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WhyDid Wisdom: I Know What Boys Like

By |September 16th, 2014|Somethin for the fellas, Why Did You Date Him?, WhyDid Wisdom|

man filling out pollI have always tried to emphasize to my readers- because I know most of them are female and some of them are quite young- that taking pride in one’s appearance is certainly an extension of self worth, however, banking only on good looks is a serious gamble (hence, why I created Smart Is the New Pretty).  In tandem with primping and priming our exteriors we should also be grooming our interiors.  A shiny car is great until you slip inside only to find it full of garbage and leftover McDonald’s wrappers that even a Febreeze ad couldn’t cover up.  Sure, we’re careful about what we’re feeding our bodies (as we should be), but also being conscious of what we’re feeding our minds is what makes us complete packages.

I live in a city full of 400,000 more beautiful women than there are men.  Most people see only see Maybelline and Victoria’s Secret commercials on their television screens.  I’ve seen them in the flesh on more than one occasion, especially around February and September.  And even if you don’t live in a real time perfume ad, women all over the globe are constantly being bombarded by sexy sirens on TV, in magazines, and now even our Instagram feeds.  (Uh, belfies anyone?)  Here’s the thing: the women who stand out are the ones who can stand on their own.

Most of us still subscribe to women’s magazines or at the very least, “like” them on Facebook so as to have stories about losing those pesky extra five pounds, tips to make your man hot, and how to be basically perfect streaming into our lives on a regular basis.  Taking cues from Cosmo and other women who don’t know what men want any more than the rest of us seems like a case of the blind leading the blind.  I could tell you multiple tales of what not to do, but I decided to go straight to the source.  I asked actual men what they thought about certain things we wear and the qualities they find most desirable in women and the answers were pleasantly surprising.  Though they wouldn’t shock Susan Patton.

male modelsWhile this “study” couldn’t even come close to being considered “scientific” (although one of the classes I easily aced in college was chemistry), it does give a little insight into the male brain, which while complex is much more straightforward than our own female version.  To be perfectly transparent, my sampling really wasn’t that random.  It was a slightly homogenous mix made mostly of the men my friends and single ladies I know would like to date and probably pine over between sips of pinot on lonely Thursday nights.  They are the guys who would delight your parents should you show up to Thanksgiving dinner with one of them rather than that terrible ex of yours from college who only wore fleece vests and pleated chinos.  You know, the one who gave your younger brother an unsolicited course in the birds and bees after insulting your mother’s candied yams.  My pool of respondents are educated, successful, and worldly- not to mention handsome.  I suppose I also could have asked guys who frequent nightclubs because I know those guys too, but I don’t have their email addresses.  I can’t even be sure they have email or know what email is.  In any case, I compiled a questionnaire consisting of ten questions that can only begin to scratch the surface of what makes men tick.

When asked about their favorite outfit on a woman…

As I’ve often said, “Keep it simple, stupid,” or K.I.S.S.  This holds true for business and personal matters as well as your wardrobe.  Though answers to this question garnered some pretty scattered results including fitted jumpsuits, lace, sneakers with skirts, maxi dresses, and rompers (which were, ironically, listed as something we should stop wearing- but we’ll get to that), the answer that kept popping up included a variation of white tank/tee and jeans/jean shorts (here is an example of keeping it simple).  So, basically, your drop crotch Hammer pants and ruffled crop top are best left to be worn on a night out with the girls because your beau either did not notice, does not care, and as one of my respondents replied, is turned off by your wearing of labels.  Two other honorable mentions were the cult favorite, yoga pants, and his old t-shirt with a pair of boyshorts.

blue jeans white shirtAnd what we should stop wearing…

Animal print may be a continuing trend for fall, but don’t expect a man to fall for you when draped in pelts.  Sadly, many of the answers to this question happen to be some of our, as women, favorite trends.  As a matter of fact, many of the answers dealt with men’s distaste for women following fashion trends too closely.  The “arm parties” (can we stop calling them that yet?) that we so love are driving men crazy and not in a good way.  All of the clanking is not only creating an imbalance in arm strength for you, but also distracting and annoying him.  Wearing things that don’t fit your body (I have rephrased the answer much more eloquently than its initial iteration) and showing too much skin, namely cleavage are surefire ways to end a date early.  And that bit of underwear showing?  They hate that too but, don’t think that high waisted anything is going to be the cure all.  Last but not least, they may love you in jeans, but definitely not boyfriend jeans.

leopard-coatSo, who do they consider to be style icons?

