hope to God that is true, I really don't believe it. How important are looks to men (adult men, not boys)? He knows a lot of REALLY gorgeous women, so I am almost permanently in paranoid panic mode! (He has no idea about this or how insecure I feel about the looks department)
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Replies

  • LucyvdPelt
    LucyvdPelt Posts: 34 Member
    there is no such thing as a difference between grown up men and boys. knowing their responses in my slim times and fat times it doesnt matter much how you look when it comes to hitting on you for a ONS - if it comes to relationships it starts to matter a lot - seems most of them dont dare to show up with a girl they dont get a thumbs up for her look from their peers.

    BUT the good news is - not all of them are like that - there is genuine love too.
  • coachblt
    coachblt Posts: 1,090
    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so don't fret over it. He's with you and he picked you and vice versa.
  • Elf_Princess1210
    Elf_Princess1210 Posts: 895 Member
    Men really aren't that hard to figure out. If he's with you (assuming he's not a total d!ck) he finds you attractive. And you are pretty :)
  • taso42
    taso42 Posts: 8,980 Member
    Looks spark the initial attraction. Sounds like you're well past the initial attraction stage, and thus have nothing to worry about. :)
  • Carl01
    Carl01 Posts: 9,307 Member
    He finds you attractive,don`t make yourself unattractive or undesirable by being permanently in paranoid panic mode.
    You will uselessly over think yourself into just what you fear.
  • Natx83
    Natx83 Posts: 1,298 Member
    Looks are important for that initial attraction. If we could see someone's personality things would be so much easier!
  • SHBoss1673
    SHBoss1673 Posts: 7,161 Member
    I guess, for me at least, it depends on what you're asking for. I mean, yes, an attractive woman catches my eye, but there have been plenty of people in my life that I don't consider "pretty" that I feel are good people that I would have, under different circumstances, be open to being romantic with.

    I would amend the "beauty is only skin deep" statement, saying rather "physical beauty is only skin deep but total beauty comes from within as well.".
  • dough715
    dough715 Posts: 1
    Looks are very important. When you get in those fights over small things once you realize that your partner is fine you just think what are we fighting for let's just have makeup $ex. Lol
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Looks are important to me, but moreso, how well someone looks after themself is important too - meaning being clean and presentable, healthy and happy. The attraction sparks from how somebody looks in most cases, but the personality of someone determines whether or not you can see yourself spending years with this person. My girlfriend is just awesome in every way, and that's what makes her desirable to me - her being hot is just a bonus.
  • 7funnygirl7
    7funnygirl7 Posts: 1,176
    I know a lot of "beautiful" people who are down right "ugly" and I know some "so so" ones that are down right "out of this world smokin' hot, gorgeous and sexy"! The world "sees" you for who you really are~ so put on a happy face! :smile:
  • staps065
    staps065 Posts: 837 Member
    Looks are somewhat important, at least for the initial interest and meeting. However, any real relationship is much more than looks, it is the person inside the body that makes a relationship. Personality, including honesty, trustworthiness, commitment, and dedication make the relationship. BTW, you are beautiful and have nothing to worry about! :wink:
  • JenAiMarres
    JenAiMarres Posts: 743 Member
    Just wanted to say u are gorgeous!!! That being said...men (and women) have different preferences when it comes to looks and of course looks are super important to a man but personality and holding yourself with absolute confidence is key to attracting/keeping a man.

    Have u ever encountered a beautiful human only to speak to them and the attraction literally disappear?

    Since you already have your man don't let insecurities about other women he knows get in the way of your relationship...he choose u. For a reason!!
  • auticus
    auticus Posts: 1,051 Member
    Looks are extremely important to PEOPLE of either gender. It's not a man only trend to judge women by their appearance, women do the same thing to men. That's why many of us are on here in the first place.

    Relationships are often formed in the crotch. If the world were blind, we'd base our relationships off of other things, but until that happens, looks are often what form the beginning of the relationship, and that fire that you either can or cannot incite in the nether region separates you from "just friends".

