Time to get geeky. We all want to look good, why, because we want people to accept us, and often, we want people to find us "attractive". But what makes something "attractive"? Guess what, it's all in your head....no, seriously, we find things attractive/unattractive due to evolutionary rationale that everyone has up in their brain.
Easiest one to attack - a common rule is that symmetry is beautiful and asymmetry is, well, not. Let's go to the moment of conception: the cells are splitting, everything has a pair, everything has a counterpart. Asymmetries are indicators of weakness of genes and the presence of oxidative stress. Weak genes, oxidative stress, and other negatives revealed by asymmetry, make it harder to survive. The name of the game is "survival of the fittest" and you don't want to be caught with or produce progeny with someone who won't be around for too long!
Next height, weight, hip to waste ratio (these obviously apply to women only). These are huge as far as the "attractiveness" scale, and for good reason. All three are indicators of fertility and general health. Research studies have found that a BMI around 20.85 is found most "attractive". The explanation has already been indicated above, but I'll go ahead and spell it out. At/around this BMI women are most fertile. Hip to waste ratio also indicates fertility as it indicates the ability to actually give birth to a child (you all know how it happens).
Another indication is pigmentation. We all want glowing skin, but those with the best genes, best fitness practices, and best eating habits will have the best skin. They will also be most likely to survive. Again easy match, the beautiful feature is not beautiful on it's own, but rather because it reveals a clue to evolutionary sucess!
While I could go on with virtually every aspect we consider "beautiful", that would be quite nonsensical. My intent was not to list beautiful features that make up a hypothetical ideal woman, but rather to reveal that science and natural occurences are really behind our thought process! I think all women should realize that this surface level beauty is really only a perception that we have utilized to help our mate choice as suitable for evolutionary purposes.
Next time I go geeky, I'm going to discuss what clothing options are right for different body types based on the science behind attraction! Catch ya on the flipside nerds.
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Dr Tovee said: "What men find attractive in women are cues to their health and fertility so the partners they choose will produce lots of children and ensure the survival of their genes."
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