Revealed: The look that women find most attractive in a man

Published on Tuesday 17 February 2009 20:57

MEN are being advised to throw out their skinny jeans and distressed T-shirts and walk tall – at a time of economic crisis, it seems, members of the fairer sex are demanding the modern British man smartens up his act.

Posed with that elusive question – what do you find attractive in a prospective partner? – women have made clear they are no longer prepared to tolerate the likes of scruffy tops and skinny jeans, nor a man with slouched shoulders and a slumped posture, such as Oasis singer Liam Gallagher.

The survey of 1,000 women also revealed an unflattering opinion of lithe, androgynous men, such as comedian Russell Brand, who wear make-up are a definite no-no. Some 98 per cent claimed the combination of skinny jeans and eyeliner was a bad look.

Instead, they cite the classic gentlemanly image of Colin Firth's Mr Darcy, Sean Bean's Sharpe, or James Bond star Daniel Craig – men who are well-proportioned and well-dressed and who always carry themselves well.

Men, it seems, are already cottoning on to such changing trends. According to one leading menswear expert, sales of ties and cufflinks are on the up, as men seek to revamp their wardrobes and project an image of affluence.

The survey, conducted by specialist shoemaker MBT, found 94 per cent of women were turned off by men who slouched, while a third said bad posture was offputting. Some 31 per cent of respondents complained, perhaps unfairly, that the average 21st-century man was simply too short.

Alan Cannon-Jones, senior lecturer in tailoring at the London College of Fashion and an expert on menswear, said the current economic crisis meant women were more likely to be attracted to men wearing smart, tailored garments.

He said: "Because of the financial situation, many guys are smartening up their look. Even if they do not have much money, they are keen to project the perception that they do.

"We are seeing the tailored jacket come into fashion. It is being worn with knitwear and jeans, but not the distressed kind. The cut is more clean.

"Sales of ties and cufflinks are also rising. They allow people to update their wardrobe and get a smarter look in an affordable way."

Mr Cannon-Jones added: "Women, meanwhile, are wearing the more distressed clothes that men used to wear. It's called the 'boyfriend jacket' look, and it's gradually filtering down from the catwalk into the high street."

Joshua Wies, a chartered physiotherapist for MBT, said standing correctly could make a world of difference to the average British man.

His tips for improving posture include telling men to imaging a string is pulling them up from the back of the head to persuade them to stretch their back.

He said: "Despite women believing British men don't measure up physically to their standards, men can achieve a massive improvement in how they are perceived simply by altering the line and position of their body."

Suits you, sir – how some cuts can be classic and very fitting

DESPITE the recession, it seems British men are determined to smarten up their image, perhaps in anticipation of job interviews to come.

Sales at TM Lewin, the upmarket shirtmakers, have increased, while image consultants, First Impressions Image Consultancy, claim to have been inundated with calls from workers eager to improve how they look.

Daniel Fearn, a director of Walker Slater, a bespoke tailors in Edinburgh's Old Town, said he tried to educate customers on how to carry themselves.

"Figuration is a very important part for men's fashion. A good, well-fitting suit can improve a man's look and his posture a great deal, even just with a little thing like raising the gorge of the lapels."

He added: "I think the heroic stance, a man who is standing tall with a narrow waist, will always be attractive to women, in the same way good tailoring has never been out of fashion."

A spokeswoman for Tie Warehouse said yesterday that it had noticed an upsurge in sales.

She said: "It seems as if men are trying to smarten up how the look in the office. We are seeing good sales for ties with very plain, formal designs."