Why do women crave so much to be beautiful?

Question

Lliam · Accepted Answer

I'd say self esteem.

I doubt if many people - boys, girls, men, women - want to be ugly. So they do what they can to look good.

Both men and women look better with clear skin, straight, white teeth, and good posture for example. And people who are well groomed and in good physical condition look better. These are all signs of physical health, but also signal self-care, self esteem, and self discipline.

When it comes to looks, there is a big difference between men and women.
Men can do things to look handsome. They can build muscle/physique and cultivate an image by wearing certain clothing, hair cut of facial hair styles.

The feminine ideal isn't rugged or handsome. It's youthful, cute, cuddly, pretty, beautiful. So they endeavor to maintain and accentuate that for their own benefit.

Yes, both men and women want to be sexually attractive. But I wouldn't say that (most) people cultivate a healthy appearance solely to attract mates. That's only part of it. It can also pay off in the job market and other aspects of life. Attractive people are looked up to and often more successful. The also do it to feel good about themselves.

I'd say that looking good is a normal ambition unless a person thinks that looks are the only thing that matters. Some people obsess over their appearance. It becomes competitive. They may have a need to be adored by others and make others jealous. Think about the mean girls in high school. And some people will never be happy with themselves, so they get more and more tattoos, piercings, and plastic surgery. Even gaudy, fake nails, too much makeup, and overly promiscuous clothing can be indications of insecurity. "Will people like me now?"

In the end, attitude and behavior are as important to beauty as are looks.

I'll just add, from a male perspective, that I am grateful for beautiful women. They are like sunshine on a cloudy day.

SomeGuyCalledTom · Accepted Answer

Women will say "she does it for herself". But while she might *justify* it like that, the underlying psychological impetus is purely about maximising odds of attracting a desirable mate. People are too glib about the role that millions of years of evolution plays in our subconscious behavioral drives. The good-looking, fertile women get first dibs on the most desirable male partners, every generation in history understands this implicitly. That's not to say there aren't ALSO other motivations for a woman to look her best, and you could make a fair case for all of the above. But when you strip the human organism down to its base elements, the same 2 or 3 universal motivations predominate all others. Eat, sleep, fuck, attack, or flee. Those imprints are in our nervous system and genetic memory, and they're in the nervous system and genetic memory of even the most ancient creatures yet observed. To assume that women's physical appearance plays anything but a pivotal role in the human 'mating dance' is to grossly misunderstand human nature.

Tinytina09 · Accepted Answer

Social pressure, acceptance, perks. I know the difference between being perceived as beautiful versus average, as I’ve been both. When I was overweight and didn’t know how to do my makeup too well I was still “pretty” but I didn’t get as much special attention, men going out of their way to come up to me, people noticing me a lot, free things, etc. in other words, I didn’t have much leverage or pretty privilege. I was cute and pretty but not so much so that it gave me advantage. Now, I’m “beautiful” and thin, a size 4, long red hair and have nicer clothes, do my makeup much better, etc and the difference is tremendous. People are warmer, even strangers, I got a model contract, more dates, men approach me a lot and they’re usually above average looking, I get free dinners and drinks, waiters telling me I don’t have to pay for things, things are more natural and smooth sailing. I don’t have to prove myself as much. So yes, being deemed as beautiful by many has its perks. It’s not fair, but I think it’s a reflection of social pressure.

TransAm85 · Accepted Answer

Society.. some are insecure and think makeup and cosmetic surgery will fix it all.. My original transmission and engine are here no matter how much body work I get done! I can get a used one of each, but they won't work quite as well. My catalytic is gonna go sooner or later.. but spending thousands on a nice paint job and refurbishing these chrome rims, new battery, fancy sound system.. GTFOH! Start when ur young and take care of urself.. It's nice to be pretty, but it doesn't get u everywhere.

globetrotter22 · Answer

To be fair men do bend over backwards for attractive woman despite their economic status, intelligence, personality, etc. Part of our brains shut down when see a hot girl.

Also a beautiful woman can have next to an easy carefree life if she dates up and finde a rich guy.

