LoveGeist 2010: What Do Male Daters Look Like In 2010?

A quick overview of the modern female dater gave us an average age and physical description, a list of common likes and dislikes, and a glimpse into what 21st century women look for in a partner.

And now it's time for the men to take the stage.

Who is the average male dater in 2010? Let's meet him!

The Male of the Species

Using a similar sample size to the women (75,000 members), match determined that the average male Match.com user:

• Is 25-30 years old (24%).
• Is 5'10" tall (16%).
• Has dark brown hair (31%) and blue eyes (40%).
• Views his body type as average (46%), though more than a quarter (29%) of respondents said they are toned and athletic.
• Is easygoing (43%), but less sociable than the average woman (4%).
• Is intelligent (53% have a degree, compared with 15% of the general male population of the UK).
• Enjoys travel above all other activities, followed by movies, conversation, and eating out.
• Most likely works in the IT field (16%), is self-employed (14%), or occupies a management role (13%).

And who is the average man's ideal woman? According to multiple choice responses, she is of average build (86%), has shoulder-length (93%), blonde (87%) hair, is easygoing (89%), and possesses a good sense of humor (80%).

• It appears that Marilyn Monroe was right when she said that "Gentlemen Prefer Blondes," though they also like dark (85%) and light (78%) brunettes. Black hair scored 79%, followed by redheads at 59%.
• Men had a clear preference for long hair. Shoulder-length hair came in at 93%, long hair was preferred by 90% of the sample, and very long hair was favored by 65%.
• Slender (85%) and athletic (80%) bodies were considered the most attractive, but don't start starving yourselves, ladies - 65% of men liked women carrying a few extra pounds.
• Men seem agree with women that eyes are a person's most attractive feature (77%). Also high on the desirable traits list are "smile" (76%), "a cute bottom" (54%), "nice legs" (52%), and "a nice belly button" (13%).
• The ideal woman loves to eat out, and enjoys music, gigs, cinema, and spending time at the pub.

Now that we've met the average men and women of Match.com, we're ready to move on to more complex topics. In the next sections of our review, we'll explore how the citizens of the UK and Ireland view dating, romance, and love, and we'll meet "a new breed of realistic romantic, the 'Pragmatic.'"

For more information on this popular online dating service, you can read our review of Match.com for the UK.