It’s the burning question that has plagued women for centuries: how attractive am I to men?
Thankfully, Esquire magazine published a helpful quiz to answer this very question in 1940.
The quiz, written by men, tells the 40s girl exactly why she is still single, and how to go about getting married immediately.
So where were women going wrong, according to the male editors of the magazine?
Drinking too much for starters. If men “marvel at your capacity for holding liquor” it’s a sure sign you’re promiscuous and, what’s more, an expensive date.
Wearing sensible clothing is another no-no. While your male companion may “rant about that crazy hat” they apparently “swell with pride” when you get admiring glances from less fashion-forward women.
Choosing less attractive friends for doubles tennis or other “foursome” occasions is another massive mistake. While you might think a chubby pal will make you look better in comparison, men would rather have someone pretty to look at, even if it’s not you. “Get the most glamorous girl you know,” the magazine advises. “And both men will be pleased.”
Knitting (“men hate to see a woman doing anything with her hands when talking to her”), promising sexual favours you don’t plan to deliver (“this is a low trick”) and having uncomfortable living room furniture (“no man can fall in love unless he has the chance to relax and he can’t if he’s sitting bolt upright”) are also fatal errors in the quest to snare a man.
When it comes to things you should be doing, flattery is unsurprisingly number one.
“Do you ever embarrass a man by telling him he’s good-looking or has big muscles or is too, too intelligent? Try it! Almost any man can stand almost any amount of flattery, however obvious, without embarrassment of suspicion.”
While the rest of the list is ridiculous, we think this one shows some things never change!
How attractive are you to men? From Esquire’s Handbook for Hosts.
