Life
10 Myths About What Makes You More Attractive
From a young age many of us are led to believe things that aren’t true — either we learned them through the rumor mill at school, through various means of entertainment, or even right at home. As an example, there are common myths about what makes you more attractive that simply have no validity to them, yet many of us still believe they are true.
To get to the bottom of several of the myths I regularly hear about attractiveness, I spent some time looking into the matter. What I found is that many of the things I’ve also thought to be true about what it takes to be as attractive as possible are actually not true whatsoever. Below I’ve debunked some of those common myths, and as you’ll see from the truths behind them, there are so many very easy ways you can actually increase your level of perceived attractiveness without very much effort whatsoever. Much of your perceived attractiveness from others is based on the way you present yourself — like how you’re speaking, how many other people you show up to the bar with, what color you wearing, what lipstick you’re wearing, etc. All you need are the right tactics, and the ability to dispel the myths you’ve heard in the past in order to put your best foot forward. Based on the information I’ve gathered up, here are 11 common myths about what makes you more attractive that everyone should dismiss.
1. Skinny Is Always More Attractive
We see it all over: TV, movies, magazines, online… everywhere. Thin, gorgeous actresses and models that might make some of us subconsciously believe this is the only beauty norm. However — as we know deep down — it is not. Personally, I’m a proponent of being happy with whatever body you were born with, though, so don’t let yourself get caught up on body shape/image when it comes to feeling attractive. Have jiggly arms like me? Own it. Have a double chin? Embrace it. Naturally very thin? Love yourself for it. It's all about being as body positive as possible, and truly being happy with yourself in your own skin.
2. Keep Your Voice Low & Sexy To Amp Up Attractiveness
Another thing you see when you’re watching TV or movies quite often — the sexy, attractive woman lowers her voice to a raspy whisper when she’s luring suitors in. Here’s the truth, though: According to a study from researchers at University College London, men in particular are more attracted to women who have higher-pitched speaking voices. At the end of the day, you should remember that it's most important to be you — no matter what your natural speaking voice is. As you'll continue to see throughout this article, science often proves wrong a lot of the things you've thought to be true about attractiveness, so don't get caught up in the rumors in any case.
3. A Pout Will Draw People To You
A pout is yet another thing we often hear exudes an aura of attractiveness, though this is the opposite of true. In fact, we should be smiling our biggest smiles in order to appear most attractive. According to a study, Switzerland-based researchers found the stronger the smile, the more attractive someone’s face appeared.
4. Attractive People Are Super Outgoing
Not necessarily. While I’m not encouraging you to sit in the corner being shy, you don’t have to be the most outgoing person in the room who’s bopping around speaking to everyone in order to attract positive attention. Rather, attractive people are mindful of the things they let come out of their mouths, according to Inc., so they’re not just being talkative with no purpose. The outlet noted saying everything that comes to your mind is a quick way to decrease how attractive you appear to others. As I've mentioned, though, there's no need for you to change who you are in order to be more attractive. If you're a direct, chatty type — go with it. Ultimately, the kinder you are (being kind will make you feel good, too) and the more thoughtful you are in your communicating process, the more appealing you'll be.
5. Be Quiet & Alluring
As I just mentioned, sitting in the corner being quiet is not a way to lure people in to think you’re attractive either. In addition to saying the right words (well thought-out ones, as we just talked about), you should also feel free to be as giggly and happy as is natural for you, and don’t fall into the trap of thinking you need to be straight-faced to be appealing. You want to show the other person that you're actually having a good time and that you feel comfortable, right? You'll be a whole lot more approachable if you show you're having a good time by donning a smile, according to a study from the American Psychological Association. The study showed smiling makes you more attractive in this way as it triggers the parts of the other person's brain that are associated with sensory rewards. Don't be afraid to be happy.
6. Avoid Gathering In Groups To See More Appealing
So many times I’ve heard that men, in particular, are intimidated to approach a girl if they’re surrounded by a lot of their friends, and that to attract guys, girls should stick to going out with just one friend. Turns out, this is another myth when it comes to what makes people appear more physically attractive. According to a study from the University of California, the “cheerleader effect” works in terms of making people appear more attractive. This effect, according to Scientific American, translates to faces appearing more attractive when they’re seen as part of larger group. This is because the person looking on sees the faces as an average of what all of the faces look like.
7. A Little Black Dress Cannot Be Beaten
Wrong again. If you’re one who generally opts for the LBD, but is simultaneously interested in being as attractive as possible, it might be time to swap out that dress color. Red will be your BFF when it comes to attracting others. According to researchers from the University of Rochester, women are considered more attractive when they were wearing red clothing.
8. Attractive People Pay Closest Attention To Themselves
When I see someone super attractive, I tend to think they’re likely only focused on themselves. However, according to Inc., the most attractive people become as such in part by focusing on the best in other people, and giving others their attention. It makes sense when you think about it. Consider how much more likable, and therefore attractive, someone seems when they’ve spent time listening and focusing on you and the things you’re saying. Instantly attractive!
9. Choose Red Lipstick Every Time
While research shows the lipstick color you should be using if you want to appear most attractive is red, there's more to the story. Let's start with the facts behind red, though. In a study out of Manchester University, red lips were shown to grab attention for an average of 7.3 seconds — the most amount of time by far compared to other colors. I feel it's super relevant to note, though that despite those findings, it's also important to wear what makes you feel best and most confident. If red isn't your color but you feel fabulous in pink... go for it. The ultimate tool for attracting others is confidence, after all. Research supports this notion, and shows both men and women rate confidence as a "very attractive" trait in potential partners. Whatever makes you feel best, that's your shade!
10. It’s All About Appearance
Appearance isn’t the only thing that makes us attractive as humans. Here’s a great example of something that has nothing to do with appearance: According to a University of Michigan study, women rated others as more attractive when they learned that person owned a dog. Why? According to the study, dog ownership made the people seem more nurturing, happy, and approachable, as reported on by Slate.
With all of the rumors swirling around about what makes people attractive, hopefully this article helps to set the record straight. What’s more, you can now use these tidbits to your advantage next time you’re out on a man/woman hunt in order to amp up your attractiveness level with ease.
