Why do guys like 'Plain Janes'?

Lately we've noticed a dating trend. Guys seem to be attracted to 'Plain Janes'. Our definition of a Plain Jane: They have attractive features but they're not distinctive and they wouldn't stop traffic. They're pretty, but they're not anything special. They prefer flats to heels. And as for fashion - you wouldn't exactly call them a trend-setter. They like clothes, and attempt to follow fashion trends, but functionality always wins out over fashion and they opt for basic outfits. A fashionable person would cringe at what they wear.

Despite this, it seems they rack up more dates than Jennifer Aniston. Take this as a scenario: A group of girls head out to a nightclub for some drinking, dancing, and date possibilities. Half the girls have spent several hours that afternoon primping and preening to make themselves look gorgeous. They have done their hair, applied just the right amount of make-up, and are wearing something sexy but not slutty, edgy but not weird, and a hot pair of heels - they would have gotten inspiration from the latest Vogue magazine.
The other girls haven't spent as much time. They have tied their hair back in a ponytail, wear little or no make-up, and are wearing something frumpy that does little for their figure, doesn't match, and a "whatever" pair of flats - they probably picked an outfit from their wardrobe with their eyes closed.
All of the girls talk to at least one guy that night, and everyone feels that their conversations went well. But when they compare notes the next day, the only girls who have received texts from their potential men are the Plain Janes. We don't get it.

Magazines and television are bombarding us with images and advice of the best way to physically attract a man. They tell us that men like women who take pride in their appearance, who like to look pretty, and who go to a bit of effort to look good for a man. We have followed this advice for years but have come to realise that it's not true. If a man approached Plain Jane and Miranda-Kerr-look-alike (MKLA) in a nightclub, although he might spend the night talking to MKLA, it will be Plain Jane who has a date with this same guy next weekend. Why? Because whilst Plain Jane does not have the attractive edge, she does have the approachable edge. She's pretty without being "too beautiful", she's nonchalant about her appearance which shows she's laidback and not stuck up, she's physically well-proportioned and typical-looking which means there's no x-factor and therefore no characteristic that would make her seem weird - this means she's likeable and the type of girl you would definitely take home to Mum.

So, on second thought, perhaps the 'Plain Jane Syndrome' is not about physical attractiveness. It seems the rule is that if you want to merely attract a guy for a night, fashion and image are key. But if you want to score a date take a leaf out of Plain Jane's book and tone it down - WAAAYYY down!
Tips on how to 'Plain Jane' it:
- It seems that men DO NOT like headbands, high heels, maxi-dresses, oversized jewellery, high-waist (especially high-waist jeans), anything baggy (e.g. harem pants), most things 80's-inspired (particularly shoulder-pads and loose gym-wear), loudness (e.g. fur, feathers, sequins, crazy prints etc.) and anything else quirky that you think is cool, guess what? They will probably hate it.
- It seems that men DO like long, straight hair (with nothing special like fringes or layers), flat shoes, jeans (NO high-waist), plain cotton basics (e.g. singlets and t-shirts), a nice short-but-not-too-short summer dress, nothing-fancy shorts, dressing younger than your age, and alot of things that your fashionable friends would never wear themselves.

What does this mean for dating? If you care so much about getting a guy, then you should probably give the 'Plain Jane Syndrome' a go, and chances are it will work for you. We have many friends that are Plain Janes and we can see why men find them attractive, they're your typical, lovely girl next door.
But if you're a true fashionista and there's no way in hell you would sacrifice your love of clothes for the sake of a man, we say - GOOD FOR YOU! Because we are exactly the same, we know that men come and go but fashion is forever, even though it changes every season.

Why is there always something?

We have this friend, let's call her Olivia. Olivia met Brad through a mutual friend. They hit it off, became facebook friends, exchanged numbers and started dating. Things were going really well for a couple of weeks and Olivia (who is not a relationship person) started to get serious about Brad. When Olivia's parents were away for a week, Brad came over most nights and they would just hang out for hours. This was when she started to think things were a bit weird - because all of those nights alone, NOTHING happened. But she overlooked this because he seemed to be such a great guy - hot, good dresser, smart... definitely boyfriend material.

One night, Brad and Olivia met up and after another make-out session that didn't seem to be going anywhere, Olivia bit the bullet and decided to go for downstairs. This is when it gets scary - do not read on if you want this story to have a happy ending. As the button was undone, zipper came down, out IT came...

And it was tiny!
When we say tiny, we mean TINY... as in microscopic! Olivia described it as child-sized.
Now we don't want to sound shallow because, really, size doesn't matter. But when you're staring at something THAT small, what can you do? And that's exactly what Olivia said to us - what was she supposed to do? In all her years of dating men, this was unchartered territory.

Unfortunately for Olivia (and Brad) the relationship ended right then and there. He may have ticked all the boxes, and she was thinking a serious relationship was around the corner, but she forgot one simple rule...
There is always SOMETHING.

As you would know, from reading this blog, we self-confess that we do not know much about men yet, and may never know all of their mysteries. But this is one definite truth - despite how perfect he might seem, and how many flaws he might be without, it's all on the surface. At some stage or another, you will realise that there is something you won't like. It won't necessarily be a deal-breaker, but it won't be good.

Some real examples include:
1. He seems very keen on you, but all of a sudden he becomes obsessive and calls you every weekend in the middle of the night when he's drunk and out with his friends.
2. He seems nice and friendly, but after a few dates conversation turns to the ant problem he is experiencing in his pantry.
3. He's really good looking, but you find out that he is way too young.
4. He is charming and you have a wonderful night together, then find out he lives in San Diego.
5. He seems like he cares for you and looks out for you, but soon he becomes overprotective and jealous.
6. He dresses like a rockstar, but as soon as he gets in the situation to take his shirt off, you realise he's as hairy as a gorilla.
7. He's got all the right moves, but when you actually kiss he's hopeless.
8. He seems like the perfect match for you, but his family hate you.
9. He seems open and comfortable with you, then you find out he's a nudist.

The moral of the story is when you meet "Mr Perfect", remember that there's no such thing - it's all a fantasy. Life is not a fairytale and you should find out sooner rather than later what their 'something' is. The 'something' might not be a huge issue but it will always be there, perfection is just a myth. Finding the right guy usually means dealing with their 'something'.

P.S. As an afterthought, if you find a guy who only has one 'something', he's usually a good guy to stick with. In our experience they often have more than one!