Let’s cut right to the chase. It doesn’t matter that you look like a Greek god if you’re a bastard. Hotshots are a woman’s go-to for a one-night stand, not a lifelong partner (hey, researchers proved it), so get to work on that sparkling personality.
Now that that’s out of the way, here’s a roundup—in no particular order—of the features women love on a guy. And we’re not just talking body parts, but what specifically about them appeals to women. You can sculpt some in the gym, but others have already been made by genetics (sorry). Either way, this will give you some insight on what females prefer. (Hint: you’ll quickly discover that women aren’t too different from men.)
The 10 most attractive body parts in a man, according to women
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1 OF 10
1 of 10
A nice set of abs
In a (not-so-surprising) study conducted by Western Illinois University, women rated abs as the sexiest muscle on a man’s body, ThePostGame.com reports. It makes sense: Your abdominals are front and center—well, if you’re not wearing clothes—so her eyes are inevitably drawn there at first glance (other than your face, of course). Lucky for you, you can sculpt your abs; no such luck with changing your face. And to be fair, it’s not that women are completely shallow. Men with a large amount of abdominal fat have lower levels of testosterone, which translates to a lower sex drive and fertility, according to Gordon Patzer’s book Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined.
2 of 10
A generous posterior
Women aren’t staring at the back of your head or the backs of your knees when you turn around. Surprise! Women like butts just as much (okay, maybe not as much) as men do, as evidenced by an AskMen poll. Of the 100 women surveyed, majority expressed their adoration for strong glutes.
3 of 10
Wide, strong shoulders
A woman’s sexual satisfaction is strongly linked to her partner’s attractiveness and shoulder breadth, a study from the University of Albany found. The takeaway for meek-shouldered men: hit the gym. Broad, well-defined shoulders have always been considered a sign of strength and masculinity; plus, men with a higher shoulder-to-hip ratio reported having sex at an early age and with more sexual partners, according to David Perett’s book In Your Face: The New Science of Human Attraction.
4 of 10
A ripped, tapered back
In a 2013 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, back broadness (remember that shoulder-to-hip ratio?), accounted for over 79 percent of the variability in a woman’s perceived attraction to a man. Having a wide, V-shaped back even trumped a man’s height and endowment when it came to physical attractiveness.
5 of 10
Defined, strong arms
In a HerCampus.com survey of over 100 college women across the country, a majority ranked arms as their biggest turn on. Women feel it’s a sign that you take good care of your body and admitted they love to see a hint of a man’s biceps through his t-shirt or sweater. Strong arms signify a man’s ability to protect a woman—and, inadvertently, his ability to lift her up…
6 of 10
A chiseled chest
As mentioned before in Perett’s book, In Your Face: The New Science of Human Attraction, women show a stronger attraction toward men with a figure consistent with the ideal hunting physique: strong shoulders, narrow waists, and broad chests and shoulders. Women prefer a man to be toned, but not brawny and bulked out to the max. You want a solid chest. No man-boobs or muscle boobs that rival hers—just chiseled pecs.
7 of 10
A stong jaw
According to research from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, women are most attracted to men whose faces inspire their proclivity to nurture with their desire to mate with a sexually mature partner, the LA Times reports. What this means is they like men with large eyes and a medium-to-small nose (“baby face” features), and a strong jaw and wide cheekbones (mature man’s face). Women want a compassionate-looking good guy and a bad boy that exudes sexual power. Basically women have made up their mind to not make up their mind.
8 of 10
A mysterious mouth
Oh, the allure of bad boys. A study from the University of British Columbia found that women are less sexually attracted to happy guys than brooding men. (Warning: You may become sulky after reading this.) While a smile is essential to social interactions, women were more attracted to men who looked proud, powerful and yes, a little moody at first-glance. Act mysterious and aloof at first, and once you’ve got her, grin away.
9 of 10
Powerful hands
Women are detail-oriented. In an AskMen poll, women said they loved a man’s hands because it says a lot about him—like what he does for a living—as well as his devotion to grooming and maintenance. Bigger hands also relate to masculinity, though you probably knew that already.