Sorry, Miley Cyrus, men seem to be immune to your raunchy high cut leotards (not to mention antics) and Katy Perry’s cupcake cleavage seems to be lost on the male species.  As a matter of fact, one of the only young A-listers to be mentioned was Taylor Swift.  It would appear that most men who answered tend to favor classic (and covered up) beauties like Sophia Loren and Grace Kelly.  Other responses included Jackie Kennedy O’Nassis, Audrey Hepburn, Charlize Theron, Olivia Palermo, and the great Kate Moss.

audrey hepburn sophia loren grace kellyAnd regarding makeup: Done up or au naturale?

Save yourself some time and trouble when getting ready by paring back on the effort spent spackling your face in the bathroom mirror.  Though a few of the respondents preferred completely natural, most preferred makeup that looked natural, emphasizing your God given beauty, but not masking it with thick foundation and crazy eye colors.

Do they notice and/or care about our manicures and pedicures?  What about that leg stubble?

Sadly, and I can speak from experience, men do pay attention to details when it comes to our fingers, toes, and the limbs in between.  One respondent summed it quite well with, “It is the overall impression of being ‘together’ not any one particular aspect.”  Others said they notice, but would never comment on chipped nails or an unsavory shade choice.  As for unshaven legs, they were a bit more vocal.  Having a bit of blonde fuzz on or around your knees wasn’t a big deal so long as it didn’t imply that other regions may be overgrown as well.

whydid manicureWhat makes a woman attractive?

The beauty industry is $400 billion dollar industry globally.  We spend hundreds of dollars a month on creams that will rid of us wrinkles, painful procedures to banish unwanted hair, and makeup that guarantees to cover up any minor imperfection. If you need a grooming kit for unwanted hair or beard oils visit www.instash.com. But what is it that really makes a woman attractive? Turns out, it’s not solely long lashes, flawless skin, or toned thighs.  What do men find most attractive in a woman?  Sorry beauty industry, but it’s brains.  From having a job and her own interests to a strong yoga practice and spirituality, it seems men are more interested in women who have their heads on straight.  Men find women who are interesting attractive.

On what makes a woman interesting…

Much like what makes a woman attractive, the most succinct answer was, “Her brain,” and that response was echoed and elaborated on time and time again.  Having a positive attitude, a sly smile, the ability to hold a decent conversation with well thought out opinions, and confidence were just a few.  A woman who has traveled on her own, can navigate a city solo, possesses her own style, and has something to add to a conversation or is able to teach others also makes her swoon worthy.  Having a little bit of “fire” doesn’t hurt either.

And what makes for a total dealbreaker…

We all have our dealbreakers when it comes to dating and mating.  These are the quirks that can’t casually be overlooked and just deemed cute.  While mine include things like lacking self awareness and wearing sports jerseys, men had some very specific responses to this one.  Interestingly, as one respondent pointed out, “Each [sic] woman is unique.  Something that is awesome about girl A could be a huge turn off for girl B.”  So, while one man’s dealbreaker may be another man’s aphrodisiac, here are some of the more interesting answers and it’s probably best to just bullet point these:

  • Drugs
  • Flirting extraneously
  • Wearing labels
  • Saying “like” too much
  • Seeing her read a celebrity mag
  • If she’s a bad kisser
  • Inability to manage money
  • Not having command of they’re/ their/ there and you’re/ your
  • Lack of common sense
  • Being outspoken with a low quotient for relevant and interesting content
  • No awareness of current events
  • Using “hahahaha” and “lol” in texts

One thing men wished women knew about them…

This question held some of the most valuable information in my opinion.  One gentleman wanted us to know that men aren’t as tough as we think they are and they stress about work and their need to provide.  Another added that they don’t think nearly as much as we do… about anything.  One pointed out that threats, ultimatums, and games aren’t effective because social media and apps like Tinder have leveled the playing field (Ouch!).  To soften that last blow, one response was, “Real men prefer a woman who values herself enough to be ‘hard to get.'”  Follow that up with, “Women please, as long as you’re being insane in your body desires, please, please, please move towards Misty Copeland and away from models/women who look like prepubescent boys.”  My favorite response came in the form of a video (below) and much like my YouTube experiences of getting sucked into hours of puppies, I watched several more videos by the same man, Mark Gungor (this one was life changing).

And luckily, men do know the difference between leggings and pants…

  • Leggings are just a single piece of fabric. kinda like thick tights. pants have some kind of discernible feature (pockets, zippers, etc)
  • Leggings are incredible for any situation but if we are going out to eat or somewhere special throw a pair of pants on please. Preferably leather pants.
  • I’m probably wrong but:  I feel leggings are tighter and comprised of a stretchy material.  Pants can also be tight, and stretchy, but not as stretchy as leggings.  I also feel like pants have seams and leggings may or may not.

