What Do Attractive Women See In So-So Men?

Study: Most Successful Marriages Are Ones In Which Bride, Not Groom, Good-Looking

(CBS)  The images are everywhere --a gorgeous woman in love with a geeky guy.

As CBS News correspondent Bill Whitaker observes, we've seen it in the movies, in sitcoms such as "Sex in the City" and "The King of Queens," and even in reality shows such as "Beauty and the Geek."

There are endless onscreen love scenes in which the couples seem mismatched, but pop culture may have gotten it right, according to a new study.

The research, published in the "Journal of Family Psychology," found that, among 82 newlywed couples, wedded bliss belonged to those in which the bride, not the groom, was good-looking.

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Photos: Celebrity Couples

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James McNulty of the University of Tennessee says, "Physical attractiveness is very important to men, and it tends to be a little bit more important to men than women. ... What we were surprised about, though, is that the importance of physical attractiveness carried into these marriages. We all know that it matters when we first get to know somebody, but these were established relationships."

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Photos: Legendary Couples

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That is, Whitaker notes, good news too for countless celebrity couples: Howard Stern has a beautiful mate; Donald Trump has had a few. Since the days of Marilyn Monroe and Arthur Miller, there's been a fascination with odd couples. Rhys Ifans of "Notting Hill," in another example, is engaged to Sienna Miller.

Being a leader, having money, music, and laughter, can all ignite a spark of love for women, Whitaker points out.

But what makes a marriage last?

"You look five years down the road," remarks Dr. David Swanson, a clinical psychologist, "and the looks are taken for granted. Looks quickly fade. What really becomes much more important is how you communicate with each other."

But, concludes Whitaker, it seems that how you look is what gets the conversation started.

[caykasagi]

Mens humour is very very different from womens humour so its impossible for a woman to like a man for his humour. thats why men like seinfeld and 95% of the women don''t.
if it was all up to money and humour, michael richards (kramer) would have been the happiest person alife and not the racist sexually frustrated *** he is now.

[dwath1]

Mekhong, curious about your handle. Spent a lot of my life on one side or the other of that river.
dwath1

[iceman_1960]

"Take Donald Trump, for instance."
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In the film "Barbarians at the Gates," James Garner is admiring a beautiful painting in a rich man"s mansion.

"It"s Monet" his girlfriend notes.

"Yeah, lots of it" replies Garner.

[rushlimpdrug]

I do recall the old saying:

"Beauty is skin deep,
but ugly goes to the bone."

[iceman_1960]

I remember a comedian long ago doing a bit about this:

"When people see a homely man with a beautiful woman, they say, "He has character. On him it doesn"t show, but he has it..."

...When they see a handsome man with a homely woman, they say, "If Moses had seen her, there"d be another Commandment..."

[JHanna3]

The truth is average men develop their skills on the inside and become beautiful lovers, better friends and great conversationalists!

[iceman_1960]

What about handsome men and so-so women ?

Hugh Grant and Divine Brown, for instance.

[rohink-2009]

voxpopulus

Thanks for an intelligent comment on this post. I wish you and your girlfriend all the happiness.

[taylpatr]

TO AINTTAKEN:Cheney''s wife knows too much. He CAN''T dump her. Otherwise she''d be pushing up sagebrush somewhere out in big, wonderful Wyoming. She''s got the video of him and Rove singing "On the Good Ship Lollipop" in their pinafores.

[iceman_1960]

"What Do Attractive Women See In So-So Men?"
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Women are attracted to men with great personalities.

Take Donald Trump, for instance.

His wife is very beautiful, and she was able to look beyond Trump''s comb-over and his puffy face, and see a tall, strong man with a great sense of humor and a lot of pizzazz.

[voxpopulus]

I''m an average looking guy. I am not rich. My girlfriend is gorgeous. So you jealous babies who think it''s all about money, look for another reason. Maybe YOU have nothing else to offer.

[rohink-2009]

What I''m getting from quite a few posts here is unless you are good looking (looks fade) or wealthy, you couldn''t possibly have anything to offer women. Nobody stays beautiful forever and money is no guarantor of happiness. What a shallow world.

[gce65]

It''s not even two words, just one: MONEY!

Women, you who do this are whooooores!

No mystery here. It''s all wrapped up in two little words - Cash Appeal !

[bobnjersey]

[Instinctively, women are chosen to breed & men are chosen to provide. The idea is to breed more attractive children because the most attractive in species gets more tail, thus the species perpetuates. We like to think we are above such basics, but we really aren''''t. ]
[Posted by estabwary at 07:29 PM : Mar 25, 2008]

best post of the thread! come on up and accept your award.

so ... woman look for the provider (for us capitalists ... it''s the money) ... and men are looking for who he thinks will best carry on his lineage ... which might mean some huge breasts (can you say brrreast) ... and some well formed hips.

[apprxam]

So-so guys have great jokes. Yes, we do.

[apprxam]

Earlier on this blog, someone said that Ann Coulter was woman. Is that...is that true?

[excoachken]

$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$

[wtf1999]

Most men need to take a serious look at themselves in a full-length mirror before they make judgements on a woman''s looks (facial and body). Might I suggest several alcohol drinks before glancing at that mirror.

Honestly, how many men are truly so good-looking that women would take a second glance? TRUST ME, NOT MANY!!!

Those Howard Stern and Donald Trump fellas out there only get their pretty *** because of the cash in the bank account. DUH!

[obamasuxx]

Good looking men are liars and cheaTERS, AND ARE ARROGANT AND STUPID - AND USUALLY BORING. tHE OTHER MEN HAVE ACTUALLY DEVELOPED THEMSELVES ALL AROUND, AND ARE A FAR BETTER COMPANION AFTER THAT INITIAL 60 MINUTE "OOOH LOOKY AT THE GORGEOUS HUNK"...