Women are raising their dating standards from bare minimum: 4 outdated traits that no longer impress

Hindustan Times

04-07-2025

What sets the heart racing for women? For far too long, outdated stereotypes have tried to answer that, shaped by pop culture, media tropes, and everything from Wattpad fantasies to rom-com cliches. But the tides are turning. The notions of 'tall, dark, and handsome' or 'rich man is hot' are getting a big reality check as women explore love beyond the surface-level charm. Looks like these are as fleeting as the social media trend of 'man in finance with a trust fund, 6'5.'
The dating scene is now moving away from toxic traits, valuing emotional depths more.(Shutterstock)
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Quack Quack, a dating app, conducted a survey of 7615 female users from Tier 1, 2, and 3 cities, aged between 22 and 35, and they were asked a set of questions to understand what makes them say 'Nope.'
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Ravi Mittal, QuackQuack's Founder and CEO, shared that these misconceptions are slowly fading. He said, "I think, for a very long time, there have been several misconceptions about what women like and don't, and women-related dating advice is typically built around those ideas and half-truths. This study should shine much-needed light on the reality. It's about time people throw away those age-old notions and start dating like decent humans."
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These are 4 traits that were previously were previously treated as the gold standard of desirability, making them big heartthrobs. But now things are changing in the dating scene: 1. Bad boys {{/usCountry}}
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These are 4 traits that were previously were previously treated as the gold standard of desirability, making them big heartthrobs. But now things are changing in the dating scene: 1. Bad boys {{/usCountry}}
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The tatted, mysterious boy with an intense, brooding stare, zero emotional availability, and a habit of breadcrumbing with occasional love bombing may look hot on-screen, but in real life, he's getting swiped left, as women are choosing to avoid all the drama. The bad boy fantasy is falling fast. {{/usCountry}}
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The tatted, mysterious boy with an intense, brooding stare, zero emotional availability, and a habit of breadcrumbing with occasional love bombing may look hot on-screen, but in real life, he's getting swiped left, as women are choosing to avoid all the drama. The bad boy fantasy is falling fast. {{/usCountry}}
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Ravi said, "Everyone has heard of the 'women fall for bad boys' cliche, but 4 in 6 women between 25 and 35 say that it couldn't be farther from the truth. According to them, the narrative might hold up for teenagers who are generally not emotionally mature enough to understand the difference between toxic and healthy relationships, but when the topic is adult women, they know better. Most are actively turned off by hot-and-cold, indifferent behaviour. Around 28% of the respondents also commented that a myth like this is truly damaging, as it has encouraged several young men to take up the personality in question and intentionally mistreat their dates. They believe such misconceptions are the reason for so many toxic trends." 2. Tall, dark and handsome {{/usCountry}}
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Ravi said, "Everyone has heard of the 'women fall for bad boys' cliche, but 4 in 6 women between 25 and 35 say that it couldn't be farther from the truth. According to them, the narrative might hold up for teenagers who are generally not emotionally mature enough to understand the difference between toxic and healthy relationships, but when the topic is adult women, they know better. Most are actively turned off by hot-and-cold, indifferent behaviour. Around 28% of the respondents also commented that a myth like this is truly damaging, as it has encouraged several young men to take up the personality in question and intentionally mistreat their dates. They believe such misconceptions are the reason for so many toxic trends." 2. Tall, dark and handsome {{/usCountry}}
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The lethal face card is getting less weight in matters of the heart, while emotional depth is taking the torch and leading the way.
Ravi added, 'Everyone thinks tall, attractive men have a better chance at scoring matches. While that might be the case for some (23%), the overwhelming number (49%) of women who said physical appearance barely holds weight in serious dating crushed this myth once and for all. Our survey results show women find it cringe when men list their height and other physical attributes in their bio. Kindness, emotional intelligence, personality, and effort topped the list of deal-makers, leaving tall, dark, and handsome at the very end.'
3. Rich man
Instead of the bank account, women are prioritising someone who's ambitious, grounded, and focused on building a future, without the need to flaunt it.
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Ravi said,'Money has nothing to do with finding true love. In fact, these women stated that flashy display of wealth is anything but attractive; the list included profile pictures with luxury cars, name-dropping expensive brands, and looking down upon people. 3 in 4 women said they prefer an ambitious and honest man who can build a secure future for themselves over a rich brat.'
Having a genuine connection matters more than superficial qualities. (Shutterstock)
4. Emotional unavailability
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The cold guy may seem intriguing at first, with his late replies and aloof responses, but the appeal eventually wears off. Instead, women are prioritising men who are genuinely eager and emotionally available.
'According to 41% of women over 30, the most outdated myth is that women don't like men who are too eager. 'Don't double text,' 'Don't reply right away,' and 'Wait at least three days to reach out after a date' were all debunked as common misconceptions. The study data suggests women love men who show a decent amount of eagerness; timely replies, texting after a date, and even double texting are considered attractive and cute,' Ravi concluded.
Note to readers: This article is for informational purposes only and not a substitute for professional medical advice. Always seek the advice of your doctor with any questions about a medical condition.
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