I’ve been reading a new LOLcats type blog where people take pictures of celebrities and put them next to another picture and say they Totally Look Like…whatever. Another person, a frog, whatever. So there’s this post comparing to guys, one of whom was Tom Welling (and he’s pretty cute) and this other guy, who looked a whole lot like Tom Welling, but…was not…cute. At all. At least, not to me.
And yet there was no denying they both looked a lot a like.
So I got to thinking, what is it that makes a man attractive? Why do we fall for one guy, swooning and pining, while another just leaves us colder than leftover spaghetti that hasn’t fully defrosted? It has to be more than features, the alignment of noses and eyes and hair, right?
Part of what makes a man attractive to me, beyond the initial “ooh, cute” is personality. Or attitude. Something intangible I can’t always put my finger on, but woop woop! There we go! HOTTIE ALERT! Sometimes it can be a look, a word, an slow smile. Or a joke he tells, or the way he lifts his child into a stroller or pauses to open a door for someone with an armful of packages.
I’ve been watching True Blood, recently, the new HBO show based on Charlaine Harris’ Southern Vampire novels. I don’t recall seeing the guy who plays Bill Compton (the vampire) in anything else, but something about him playing this character absolutely flips my switch. It’s the way he looks at Sookie, and says her name, all slow and southern-like, and the way he moves toward her. It’s the way he says “MINE” when he speaks of her. It’s the way he oozes sexuality, and it’s raw and more than a little scary.
Now, mostly in real life I’m not so much a fan of the intimidation type stuff, but on this guy, it works. For me. Big time.
And yet when I look at him, I’m not overpowered by anything in particular about his looks. It’s all the attitude.
This guy, on the other hand…
He’s just flat-out cute! 
So what about you all? Somebody new floating your boat and melting your butter? What makes a man attractive to you? First glance, or do you have to get to know him a little bit, first?
M
September 24th, 2008 at 9:53 am
Megan, I have to agree with your opinion of the devilishly handsome, Stephan Moyer who plays Bill on TrueBlood. I’ve never seen him before either, but man, the man is dripping with charisma…on the last epidose when he said “Sookie is mine.” in his southern way of talking, I felt a tinlge all over. He’s one man I would neck with in a second…K, if I wasn’t married I’d do more, but wow….he has IT. in buckets…sigh…thanks for giving me a shot of inspiration as I sit down to write!!
September 24th, 2008 at 10:01 am
@Juliana Stone:
I LOOOOVE the way he says Sookie. Sooohkeh….it totally just…GUH!!!!
September 24th, 2008 at 10:14 am
Oh Wow! Now I have to watch True Blood. You know, I wasn’t a big fan of Bill in the series itself I am more of an Eric/Sookie shipper, but holy crap, that photo of that guy, you aren’t kidding.
What makes a man attractive to me is a lot of that. The possessive, growly, dominant, just a touch scary, but ultimately kind and protective and absolutely in love with me. Totally totally flips my switch.
September 24th, 2008 at 10:15 am
@Zoe Winters:
I like Sookie/Sam myself! But in True Blood, grrrrrrrrrowl, that Bill is HOT TO TROT!
September 24th, 2008 at 10:26 am
Megan,
I saw the actor who plays bill in a British series called NY-LON and in that one I didn’t think he was hot. For some reason he is in True Blood. I think what attracts a woman to a man is totally subjective. Sure, looks can do it, but I think for many women it’s attitude and what they do that seals the attraction. There’s good ole phermones, too. Uh, I know I didn’t spell that right. I am spelling challenged today. Women are biological creatures even when they often think they can control their biological urges. Women are often attracted to tall, powerful and charismatic because of the old Ug and Uga caveman syndrome. Tall and powerful suggests “good provider” and security to the female. It’s in the genes whether we like it or not.
Denise A. Agnew
September 24th, 2008 at 10:30 am
@Denise A. Agnew:
Tall and powerful suggests “good provider” and security to the female. It’s in the genes whether we like it or not.
…haha. Ok. So why do skinny emo boys with guyliner and flat-ironed hair totally make me squeeeee? LOL!
September 24th, 2008 at 10:49 am
Hey Megan, you know, Sam is starting to grow on me in the books. He’s got this very protective dependable-ness about him. But for me he just doesn’t have that same excitement factor as Eric. Though I’m sure he could evolve more into that. We’ve started in the later books to see new layers to Sam, so maybe there is a lot about him we don’t know.
Denise, Totally agree with you on genetics, and that it’s often so much about what they do, than what they look like. I mean you can’t normally be a bridge troll, but…barring that, looks don’t factor into it that much for me.
Though obviously, there are differences, since Megan likes the eyeliner boys.