10 of 10
The right amount of facial hair
Women find men with heavy stubble to be the most attractive form of facial hair, a 2013 study from the journal Evolution & Human Behavior finds. They find heavy beards, light stubble and clean-shaven faces to be less attractive. However, women associate full beards with good health and parenting ability—something to think about for the future, perhaps.
In a (not-so-surprising) study conducted by Western Illinois University, women rated abs as the sexiest muscle on a man’s body, ThePostGame.com reports. It makes sense: Your abdominals are front and center—well, if you’re not wearing clothes—so her eyes are inevitably drawn there at first glance (other than your face, of course). Lucky for you, you can sculpt your abs; no such luck with changing your face. And to be fair, it’s not that women are completely shallow. Men with a large amount of abdominal fat have lower levels of testosterone, which translates to a lower sex drive and fertility, according to Gordon Patzer’s book Looks: Why They Matter More Than You Ever Imagined.
A generous posterior
Women aren’t staring at the back of your head or the backs of your knees when you turn around. Surprise! Women like butts just as much (okay, maybe not as much) as men do, as evidenced by an AskMen poll. Of the 100 women surveyed, majority expressed their adoration for strong glutes.
Wide, strong shoulders
A woman’s sexual satisfaction is strongly linked to her partner’s attractiveness and shoulder breadth, a study from the University of Albany found. The takeaway for meek-shouldered men: hit the gym. Broad, well-defined shoulders have always been considered a sign of strength and masculinity; plus, men with a higher shoulder-to-hip ratio reported having sex at an early age and with more sexual partners, according to David Perett’s book In Your Face: The New Science of Human Attraction.
A ripped, tapered back
In a 2013 study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, back broadness (remember that shoulder-to-hip ratio?), accounted for over 79 percent of the variability in a woman’s perceived attraction to a man. Having a wide, V-shaped back even trumped a man’s height and endowment when it came to physical attractiveness.
Defined, strong arms
In a HerCampus.com survey of over 100 college women across the country, a majority ranked arms as their biggest turn on. Women feel it’s a sign that you take good care of your body and admitted they love to see a hint of a man’s biceps through his t-shirt or sweater. Strong arms signify a man’s ability to protect a woman—and, inadvertently, his ability to lift her up…
A chiseled chest
As mentioned before in Perett’s book, In Your Face: The New Science of Human Attraction, women show a stronger attraction toward men with a figure consistent with the ideal hunting physique: strong shoulders, narrow waists, and broad chests and shoulders. Women prefer a man to be toned, but not brawny and bulked out to the max. You want a solid chest. No man-boobs or muscle boobs that rival hers—just chiseled pecs.
A stong jaw
According to research from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, women are most attracted to men whose faces inspire their proclivity to nurture with their desire to mate with a sexually mature partner, the LA Times reports. What this means is they like men with large eyes and a medium-to-small nose (“baby face” features), and a strong jaw and wide cheekbones (mature man’s face). Women want a compassionate-looking good guy and a bad boy that exudes sexual power. Basically women have made up their mind to not make up their mind.
A mysterious mouth
Oh, the allure of bad boys. A study from the University of British Columbia found that women are less sexually attracted to happy guys than brooding men. (Warning: You may become sulky after reading this.) While a smile is essential to social interactions, women were more attracted to men who looked proud, powerful and yes, a little moody at first-glance. Act mysterious and aloof at first, and once you’ve got her, grin away.
Powerful hands
Women are detail-oriented. In an AskMen poll, women said they loved a man’s hands because it says a lot about him—like what he does for a living—as well as his devotion to grooming and maintenance. Bigger hands also relate to masculinity, though you probably knew that already.
The right amount of facial hair
Women find men with heavy stubble to be the most attractive form of facial hair, a 2013 study from the journal Evolution & Human Behavior finds. They find heavy beards, light stubble and clean-shaven faces to be less attractive. However, women associate full beards with good health and parenting ability—something to think about for the future, perhaps.