 

xx,

WhyDid

 

Friday Frocks: Red, White, and Beautiful

By |July 4th, 2014|Friday Frocks, Why Did You Wear That?|

fourth of july barbecue fashionSo you’ve opted out of that flag bikini, but you are feeling festive and what better way to pledge your allegiance than a Fourth of July friendly frock?  No need to swath yourself in an American flag.  Isn’t that illegal anyhow?  (Ask Lil Wayne).  Instead of being entirely predictable and in the spirit of outfits that have longer shelf lives than summer romances, choose a dress in solid red, white, or blue, or pick a pattern combining the hues to be the biggest babe at the barbecue– potentially setting of some fireworks of your own.

4th of july dressesIndah Canoa Cut Away Smock Mini Dress, 2. Helmut Lang Draped Jersey Dress, 3. Rory Beca Kaya Dress, 4. Black Halo Sanibel Two Piece Dress, 5. Pret-a-Surf Tank Dress,6. Toteme Bahia Piqué Maxi Dress, 7. Equipment Naomi Dress, 8. Splendid Striped Cotton Jersey Dress, 9. Flynn Skye Eterie Mini Dress, 10. Kate Moss for Topshop Swiss Dot Cotton Dress

xx,

WhyDid

Setting the Mood: Land of the Free, Home of the Babes

By |June 30th, 2014|Setting the Mood|

4th of july fashionOh how quickly time flies.  I remember last year’s Fourth of July as if it was yesterday.  Much like I always do, I had put off making any actual plans for the holiday, but was fortunate enough to not be left entirely alone as one of my best girlfriends somehow landed herself in the city as well.  To make the best of it, we got a picnic together, gathered our SPF, sunglasses, Whispering Angel, and towels and took them to the roof.  We embraced the day and the sun listening to our favorite Pandora station while partaking in some serious girl talk.  It wasn’t all stars and stripes for us though.  As I was dodging irate phone calls from the guy I was seeing, basically threatening my life if I didn’t find a way to make it to New Hampshire on the next train (do trains even go to New Hampshire?), what appeared to be the set up for a rap video shoot complete with DJ and turntables arrived on my roof.  Again, we attempted to make the best of our dire circumstances as my roof boasted the best view for fireworks that year.  However, when we started being filmed without consent in our teeny bikinis, we packed up and I tried to book the next flight to Manchester.  We never did see the fireworks.   stars stripes fashion

Lisa Marie Fernandez Alexia Textured Pucker Bandeau BikiniJennifer Meyer 18 Karat Gold Star EarringsTabitha Simmons Dolly Striped Silk EspadrillesKate Moss for Topshop Star Embellished Crepe Camisole

xx, WhyDid    

Setting the Mood: But I’m a 90’s Bitch.

By |June 16th, 2014|Setting the Mood|

90s-fashionAs fashion is cyclical and nothing new is truly original, it’s no surprise that the 90’s are having a major moment (something we’ve discussed before).  With the return of trends like Birkenstocks, babydoll dresses, and scrunchies, we are in the midst of the second coming of Donna Martin and Cher Horowitz.  The funny thing about the 90’s trend is that it seems the consumption is made up mostly by the generation born during that decade.  Which probably explains why we seem to have forgotten all of the cringeworthy trends like, oh, say butterfly clips and plastic outerwear.  I suppose that’s what we do to romanticize most memories though.  And so, let’s hold onto the good and forget about the bad by revisiting a decade responsible for Spice Girls and beanie babies though some would encourage us , “DNR- Do not resuscitate.”

90s-fashonsCurrent/Elliot The Perfect Plaid Cotton ShirtZAC Zac Posen Eartha BackpackSophia Webster Katy Leather and Vinyl Ankle BootsBand of Outsiders Floral Print Cotton Mini Dress

xx,

WhyDid

Would You Wednesday: Is White Alright?

By |August 25th, 2011|Why Did or Why Don't?|

Several brides have recently decked their wedding parties out in white (Kate, Kate, Kim). I’ve been a fan of this look for quite some time, but it seems to be shocking to some, however, this is nothing new in British culture. It is said that traditionally, the bridesmaids and other attendants wore white so as to “confuse” and ward off evil spirits. Alright, well, that’s a little ridiculous, but there’s no denying it– an all white wedding party looks incredibly fresh and chic. So what about your wedding guests?

When the first wedding photos from Kim’s wedding emerged, there was much buzz regarding Lindsay Lohan in a sexy white Jenny Packham gown. I thought to myself, “Go figure. It’s Lindsay Lohan.” Thankfully, it was soon released that said wedding had a “black and white” dress code, so Lindsay wasn’t being her typically sloppy self. Phew! There’s one thing Kim K and I can agree on. I love a good dress code. That’s all we’ve got though. Anyway, what I am really wondering about is whether or not you think wearing white to a wedding other than your own is a major fashion faux pas. Thoughts?

Here comes the bridesmaid!

xx,

WhyDid