Girl Talk: What Makes a Guy Physically Attractive and Appealing?

What is it about a guy that makes you a little hot under the collar? If you had to narrow it down, what makes a guy physically attractive to you?

What makes a guy physically attractive to you? Because we all find different things attractive.

One person might find a guy carrying a few extra pounds super-attractive, but another person might prefer a guy with shredded abs. One person might go weak at the knees for a guy with a beard, but someone else might shudder at the thought.

The subject of attractiveness is such a broad one, and it’s really interesting to ask people what their own preferences are. For instance, I find a guy with a six pack really off-putting. I think this is because I am far from gym-ready myself, and, as a result, I find all this ab-carving a little terrifying.

Would I go for someone overweight? I wouldn’t find them physically attractive immediately, but once I got to know their personality, maybe that would change? [Read: The strongest signs of a mutual attraction between a man and a woman]

Sometimes we change our minds

This is the wonderful thing about the human mind when it comes to what it does and doesn’t find appealing. It’s so inconsistent! You might meet a guy with all the traits you always found unattractive, but he makes you laugh, you like his personality, and you really like what he stands for in life. Suddenly you’re feeling butterflies whenever he’s around, and you’d quite like to lean in for a kiss or two.

Strange, yes, but wonderful too!

I want to explore what makes a guy physically attractive, and at first I was wondering how to go about this. I didn’t want to do a list of features, because let’s face it, we all find different things attractive.

You’ll find so many lists out there saying that a guy must have cheekbones you can cut glass on, soulful eyes, a lean physique and biceps you can’t squeeze because they’re so hard. But does every single person who is attracted to men find that appealing?

Of course not!

[Read: How to understand the science behind attraction]

What makes a guy physically attractive in general?

We all have difference preferences, and that is a great thing because if we all found the same thing attractive, there would be a hell of a lot of competition for just one guy!

From talking to my friends and asking them what makes a guy physically attractive to them , I found the following subjects cropping up quite a lot:

– Height

– Eyes

– Smile

– Hairstyle

– The way they dress

– Whether or not they have tattoos

– Abs, either for them or against them

– Personal hygiene

– Biceps

– Strong shoulders and back

How many of those can you agree with?

[Read: 25 real things that make a man attractive to women]

I know I said that I didn’t want to go down the line of a list of things that people find physically attractive about men, but I want to explore why these things crop up. Why do we find tallness attractive? Why do we like strong shoulders? And why does hairstyle matter?

I’ll tell you what I think, and then you can figure it out for yourself.

If you ask me what makes a guy physically attractive, I would probably say ideally someone taller than me. I’m not suggesting he has to be six feet or more, but it’s not hard to be taller than me so it’s not really an issue. Yes, I agree with eyes. I like a nice pair of eyes, but I have no preference over color at all. Smile? Big on that one. A nice smile which makes his face light up, please!

The rest of it I’m very negligible on. The way someone dresses can be a deal breaker for some, but a quirky dress style can suit someone who is a little cheeky. I say that it totally depends on their personality!

Are tattoos a yes or a no for you? I say yes, but not too many. Again, it depends on their personality and whether or not the tattoos they have suit them as a whole person. It’s certainly not a deal breaker for me and not for many of the people I asked either.The same can be said for hairstyle, it depends if it suits them or not.

Let’s talk about body and group these together: abs, biceps, shoulders and back.

Okay, I’m not going to lie, a nice body is a plus, but as I mentioned before, a person’s body doesn’t really matter once you get to know them and find them wonderful on the inside. Abs terrify me: seriously, a six pack makes me want to shudder, yet I asked my friend and she went weak at the knees at the thought!

I’m totally on board with the strong shoulders and back, probably because to me it’s a sign of inner strength, a really masculine point which I find very attractive. In terms of biceps, I am not a fan of someone who has such big biceps they seem to extend up to their neck and make it disappear completely!

Can you see how trying to find out what makes a guy physically attractive is so difficult? We all like different things! [Read: 20 traits that almost all girls find attractive about a guy]

Is there a deal breaker consensus?

The biggest deal breaker I found amongst everyone I asked, and something I agree with myself, is personal hygiene.

I could meet the most jaw-droppingly attractive guy but, if he had a rather nifty BO problem, I would be over it faster than you could count. Everyone I spoke to agreed. So, guys, if you want to attract a mate, make sure you spray the deodorant! [Read: The cultured moves that make a man sophisticated]

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder

I learned a lot from trying to understand what makes a guy physically attractive in society’s eyes. It actually made me rather sad. While I sat here writing this, there is probably someone else writing about the things which make a woman attractive. I do not claim to have most of the features that many people would choose for female attractiveness. What I do have however, I rock very well!

Once I delved a little further I thought about my own preferences much more. Do you know what I realized? The most physically attractive thing about a man to me is confidence. [Read: 16 ways to build super confidence and realize you’re worth it]

You can see confidence when it radiates from the inside out. It’s a kind of magnetism, something you can’t explain. It’s the one single thing which I guarantee will leave me weak. Someone confident in themselves is physically attractive on every level.

Of course, I’m not talking about guys who clearly love themselves and don’t care who knows it. I’m talking about guys who are just self-assured, the ones who are happy with who they are. That is irresistible to me.

What makes a guy physically attractive to you? Now you’ve read this little chat, has anything changed in your mind? Identifying a single type is impossible, but it’s also very wrong. This creates body images issues for every single guy who doesn’t live up to what society says is the so-called attractiveness norm. Surely we should be focusing on individual traits and looking for confidence instead? There is nothing sexier than that.

[Read: What actually makes a man attractive?]

What makes a guy physically attractive is a very complicated issue, but a fascinating one. By exploring this subject I’ve learned every single person on the planet has their own preferences which may vary wildly from person to person.