4 Good Qualities in a Man that Women Are Looking For

Ditch the 3-in-1 body wash, shampoo, and conditioner trio. Recycle that copy of The Game on your bookshelf. Make room in your closet. It’s 2024, and the modern man needs a new set of tools.

Here at SG HQ, we want you to live your best life, and that includes looking, feeling, and acting your best. So we put together your starter pack of the good qualities in a man that women want to see from you, for help navigating the new year with style, substance, and swagger.

Below, the #SGapproved checklist for the good qualities in a man that women are looking for:

1. Self-Aware Self-Care

When it comes to self-care, it’s easier than ever to level up. From a good water bottle that doesn’t leak (and won’t get you in a fistfight at Target) to a meditation app you can stick with, now is the perfect time for upgrading—or ahem, starting—your wellness routine. 

• Meditation app: Take ten minutes out of your day to chill, breathe, and declutter your inner monologue. Mindfulness can help with everything from hangry outbursts to acing that work presentation. Our team likes 10 Percent Happier and Calm, and have heard great things about Headspace, too.
• Therapy (seriously): Talking to a therapist is not a sign of weakness, it’s a power move. Untangle your emotional baggage, learn healthy communication skills, and become the best version of yourself.

RELATED: How to Find a Therapist You Like

• Water bottle: The cheapest upgrade on this list! A hydrated man is a happy man.
• Books to learn more about yourself: Because men have feelings too, and understanding how to process and express them is attractive AF.

2. Grown-up Grooming

Forget the ancient soap bar collecting hair in your shower and the ancient Chapstick collecting grime and dust at the bottom of your work bag. One of the good qualities in a man that women like is when his grooming routine has grown up with him.

That could include:

3. Cultural Capital Boosters

Women are looking for a man who is aware that there is a world beyond his fingertips. What you may have been surrounded by growing up and even now is not all there is in life. So, reach beyond your grasp for an understanding of the world you won’t get looking at it only through your eyes. 

Meaning? Consume women-centric media and entertainment! Men have been the default heroes in movies, books, and sports for a long time. And this isn’t to say Die Hard shouldn’t be your favorite movie, or that you’ll never sell your Bo Jackson Royals rookie card. But take women’s interests seriously, too.

You might be surprised by what you get into.

• Women’s sports: Support women’s sports. Full stop. Go to games. Root for players. Hell, root against players, as long as you’re invested, that’s all that matters. Bonus points for repping a team with your wardrobe.
• Music by women: Embrace the Swiftie in you. Join the BeyHive. Give your girlfriend the aux cord in the car and surprise her by belting out the chorus of her favorite song. The tl;dr? Let the world know you appreciate a killer pop hook and feminist lyrics.
• Books by women: Start with, you guessed it, Little Women. Yes, watching the movie counts, too.

4. Serious Style

leather jacket | sweatshirt | jeans | underwear | sneakers

What does taking your style seriously mean in your twenties, thirties, forties and beyond?

Upgrading to a “good” version of your everyday go-to’s.

That doesn’t mean you have to break the bank. It could be swapping your ratty hoodie for an elevated style you could wear on a date. Or finally tossing those sneakers by your door in their flop era and scooping a pair you would love to be seen in. A coat that can go over everything you own. The list goes on.

Bonus good qualities in a man

• A hobby that doesn’t involve screens: Learn to cook, take up pottery, build a bookshelf from scratch. Pursue something that gets your hands dirty, sparks your creativity, and reminds you that you’re more than just a scroll-and-swipe automaton.
• A museum membership in your wallet. And a library card.
• Hair loss treatment: Men who are on the fence about dealing with their hair loss are like me when I wake up in the middle of the night and kind of have to go to the bathroom but don’t want to get up. I can try to convince myself I don’t really need to go, but I always feel better when I just bite the bullet right away and go. If you’ve been thinking about it, just do it.
• A houseplant: Nurture something other than your grudge against that friend who always wins your fantasy league. Greenery adds life (and oxygen) to your space, and caring for a plant is surprisingly therapeutic.