Love + Sex

Monday, November 30, 2009

My 4 Visual Deal Breakers

Nosferatu

http://vcotidiana.blogspot.com/2008_08_01_archive.html

A few weeks back I had a great time working on an upcoming "Man in the Street" feature for Marie Claire. We asked women what makes a guy dating material, and the most common answer was: someone who has it together, and has goals/ambitions.

"Having it together" goes beyond the mental aspect. I've realized that women can take one look at me and size me up as someone who doesn't have it together, and may have no ambition. My disheveled appearance could stand some adjustments. Here are some elements that I should work on to look more "together":

My Posture

I walk around as if I'm auditioning for the lead role in a Nosferatu remake. My shoulders are rolled forward, and I'm hunched over. I can't tell whether I'm tired, too relaxed or what. But there's one thing I do know, women like tall guys. I'm cheating myself with my bad posture. If I stand up straight, I'm 5'11" (well, 5'10 and .99999999 inches); nothing to write home about, but it is over the average for the American male (5'9"). I should take advantage of anything above average about me. Standing up straight will also make me look more confident.

Holes

You've read about my moth holes in my clothes, but there are other places where holes pop up...

Great Depression

http://raford.wordpress.com/2008/09/

Assuming that women don't notice my shoes is na ve, considering their love of all things shoe-related. I get everything I can out of a pair of sneakers. Plus, I'm too lazy to go out and buy new ones. My current sneakers are literally wearing away to nothingness. I could act as a visual aid for one of those old guys telling stories about the Great Depression: "in my day we used cardboard boxes for shoes." My friend Margaret, the other day, stuck her finger into the bottom of my shoe and struck foot! She declared that my porous shoes were responsible for my bad luck with the ladies. If only it were that simple...

Hair

This "hair" refers to cat hair. You know you're in trouble when someone takes a look at you and asks: "do you have a cat?" I'm always running late, so I don't have time to apply the lint roller before I leave my apartment. Cat hair has a mind of its own and silently floats around and attaches itself to important spots on clothing.

Fingernails

I chew my fingernails to the hilt. In addition to being a dirty habit, it makes my hands look terrible. My fingernails are so low that people sometimes cringe when they look at them and ask me how bad it hurts. We all know I'm an anxious person, but wearing that anxiety on the outside in the form of jagged/bleeding fingernails is not going to attract many women. I've been trying to kick the habit for a while, and when I do maybe I'll look like I have my life together more...or at least I'll look like I'm not eternally nervous.

It never occurred to me that women might see me and think I don't care how I look, and then make the connection to me not caring how my apartment looks, and not caring about my life-goals/aspirations. I've let my apathetic attitude permeate my appearance, and that's not good.

Things are going to change. The other day, Margaret forced me to buy a wallet. So, I'm no longer walking around with random cards in my pockets and forgetting/misplacing certain cards (like that easy-to-fake paper social security card that is impossible to replace). The wallet is a symbol for me pulling it together. All of my cards, once allowed to roam free, expanding away from me like a little universe, are now neatly organized in one place. As Margaret says: "No girl likes it when a guy buys them a drink with a balled up wad of bills."

Would you ever consider a guy who has holes in his shoes, or cat hair on his person? What's the most important thing on my list I need to work on? Do women make the connection between a guy's appearance and other parts of his life like apartment, aspiration, and having his life together? Are any of these things on my list deal breakers for you?


Posted by Rich


Related from Marie Claire:

How to Spot Your Soul Mate
Diary of a Hook Up From heck
5 Ways You're Sabotaging Your Relationship
50 Cheap Date Ideas
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From the Community…

Comments 31-37 of 37
  • Suruz's Avatar
    Posted by Suruz Wed Jul 8, 2009 1:32am PDT

    Whou are you

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  • Inga's Avatar
    Posted by Inga Wed Jul 8, 2009 10:40am PDT

    Rich,

    All you've mentioned is a BIG turn down, and your list isn't complete. Would you like to date a girl who "doesn't have it together"?

    Report Abuse
  • bookluva's Avatar
    Posted by bookluva Wed Jul 8, 2009 11:57pm PDT

    aww...i think balled up money is actually quite endearing....little sloppy stuff makes me melt!

    Report Abuse
  • Jasmine's Avatar
    Posted by Jasmine Mon Jul 13, 2009 9:24am PDT

    My deal breakers are the following:

    Faded or over worn clothes

    A guy that doesn't shave often and doesn't keep a hair cut regularly

    Someone who smells like he misses the important spots when he showers and last but not least.......... Someone who repeats outfits entirely too much!

    Report Abuse
  • simfelicity's Avatar
    Posted by simfelicity Tue Jul 14, 2009 5:45am PDT

    stop biting ur nails...or else i might think that u have some psychological problems....only kids bite their nails....

    Report Abuse
  • spacecowboy's Avatar
    Posted by spacecowboy Sat Jul 18, 2009 6:19pm PDT

    Just want to say all those shallow and sub-intelligent women you talked to are not worth the time of day for a real person. When people make judgments based on arbitrary standards and refuse to accept that some people are different especially those who are way above average ( Einstein for example) it is not me who loses, it is them. When you look beneath the exterior of a person, that is when you actually see who they really are rather than what they wear. When a popular publication publishes this type of tripe it causes an artificial(fake) understanding of what is real and what is important. You should be ashamed of yourself for pushing such superficial drivel. What you should do is encourage your readers to look at the person and who they are not who their designer is. Encourage them to open their minds and to explore not only the world but the people around them. I know some women and men are so shallow that it does not matter, they only care about labels and appearance more than likely they will marry and divorce several times in their life, its not an individual they want it is an ideal and every adult should know that ideals are nice and fun but rarely ever can they be realistic. So instead of setting your readers up for a fall why dont you give real advice that can and will help them to be better more rounded and happier individuals rather than more of the same plastic masses whos only desire in life is to consume. Teach them to be human.

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  • spacecowboy's Avatar
    Posted by spacecowboy Sat Jul 18, 2009 6:44pm PDT

    I am not surprised at the comments of these women( most agree with me about how shallow it is to judge people on appearance) except the one about criminal history and drugs. I am a recovered addict three years and counting. Needless to say I have a criminal record, so what. I have a stronger character than most people alive on this planet, yes it did not manifest for almost twenty years,but now at 42 I am working on a Bachelors in Anthropology and will soon be attending a masters program in Colorado, I used a needle for over 15 years and Meth was my drug. I do have some health problems but thank god no H.I.V.. When you limit yourself you close doors that may lead to more happiness than you ever thought possible( I think without my addiction experience I would not have finally found my muse in Anthropology), you miss the blooming of the roses and will die never having known their sweet aroma. Close minds lead to hatred and racism and all kinds of prejudice. Its ok to want some one who looks nice and is nice to look at, I cant even deal with a women whos house is dirty and if your feet are not clean and at least semi-callous free forget it( not a foot fetish but if your feet are not presentable who knows how you treat the rest of your body) So its ok to have preferences just dont let those preferences keep you from maybe talking to some one who could change your life forever in the best way you could imagine.

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