    This is not a blanket "all people are like this" statement, just that it seems to be what the majority follow and is why diet sites etc are so popular. If being fat and out of shape didn't inhibit one's ability to find a partner, I am betting getting in shape wouldn't be as big of a deal.
  • REET420
    REET420 Posts: 160 Member
    I think men are more picky than women. My friends are mostly all male and the way they nit pick at every little imperfection on a woman's body is ridiculous. They find **** that isn't noticeable and will blow it right out of porportion. Woman on the other hand don't seem to care aslong as said male has lots of cash or know where to touch her in the right places.
  • Carl01
    Carl01 Posts: 9,307 Member
    I think men are more picky than women. My friends are mostly all male and the way they nit pick at every little imperfection on a woman's body is ridiculous. They find **** that isn't noticeable and will blow it right out of porportion. Woman on the other hand don't seem to care aslong as said male has lots of cash or know where to touch her in the right places.

    Nice way to equally offend both men and women with cookie cutter stereotypes.
    If that is true for you then I would suggest you seek out friends that are a lot less shallow.:flowerforyou:
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    I think men are more picky than women. My friends are mostly all male and the way they nit pick at every little imperfection on a woman's body is ridiculous. They find **** that isn't noticeable and will blow it right out of porportion. Woman on the other hand don't seem to care aslong as said male has lots of cash or know where to touch her in the right places.

    Nice way to equally offend both men and women with cookie cutter stereotypes.
    If that is true for you then I would suggest you seek out friends that are a lot less shallow.:flowerforyou:
    Most of my friends are the polar opposite of what you're implying all men to be. It comes down to what kinds of people you assosciate with.

    Carl (the one above me, not me >.>) is right.
  • Peta22
    Peta22 Posts: 377 Member
    I know a lot of "beautiful" people who are down right "ugly" and I know some "so so" ones that are down right "out of this world smokin' hot, gorgeous and sexy"! The world "sees" you for who you really are~ so put on a happy face! :smile:

    I think this is soooooooo true!

    I know several people - who I'm quite in awe of - who aren't traditionally attractive, but they are the most amazing, witty, charming and endearing characters and after meeting them, you instinctively see them as beautiful people!

    Alternately, someone can be the most stunningly photogenic person with extremely attractive traits in a traditional sense but in person they are arrogant, self absorbed and high maintenance... It doesn't take long for you to perceive them as plain ugly!!
  • bigtone34
    bigtone34 Posts: 136
    To me, attitude is so much more important than beauty.
  • jeremy_c
    jeremy_c Posts: 21
    This question can not be answered. If he his Hugh Hefner then looks probably matter a lot. If, however, he is Billy Graham, he understands beauty fades and inner beauty is the real prize. Thus, what you need to ask yourself is what does my boy friend value? Then ask yourself if you are willing to live with that value system for the rest of your life. My wife is beautiful but she is not on the front covers of magazines yet I'd rather be married to her than 10 of the women on the front cover of magazines. Her inner beauty constantly amazes me. We've been married 13 years now and I have not met one person prior to or since then that I would have rather married. Is that because she is the physically most beautiful woman I've ever seen? No. Is it because her love for me and all people motivate her to be an amazing person beyond belief? Yes. Is she ugly? By no means. Will she be physically ugly when she is 80 and in a wheel chair? I have not seen many 80 year old wheel chair bound women on the front covers of fashion magazine. What about in 5 years when she may be in an auto accident and crippled from the waist down? You never know what life may bring.

