7 Ways To Make Yourself More Attractive

They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but most of  the time, all of us tend to be in agreement about what makes someone attractive — and physical appearance is only one of the many factors in play! Because contrary to popular belief, beauty is more than skin deep. In fact, current psychological research actually states that there are plenty of different behaviors, attitudes, and personal qualities that can make someone more attractive.

With that said, here are 8 tried-and-true, psychology-backed ways you can instantly make yourself more attractive:

1. Flash them a smile.

While most of us don’t usually like being told we should “smile more”, there’s actually a good reason for this! Psychology says that smiling is one of the foolproof ways we can instantly look more attractive, because it expresses happiness, interest, and enjoyment of the other person’s company (Tatarunaite, Playle, Hood, Shaw & Richmond, 2005). When you flash someone a smile, it makes them feel more at ease around you and they’re likely to reciprocate with a smile of their own, which eases a lot of awkwardness and tension. Just be careful not to overdo it though so it doesn’t come off as fake, forced, or phony.

2. Improve your posture.

Another effective way you can increase your attractiveness is by simply sitting up straight and improving your posture. Why? Because having good posture makes you look taller, more confident, and seem more put-together. It’s also great for making a good first impression. Slouching or hunching our shoulders however can make us look less confident, more tense, and slobbish (Thayer & Schiff, 2017).

3. Wear the right clothes.

One of the reasons why people care so much about the way they look or the way they’re dressed is because your clothes can actually tell people a lot about you (Howlett, Pine & Fletcher, 2013). Even if you’re not particularly stylish or trendy, as long as you know how to dress in a way that suits you and flatters your figure, you’ll instantly look smarter, more sophisticated, more tasteful, and even more financially well-off! It’s also important that you have a personal style that lets people know a bit more about your personality, whether you’re more creative, classic, casual, or dressy. And of course, if you feel good about the way you look then it’s definitely going to do a lot to make you more attractive, too.

4. Crack a few jokes.

Among all the qualities and traits most people tend to look for in a romantic partner, having a good sense of humor is usually somewhere at the top of their list. So next time you see someone you like and want to impress, don’t be afraid to crack a few jokes and show off your wit. If it lands, then you’ve successfully demonstrated to the other person how charming, playful, and fun you are. But even if it doesn’t, there’s still a good chance they’ll be endeared by it anyway.

5. Do something exciting.

Even the most plain-looking person in the world can seem more attractive to us once we see them do something exciting. Maybe they’re in a band or play a musical instrument, or they write poetry or paint. Maybe they’re a great singer or dancer, or cook delicious food. Maybe they love to travel, or surf, or go hiking. The bottom line is, whatever your particular hobbies might be, as long as you can show people that you’re great at it and it’s a lot of fun, then it’ll instantly make you more attractive to them without fail. Even just being willing to try something new and exciting can be enough to make people more attracted to us, because it shows a positive, confident, and fun-loving attitude!

6. Nourish your mind.

Similar to having a good sense of humor, most people fall for someone’s mind just as much as they fall for their looks — sometimes even more! So if you’re looking to make yourself more attractive, try doing something more cerebral like reading books on science or philosophy, catching up with contemporary news, improving your chess skills, or learning a new language. Enhancing your intelligence will make you a better conversationalist and a lot more interesting to know (Moore, Filippou, & Perrett, 2011).

7. Love and accept yourself.

Last but certainly not the least, nothing is more attractive than someone who is secure in their identity and sense of self-worth. Self-love and self-acceptance make for someone who is beautiful inside and out, because they don’t need to turn to other people for external validation. They know who they are and what they’re worth, and they won’t waste any time trying to impress you by being someone they’re not, chasing after someone who doesn’t want them, or changing who they are just to make you like them more. They’re also the least likely to be clingy, needy, jealous, and moody. Rather, people who love and accept themselves tend to be happier, more emotionally balanced, and more appreciative of others (Bale & Archer, 2013). 

So, do you agree with what we’ve mentioned here? What are some other ways you think you can make yourself more attractive to others? If you liked this article and want to read more about this topic, here’s what we suggest you click next: 5 Signs of Mutual Attraction – Do They Like You Back?, 8 Signs Someone Is Highly Attracted to You, 6 Attractive Habits To Attract Your Crush, and 8 Attractive Things You Do But Don’t Notice.

References:

• Tatarunaite, E., Playle, R., Hood, K., Shaw, W., & Richmond, S. (2005). Facial attractiveness: a longitudinal study. American Journal of Orthodontics and Dentofacial Orthopedics, 127(6), 676-682.
• Thayer, S., & Schiff, W. (2017). Eye-contact, facial expressions, and understanding other forms of nonverbal communication. Journal of Social Psychology, 95(1), 117-124.
• Howlett, N., Pine, K. L., & Fletcher, B. (2013). The Influence of Clothing on First Impressions: Rapid and Positive Responses to Minor Changes in Attire. Journal of Fashion Marketing & Management, 17(1); 38-47.
• Moore, F. R., Filippou, D., & Perrett, D. I. (2011). Intelligence and attractiveness in the face: Beyond the attractiveness halo effect. Journal of Evolutionary Psychology, 9(3), 205-217.
• Bale, C., & Archer, J. (2013). Self-perceived attractiveness, romantic desirability and self-esteem: A mating sociometer perspective. Evolutionary Psychology, 11(1), 147470491301100107.