by Gina B. of SixBrownChicks (www.chicagonow.com/six-brown-chicks)
I respect relationships, and I’ve always made a practice of avoiding men who are taken. And by that, I mean men who are in relationships, engaged, and especially married men. Sadly, there are women who will date nothing but. Some will argue that those women have low self-esteem, commitment issues, a general lack of respect for other women, and a belief that man-sharing should be a common practice. I suppose that any or all of those things can be true, coupled with the fact that men who have women in their lives are more attractive.
Even the most evolved bachelors can be rough around the edges. Their lairs often need “a woman’s touch,” which generally means a sense of refinement and a hint of softness, a higher level of cleanliness, or the addition of decorative accessories that contribute to a cozier, more comfortable home.
A man’s personal appearance is usually improved as a result of a relationship. Most wives and girlfriends like to assist their men in selecting clothing and accessories that most single men don’t have the patience or inclination to choose.
I never understood the appeal of married men until I accidentally dated one for a few weeks, several years ago.
We met at a conference, through friends. He was different than most of the men that I normally met. While he was tall and naturally handsome, he was also very meticulously groomed with a precision haircut, lotioned hands and beautiful white teeth. He was attractive in his tailored suit and understated cufflinks that were a tasteful addition to his delicately monogrammed shirt. His shoes were expensive and were obviously regularly shined and stored in an organized closet, complete with cedar shoe trees. He wore just the slightest hint of cologne – detectable at a safe social distance, but also enough to entice a woman to want to bury her face in his neck. And there was no presence of a wedding ring.
He was a gentleman. He offered a drink, held my chair, and without asking, he took my jacket that I was holding uncomfortably and returned with a coat check claim. Read the rest of this entry
