So, according to almost every movie ever, we’re supposed to be most attracted to beefy men with glistening muscles, smoky (and kinda dangerous) eyes that make us feel like they suspect our very darkest, deepest secrets, and thighs that look like they’ve been subjected to Olympic training. Examples of these “idealized” men include (but are totally not limited to, obvs) Brad Pitt, Chris Hemsworth, Will Smith, and Jason Mamoa. In the end, it turns out the ideal dude isn’t Brad, Chris, Will, OR Jason. It’s the “Boy Next Door.” According to a study organized by Jacamo, a British clothing company for men, “72 percent of women in the UK actually prefer men with the ‘boy next door’ look as opposed to luscious hulks.” In the study, most men (62 percent!) hypothesized that women would prefer Justin Bieber’s hair, Gerard Butler’s face, Hugh Jackman’s arms, David Gandy’s torso, and Cristiano Ronaldo’s legs. The perfect man (according to men) is the image on the left, whereas women’s real dream guy (according to women) is the fellow on the right. The study discovered that most heterosexual ladies prefer Prince Harry’s hair, James Corden’s face, Paddy McGuinness’ arms, Ben Cohen’s torso, and Jonathan Ross’ legs. While the study isn’t without flaws —only heterosexual men and women were accounted for, the test pool is entirely UK-based, and the outcome still involves some “idealized” version of a person— the results are still intriguing. The study concludes that it’s not that super fit men aren’t easy on the eyes, it’s just that gals prefer a “softer” body. “Men with well-toned bodies are, initially, regarded as attractive, but it is the man with the little bit of excess flab around the waist who often wins the day,” the study states. Past research has proven that men stress about body image just as much as women. And like women, their self-perception is influenced by unrealistic standards portrayed in the media. But this latest study suggests that when it comes to attraction, our concept of what’s appealing doesn’t always match what’s dished out in movies and magazines. And that’s important to remember—whether you’re a man or a woman. source
