Surprising Things Women Found Attractive 50 Years Ago

In 1973, the top song was "You're So Vain" by Carly Simon. "The Godfather" had just come out, and gas prices were, on average, 39 cents per gallon. Oh, how the times have changed.

But in some ways, the trends of 50 years ago are alive and well today. Take the shag haircut, for example. It was the most popular hairstyle in 1973, and it's had a wild resurgence in the past few years. Moreover, 1970s fashion has also made quite a comeback as of late, with bell bottoms, platform shoes, and bold colors and patterns all topping the trends in the last couple of years.

When it comes to what women found attractive 50 years ago, some things have stayed the same, but many things have changed. Attraction is a very subjective thing, but nonetheless, several distinct trends and attributes were alluring to women in the 1970s — for some interesting reasons. Below, we'll dive into the surprising things women found attractive 50 years ago.

While neutral colors were frequently worn 50 years ago, just like they are today, the late 1960s and early '70s introduced much more pattern, color, and experimental styles into menswear. No longer was the masculine ideal a dark, neutral suit; orange, red, and yellow patterned shirts and pants held their own particular sex appeal.

Embracing wild patterns and bright colors was part of the countercultural movement that began in the late '60s. Wearing nontraditional colors and patterns showcased a person's individuality while also casting aside social norms. Heterosexual women who were looking for a more progressive, nontraditional mate would have likely found men who sported colorful or patterned clothing both cool and attractive.

For example, studies indicate that heterosexual women are often attracted to men who wear red because it represents social rank and authority. "We found that women view men in red as higher in status, more likely to make money and more likely to climb the social ladder," says the study's co-author, Professor Andrew Elliot (via The New Zealand Herald). 

In addition to the strong builds that women have been traditionally attracted to throughout history, women in the late 1960s and early '70s also liked a slimmer build and more "effeminate" features like long hair. A columnist named Everett Mattlin wrote for the Chicago Tribune in 1968, per PBS, "It's not just the way we look; the whole male-female relationship is confused. In novels, plays, movies, TV — all, presumably, reflecting life itself — men are weak, fumbling, impotent, while women are strong, decisive, domineering ... All is topsy-turvy in a neuter world."

While Mattlin may have been right that the gender roles were reversed, the new androgyny was undeniably attractive. Icons like David Bowie and Mick Jagger grew to immense popularity, all the while sporting long hair, tight clothes, and makeup.

The average man in the early '70s may not have donned a full face of makeup, but the androgynous trend did trickle down in other ways. For example, many men opted for long hair at this time. These changes were likely due to the countercultural and women's liberation movements at the time, which demanded gender equality as well as resistance to colonial powers, gender norms, and oppression of all people.

These days, it can be rare to see a big, bold mustache out in the wild. But 50 years ago, a full, horseshoe-type mustache — think Hulk Hogan — became popular, especially among biker groups. Other types of mustaches became widespread, too, such as the popular chevron mustache. 

The mustache was a popular feature in the Western world in the late 19th and early 20th century — think of those first-class passengers in "Titanic" sporting handle-bar mustaches. But fast-forward to the 1950s and the clean-shaven look was at its height. By the time the '70s rolled around, the mustache was back in full force, but this time, it was considered counterculture that was often accompanied by long, messy hair and associated with hippies and Queer men.

In the 1960s, mustaches may have been for the hippies and counterculturalists, but by the '70s, they became more common in mainstream society and were attractive to heterosexual women due to the mustache's "masculine swagger" and "hypermasculine associations," per The New York Times. Popular heartthrobs at the time like Tom Selleck and Burt Reynolds wore mustaches, further popularizing the facial hairstyle. Plus, there seems to be some science behind people liking mustaches. According to The New York Times, clean-shaven men are ranked as less sexually attractive than those with facial hair.

Another surprising thing women found attractive on men 50 years ago is platform shoes. You may be reading this in disbelief, but it makes sense in context: platforms shoes were just another "groovy" fashion statement that emerged with the countercultural movements of the time. Platform shoes, which are somewhat reminiscent of women's high heels, are undeniably feminine and were a representation of the emerging dismantling of gender roles.

"Women prefer great degrees of masculinity for short-term partners, but for long-term relationships what we are finding is that they prefer more feminine ... men," said researcher David Perrett from the University of St Andrews (via The Guardian).

According to RetroWaste, men's fashion in the early '70s was a vast departure from what was traditionally worn in previous decades. In contrast to dark suits and tailored shirts and trousers, platform shoes and flared pants or bell bottoms were the norm in men's fashion — something we see women wearing today. It just goes to show how fashion is genderless, challenging traditional norms and stereotypes throughout the ages. For women who were part of the hippie movement at the time, men who dressed in these somewhat surprising fashion choices would have been considered interesting and attractive.

When you think about gender roles of the past, you may imagine traditional values: men as breadwinners and women as housewives. But around 50 years ago, there was a period when those gender stereotypes were flipped on their head, paving the way for gender equality in the years to come. A 1970 Time article (via CNN) about the second-wave feminist movement said, "They want equal pay for equal work, and a chance at jobs traditionally reserved for men only. They seek nationwide abortion reform — ideally, free abortions on demand. They desire round-the-clock, state-supported child-care centers in order to cut the apron strings that confine mothers to unpaid domestic servitude at home. The most radical feminists want far more. Their eschatological aim is to topple the patriarchal system in which men by birthright control all of society's levers of power — in government, industry, education, science, the arts."

This new way of thinking trickled into the mainstream, and more and more people were fighting for gender equality. The movement picked up so much speed that, in 1975, Time gave its "Man of the Year" award to "American Women" (per CNN).

By the 1980s, the feminist movement faced backlash and traditional values settled back into mainstream ideology. However, throughout the 1970s, men who were willing to accept new changes were certainly attractive to heterosexual women of the time.