September 24th, 2008 at 10:55 am
@Zoe Winters:
I like Sam in the tv show, too, he’s very cute.
WHEEE EYELINER BOYS YYYYEAHHHH!
September 24th, 2008 at 11:01 am
Megan, did you like Angel (from Buffy?) They always had him in more eyeliner than most of the guys for some reason, lol.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:03 am
@Zoe Winters:
Never watched it. Nor Buffy. I know, I’m lame.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:17 am
awwwwwwwwww, yes you HAVE to watch Buffy, OMG, do you know how many paranormal romance writers are Buffy fans? It’s freaking hilarious. I can always spot the Buffy fans because they always make tiny little homage references to it haha! Stuff only fans would know. Cracks me up!
September 24th, 2008 at 11:19 am
@Zoe Winters:
September 24th, 2008 at 11:25 am
Netflix.
It is your friend. It will love and snuggle you.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:28 am
@Zoe Winters:
I have Netflix!
September 24th, 2008 at 11:30 am
I realized this while watching Criminal Minds reruns with the Tour Manager. Brains, baby. Smart men are sexy.
The Tour Manager was *quite* relieved to hear me say that.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:31 am
hehe, then you know what to do, Jedi.
September 24th, 2008 at 11:33 am
@Susan Helene Gottfried:
Yes, brains ARE sexy!
BRrrrrrraaaaaainnssss…..
September 24th, 2008 at 12:12 pm
Megan….I agree with Zoe…you need to watch Buffy….I watched Angel as well, but Buffy was great..the writing…witty, kickass chicks…it was great…my hubby is a guitar player and had hair down to his butt when I met him, so I totally get the whole artsy dude thing….but then again, I had a huge crush on Jean-Luc Picard…smalle dude, bald…but I don’t know…he was certainly neckable material!
September 24th, 2008 at 2:25 pm
Bill on True Blood does have that certain something. Totally *zing* I’m dying to see Eric next week because I, too, am an Eric/Sookie fan as it pertains to the books.
Anyone else think find this show, though awesome, MUCH darker than they imagined when reading the books? Just curious if I’m the only one.
@Megan, Buffy is SO worth Netflix-ing (yeah, I know, but I’m one of those who “tivo-s” things too). I’m rewatching the second season. Best line from Angel talking to Willow…”That first hundred years, I really honed my brooding skills.”
September 24th, 2008 at 3:16 pm
hahahaha Megan, we are totally peer pressuring you. muahahahaha.
September 24th, 2008 at 4:14 pm
Stephan Moyer was in the USA network The Starter Wife, that’s where I first noticed him.
And he is sexy.
September 24th, 2008 at 4:47 pm
So much of what makes any person (go bi!) attractive to me is in how they move, how they hold themselves and especially in how they look at me.
I thought David Boreanaz was hot in Angel, but now that he’s not all broody I find him much hotter in Bones. Just an example.
September 24th, 2008 at 5:39 pm
@Stacey Klemstein:
I think it’s presented darker more in that viewing the world through Sookie’s eyes, as in the books (first person POV) we see it THROUGH her…and it’s filtered through sunshine. Seeing it on the screen, we see the blood, violence, etc. straight up.
September 24th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
@michele lee: You have a good point. I am not bi, but I’ve got a serious thang for Angelina Jolie. And it’s totally not just her looks it’s…something…well, I’m not alone in that one, LOL!
September 24th, 2008 at 5:40 pm
@Dina: I’ve never seen him in anything, and I wonder if I’d have liked him before now, if I had!
September 24th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
@Zoe Winters: LOL
September 24th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
@Juliana Stone: HOO YEAH! He sure was!
September 24th, 2008 at 9:55 pm
he is cute saw him form the starter wife. i like eyes
September 25th, 2008 at 5:49 am
Megan, he got my attention on The starter Wife, but I think it depends how th charater is. True Blood and vampires just give that sexy nipressioon, so maybe that’s what makes someone more attractive.
September 25th, 2008 at 5:56 am
@Dina:
I was actually thinking that vampires are disgusting. Really, nastily disgusting. Drinking blood? EEWWWWW! Dead? EWWWWWW!!!!
They have this rep for sexiness though, and man, I gotta tell ya, sometimes I feel it and sometimes I do not. I said to the man beside me on the couch “…you in real life, I bet vampires are all Nosferatu looking things, not rockstars.”
He concurred. But then, that’s why I like to keep him around.
September 25th, 2008 at 5:56 am
@kh: He’s all broody and sexay!
September 25th, 2008 at 5:02 pm
I don’t think the blood thing is sexy, maybe nibbling on the neck.
June 12th, 2010 at 12:18 am
WoW! Angelina’s new movie looks wild n crazy. I’ll definitely like it!