However attractive women do have a few challenges (and surprisingly low self esteem). They are sometimes not taken seriously, thought of just using their looks to get by, have to deal with sexual harassment and sometimes aggressive men (including stalkers), jealousy and backstabbing from lesser attractive women. They can also be too intimidating for some men to approach. Also if they might intimate men (or make them suspicious) if they approach.

I can count 7 or 8 times in my entire life I’ve been approached by an attractive women. Half the time was for nefarious purposes (e. g. make their bfs or the guy they really liked jealous). The other half was genuine (I have been told I was very good looking when I was younger). In fact the (physically) hottest girl I ever met in my life approached me first. I screwed it up though (long story). It’s a tough call.

Anonymous · Answer

Alright shut the fuck up 🤣. Not for men? Yes the lie that most women tell themselves. If I as a man wear a tight shirt to show off my muscles, I unconsciously do want people’s attention because I am straight and I am a sexual being. Yes I would feel confident but that’s not the only reason. A female wears booty shorts or shirts that show the tits off because it grabs attention. They feel good about them selves BECAUSE they get the attention from the opposite sex or even the same sex. Women want to be desired. A competition against other women for the attention of men. They want to show off their qualities to make other girls jealous of their body/face/etc. Men do this too, so do you honestly think women don’t do this as well? Men feel their masculinity being threatened when they see another good looking guy. Do you honestly think women don’t feel the same when they see another girl with bigger tits? We are sexual beings. It’s all biologically hardwired. Women just need to stop being in denial and stop lying to themselves 🤣.

Sandeeppingping · Answer

I mean as a guy who does care about the way he looks I don't think it differs much between me and other people that want to look beautiful, so as a man I care about looking good because 1. it makes me more confident once I look in the mirror 2. i do wanna look better than other dudes simply because the less attractive someone is the more I believe they're likely to be messed with instead of looked up to/respected although that's not necessarily always true 3. Obviously girls react much differently to an attractive guy than to an unattractive dude that looks like he makes shawarma for a living.

I'll stop rambling, applying that to women, I'd say probably E is the least accurate, feeling good about oneself is probably the most accurate answer.

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

Evolutionary biology. Common women had been selected almost exclusively for their appearance for eons before other values became equally or more important. We’ve really only had a few generations of women who don’t have to focus on their looks. But these women were all born of women who needed their beauty to be an asset in order to ensure a quality mate. It’s going to be a while before women no longer feel that compulsion, like many more generations.
Given the current state of dating, sex and love in the west, i’m not convinced we’ll ever see that transition.

USLegionary · Answer

Validation. Attention. Feeling of empowerment. Probably a biological thing to where women want to be desired by for procreation purposes

AviatorTom · Answer

It's a Mother Nature thing. If you look at most creatures (birds in particular), the male is prettier than the female, often larger and with the most color, while the female is often smaller and drab in color., blending into the background. That's Mother Nature's way of protecting the female since it's the female that carries the young (only exception being the sea horse).

Birds and other animals don't have a way of changing their looks, unlike humans, which do. Therefore, the "drab" human females do what they can to make themselves more beautiful, makeup, working out at the gym, wearing revealing clothes, etc.

Mother Nature wins again!

Anonymous · Answer

Trends and beauty standards among women…? interesting pool, and interesting to see the view of men. I’d say it has little to do with men weirdly enough (sorry guys :( we do want to be beautiful & sexy for you too, most women want to please, but in general and especially when young we just judge ourself so much and want to fit and be accepted, and this is not, at least consciously, for men… women would wear a lot less makeup and dress better if they were really dressing and acting for men… of course we’re not dumb and we want our men to love us so we adjust our behaviors :)

Smashingdoozy · Answer

I mean why wouldn't you want to be perceived as beautiful? Humans crave positive attention from other humans. Best way to achieve that is with your appearance.

Guanfei · Answer

Well, tbh all of them.
You're trying to look good for other people, so those people then praise you for it, which makes you feel good about yourself.
It's also a way to show your financial status, and compare it to other women, which in turn makes you feel good because you're better.
And of course, looking good is a good way to find someone you like, that give you more chances than someone who looks like shit.
Of course, women will deny it, because it doesn't give a good image. Which is funny because all those things are normal.