    My advice to you is answer the question... what does your boy friend value? If that value is too much slanted towards looks, find another. Living life with a mate that you have to continually blow away and compete with the latest 20 year old on magazine covers is no life to live.
  • connie_messina
    connie_messina Posts: 495 Member
    Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so don't fret over it. He's with you and he picked you and vice versa.

    true and well said!
  • SiouxsieQue
    SiouxsieQue Posts: 85 Member
    Men are visual creatures, so initially her looks will catch his attention. But if he is a good man and loves you, nothing more should come of it. Remain confident in yourself, because that's sexy!
  • emmab0902
    emmab0902 Posts: 2,338 Member
    My advice to you is answer the question... what does your boy friend value?
    He often compliments my looks or legs (lol) but mostly he talks about me being kind, generous, and caring, and that he has found happiness since we have been together (which is only two months so far)
  • Musikelektronik
    Musikelektronik Posts: 739 Member
    He often compliments my looks or legs (lol) but mostly he talks about me being kind, generous, and caring, and that he has found happiness since we have been together (which is only two months so far)

    The real question you seem to be asking is, "Why am I insecure in my relationship?" Only you can answer that question. I suggest that you examine the reasons why you fear being abandoned or rejected.

    You would probably admit that your fear is somewhat irrational. After all, you just said that your boyfriend has "found happiness" since you've been together, and that he considers you to be "kind, generous, and caring."

    To me, those sorts of feelings sound like a great foundation for a good, solid relationship. Why are you questioning it? Why do you feel that you're somehow not "good enough" for him? That's the real issue.
  • I'll attempt to address the question behind the question. Forgive me if this has been stated already. I don't have time to read the entire thread and I apologize in advance for the block of text.

    2 months is not long for any relationship. I guarantee you, you'll have insecurities and so will he. The best way to work past those insecurities is to effectively communicate with each other. This means sit down together and discuss all your insecurities. Insecurities come from unhealed past hurts. Once everything is out in the open, it's important for each of you to respect each other's insecurities. This means if there's a certain way one of you acts that aggravates a past hurt of the other, the behavior should be adjusted so as to not aggravate that hurt. Mutual respect and tenderness toward each other is key in this stage of a relationship. With time, you'll become secure in each other.

    My disclaimer is this: only do this if both of you are serious about this relationship. Maybe a precursor to a conversation like this is a conversation about your future together and where each of you see it going. DON'T make yourself vulnerable unless you truly love each other. By love, I mean a mutual self-sacrificing attitude toward the other.

    I speak from my own experience.
  • Jules2Be
    Jules2Be Posts: 2,238 Member
    It funny that I spent A LOT of time worrying what I looked like....this year i turned 40 and i decided i dont give a *kitten* what anyone else thinks...if u dont like it dont look!
  • Saruman_w
    Saruman_w Posts: 1,531 Member
    Looks certainly play a role, but to me the thing that makes things last is the personality. If I can't get along with them or they're just too different from me and can't seem to be happy around them then things just can't work.
  • TitanGM
    TitanGM Posts: 1,161 Member
    I'f I'd put it from 0 to 10, I'd say 7. Looks show a lot. They show how a person maintains herself and self-respect. They radiate a positive energy toward the life. Most of the time a healthy mind is linked closely with a healthy look. I am also a believer of the saying "You are what you eat" and obviously, I wouldn't like having a partner full of unhealthy habits. The other 3 out of 10 is very crucial too. A fit person and beautiful without brains is = unhealthy and ugly either way.
    And finally, everyone can and is able to look beautiful, no matter their genetics. Their health is in their own hand, and everyone has their unique beauty hidden waiting to show off.
  • ChelleDT
    ChelleDT Posts: 23
    I've heard it explained that when we start getting attracted to other people based on their personality traits over their physcial traits... that that is a sign of maturity.

    I've found that while looks are usually a factor in first impressions,,... if their personality sucks/ or doesn't jive with yours, they aren't going to stay attracted to you. & Visa versa.

    I've also noticed that as the years go on... I tend not to judge someone on looks alone... Unless I'm being in a petty small minded mood.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,990 Member
    I think they are important from a point of view of procreation. If a female looks fit and beautiful, then chances are (if you as a male aren't butt ugly) your offspring will be too ensuring higher chances of your genes being carried on down through the generations. That's from an evolutionary prospective.

    But today it seems money, wealth and fame are much more important for this to happen now.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal & Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 28+ years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • Masterchef2000
    Masterchef2000 Posts: 127 Member
    Humor is the sexiest thing to me. Make me laugh and I will try and get in your pants. That's how I got married. :-)