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Dating
costs plenty of dough, no doubt about it. But when it comes to spending
your hard-earned cash, where should you invest it in order to get the
most mileage when it comes to dating? In other words, before hitting the
meet-and-greet scene next weekend, what’s really going to make you more attractive to the opposite sex — and what’s a waste of your dating dollars? Before you max out a credit card
trying to win your date’s affections (or convince someone you’re hot),
check out these interesting tidbits we dug up for more budget-conscious
men and women. Because when it comes to putting your best flirting foot
forward, it doesn’t always have to be about your shoes!
1. Men say that having gorgeous hair trumps a curvy figure.
Trying to decide between a pre-date trip to the salon or Victoria’s
Secret, ladies? Go for the fab hair option. According to a recent survey conducted by Pantene,
60% of men surveyed would rather date a woman with great hair than
noticeable curves — and 74% of them said they notice a woman because of
her hair. In fact, a full 44% of male respondents said that hair was the
first thing they notice about a woman… even before her clothes (26%), legs (25%) and makeup
(4%). Most of the men who took Pantene’s poll also said they’d be more
likely to approach a woman at a bar with great hair than one who was
wearing a low-cut shirt. This is great news, since monthly hair upkeep
is more of a necessity than sexy lingerie if you’re a woman who’s on a
budget. Of course, that doesn’t mean you can’t wear sassy underwear if
you’ve got it — but when change is tight (like in this tanked economy),
it’s good to know that a well-timed mane flip can still make you a main
attraction.
2. Guys find pink or red lips more alluring than the sexiest pair of stilettos.
Should you invest in a pair of high heels, or that new Chanel red
lipstick? If you’re forced to choose just one of these items, research
shows that rouged lips are a better bet. In a recent Match.com survey of
over 24,000 men and women, 88% of respondents said their date’s laugh
made a bigger impression on a first date; only 12% picked shoes (there
goes that perfect excuse for buying a new pair of Manolo Blahniks,
right?).
Add a pop of red to that smiling and laughing mouth, and your attractiveness spikes even more, according to a study from the University of Manchester published in the UK’s
Daily Mail.
Researchers tracked the eye movements of 50 men and discovered that
that in the 10 seconds after meeting a woman for the first time, the
average guy will spend more than half of his time gazing at her mouth.
If she’s applied lipstick, he’ll find it even more difficult to look
away: a dash of pink can hold his attention for 6.7 seconds, while red
keeps him fixated for 7.3 seconds. According to the study, fuller pouts
were the overall preference, though the appeal of thin-lipped women
increased by 40% when lipstick was applied — but when the ladies went
completely bare, men tired of looking at their mouths after only 2.2
seconds. So regardless of your lip type, it pays to paint your pucker on
date night.
3. Women looking for real relationships are more impressed by traditional love tokens than an expensive ride.
Guys like cars, sure — but are women equally impressed by them? It
seems that if you’re a man who’s looking for the real thing, then you’re
ultimately better off sinking your cash into thoughtful gestures (i.e.,
dinners, flowers, etc.) than those flashy wheels to get the girl of
your dreams. A study
of over 1,000 men conducted by researchers from Rice University, the
University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA), and the University of Minnesota
revealed that being in possession of a Porsche did make a man more
desirable to women than owning a non-luxury car, such as a Honda Civic.
However, the attraction ended there.
While women found men showing off a flashy product (like a brightly
colored sports car) to be more attractive when it came to dating, that
same trait didn’t make men more desirable as marriage partners or for
long-term committed relationships, the study’s authors explained. In
fact, they found that women inferred from men’s flashy spending that
they were only interested in having casual hook-ups with their dates. So
if you’re looking for something more than a fling, don’t worry what
you’re chauffeuring your cutie around in — focus on making her feel
special instead.
4. Men and women agree: being physically fit makes someone more attractive and relationship-worthy to them.
If you’re looking to up your sex appeal on you next date, what will
serve you better: looking hot, or getting the two of you intoxicated?
This may be a no-brainer, but if you’re thinking of having something
more than just a fling, spend your dollars getting rid of your doughy
middle and strive for six-pack abs instead. According to the 2011 Great Male Survey by AskMen.com,
38% of men think that great abs are appreciated the most by women (and
most of us gals would agree). This gym expenditure goes for women, too:
having a fit figure is definitely going to get you more long-term action
than a martini ever could. In fact, 47% of men surveyed by AskMen.com
said they’d dump their girlfriend for getting fat (OK, to give some men
credit, 53% said they
wouldn’t), and that’s some good motivation to hit the cardio circuit.
If that’s still not enough to convince you, keep in mind that working
out will also increase your prowess in the bedroom. In fact, a study published in the
American Journal of Cardiology
indicated that treadmill exercise duration predicted sexual activity
duration (specifically, a 2.3-minute increase in sexual activity
duration for each minute of treadmill time). So the next time you’re
tempted by the hottie who’s running on the gym treadmill next to you,
why not ask that person out?
5. Bad hygiene is a universal turn-off, regardless of what you’re wearing.
While Mark Twain famously said that “clothes make the man” (or woman,
as the case may be), all the designer duds in the world won’t impress
your date if you haven’t had a shower first. In fact, a recent Match.com
poll asked nearly 35,000 men and women to name their biggest turn-off
on a date. The responses included bad breath (11%), dirty fingernails
(1%), body odor (16%) or all of the above (72%). Not surprisingly, bad
hygiene is a mood killer for romance.
In terms of dating economics, it doesn’t matter if you’re dressed in
Prada, Armani or something from Old Navy (just make sure to wear
whatever fits well and makes you feel confident). What absolutely,
unequivocally
matters is that you’re clean and smell good before you arrive. Brush
your teeth, wash your hands, and use deodorant; for maximum
marketability, always put your money where your mouth is!