TruthBringer · Answer

Simple. To compete against women in the sexual market for MEN. Not just men, but the top percentage of men that is. Meaning not the average Joes. This is hardcoded within their biology. And no amount of self-denial and mental gymnastics to deny will disprove this fact.

litty · Answer

All of the above. But one you didn't mention is that society has perpetuated a standard that if you don't look a certain way, you aren't going to be happy. Many women and young girls are deeply insecure about this, enough to justify spending thousands and thousands of dollars on make up, nails, waxing, and plastic surgery in a lifetime.

Lionman95 · Answer

I think it's all the reasons above but I think it's also a way of catching male attention and therefore a way of assuring that you're recognised by others and that you're seen and not alone.

It's the need for connection and relationships with other people hence unhygienic people oftentimes are loners.

Snsl153 · Answer

Well, who on this planet doesn't want to look good? Men can be, and often are, just as vain. There's a reason why people (women and men) who are attractive also tend to be more confident, and the confidence in turn makes them even more attractive.

boredgal · Answer

I’d be lying if I say I wanna look good just for myself. Lol tho there’s some truth in that, I also want to look good for people around me. I like the compliments I get but I don’t try hard. Just a lipstick and a few good clothes will do. 😆

Anonymous · Answer

Society puts that pressure on females the minute we are released from the womb, and if you are not beautiful you WILL hear about about all that you LACK. I was obsessed with my looks from middle school to early twenties because I was not cute growing up, but learned that fashion, weave, makeup, and losing weight could make me appear more attractive. I have spent so much money in the last trying to be beautiful. Although, looks can help a great deal in life, looks are not the biggest aspect to life. The money I spent on beauty could have been used for college, finance classes, credit building, life insurance, math tutoring sessions, etc. I do not obsess over beauty anymore, but I see women make it their whole personality.

Dargil · Answer

Angie Dickinson once said women dress and groom well to compete with other women. I think it'd kind of like male body builders.

JDBSLAOQ · Answer

i like looking at pretty things, being around pretty things and being a pretty thing.

kind of a no brainer tbh. why choose to live in the sewers when you can live in a house? one is comfortable and makes u happy, one doesn't. simple

Jackblue · Answer

It seems clear that they would do it even if there were no men in the world. They want to look cute, arguably it is the same with guys and having a big penis. From research it seems like women don't want a micropenis on thier man, but they don't really want an enormous one either. If men just wanted to be attractive to women we would be bragging about how long and wet our tongues are. And yet in guys minds the bigger the dick the better, cause it is a sign of masculinity.

Haha456 · Answer

haha do you really need to ask that question when you have tons of men on GAG who say they wouldn't date a woman who hit the wall at 30 years old?

Ghostluck · Answer

I don't know... but doesn't that just annoy the hell out of you though? I think women should just all shave their heads, knock out all their teeth, stop wearing make-up, eat a shit load of ice cream every day, get as fat as humanly possible and hit themselves in the face a whole bunch of times as hard as they can with the ugly stick... just in case a wee bit of that beauty slips through all that other stuff.

Guy13 · Answer

Because they are... and it doesn't take much to glow. If you put either a naked woman or statue amongst my prettiest and most fragrant old English rose garden... what do you notice.. More striking and fragrant of all things God created...

hyperben · Answer

it most likely stems back to our basic animalistic instincts, the prettiest female mates with the strongest male.

women are often more competitive than men (once you disregard the macho-bluff nonsense guys do)

GenaBaby1995 · Answer

I like to feel good about myself and a course 💯 percent attention ☺️

DoctorSex · Answer

I voted E, But A and E are very closely linked. I'd say E develops before A so E comes first, closely followed by A. Kind regards, DoctorSex

Hairylegs222 · Answer

If guys didn't exist, women wouldn't give a dam about looking pretty. Besides lesbians maybe.

lightbulb27 · Answer

they want to be desired so they can experience intimacy, it's the essence of the embryo... to bait a sperm, which gives it life. The cycle repeats.

Sour-rose · Answer

Many reasons, like can't let anyone in the world know you had a zit last week or your acne is god awful. Ooor that your brows grow a little bit longer, width wise.

Subarugirl · Answer

The amount of men that think women dress and groom themselves for them is hilarious. Imagine living your life thinking that over half of the global population exists to please you LMAO XD

EmmaMary · Answer

For me personally it is  E  very quickly followed by  A . But it's certainly not " crave " that I pursue.

D_Bone_Steak · Answer

ATTENTION... it's all for attention 1st, and sometimes it makes money 2nd. They always start out just looking for attention.

KelleyNice · Answer

Because they want to marry the best and the best marry beautiful women.

Pegases · Answer

Cometition with other women, and male attention. The two combined is what makes a women feel good about being attractive.

ZS007 · Answer

doesn't everyone want to be beautiful? There are days I love myself and days I hate myself. I want to be beautiful for me.

CubsterShura · Answer

Because they are freaking taught from a young age that beauty is the most important thing you can have as a woman.

Kaamraj · Answer

Youth and beauty are the only agency that a woman has traditionally on the sexual marketplace. It is what males are most attracted to sexually.

Th3ft · Answer

Interesting responses! I never thought about girls dressing up to chase off the fear of being ashamed…

affectioncrave · Answer

I want to be able to admire myself from the mirror <3

jshm2 · Answer

They don't. Woman want to be the best they feel they can be. Whereas men want to be the best they know they can be.

aliiiek · Answer

For everything you said except the first one , looking good for yourself , that's ridiculous , no woman's or men do that , imagine if you are the last person of this planet , would you even think of being beautiful?

Berethor · Answer

Women are expected to be beautiful, so I go with not being ashamed of themselves.

SkyCastle90 · Answer

All the the above. Society favors the beautiful.

Adam1978 · Answer

2-4 is the reason. Beauty is what they are valued for, so that what they are pursuing.

Makeushiver · Answer

Everyone craves being desired. If you look at almost every fantasy it involves desire, sometimes uncontrollable. Beauty kin kindles desire

Literalbillionaire17 · Answer

I think it’s bc we’re taught from a young age that we should be. Beauty is constantly shoved down our throat

Johnagain · Answer

F. All of the above? lol But seriously, mostly D. and E, I find more often... and getting down to the root motivation.

YHL6965 · Answer

I'd say looking for attention, fear of rejection, both probably tied to the instinctive competition among individuals of the same gender to be a viable mate.

Smartman5 · Answer

women dress well and take care of themselves a lot because they want to make other women jealous and women in general have a desire to be beautiful.

TheSpaceGnome · Answer

Because people either want to be loved or spoiled, and looks matter when choosing a mate.

elizamichale1 · Answer

I think its a mix of few honey as for looking gud for attention n to get gud jobs n gud partners

_deeznuts · Answer

all of above, bcs there's a lot of benefits from being pretty.

Fireguy17 · Answer

Probably a bit of all of them. Like the old saying if you got it flaunt it.

RuthlessAggression · Answer

just look at the industry based on such things like beauty contests and modeling agencies. theyre mainly directed at women

Jamie05rhs · Answer

Because, if we're being honest... that's kind of the essence of what a woman is. The physical representation of beauty on Earth.

abinavzene022 · Answer

They do because they don't want others to underestimate their beauty. Personally, I think it's more about their "self-respect" than catching attention.

EarthRealm · Answer

Looks like you woke up looked in the mirror and saw a dude looking back at you.

loveslongnails · Answer

Attention, ego, getting the "best" man available

BoobMan · Answer

There's a whole shitload of biology which would suggest the answer is C

icetome · Answer

women only want the hottest guys and they compete with each other cause there is only a small percentage of them

Stella188 · Answer

I do it for I like it and i like look beautiful for and attract women. Plus it feels better. Then having to struggle to lose weight like I see some people do.

pizzalovershouse · Answer

Cuz they assume they get more gifts money an career opportunities

Why do women crave so much to be beautiful?

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