Women Notice These 10 Things About All Men

Colleagues in a business start-up discussing ideas at their workstations; Photo: 10’000 Hours(Getty Images)

Do you want to know what women are really thinking (read: judging) when they first meet you? Leave it to Mandatory to ask the opinion of those who matter: the ladies. In this article we reveal the top 10 tiny, yet largely important details women notice about men. Before we dive in, I’ll admit I have my own list of things that I look for in a man (polite, confident, stable, quirky, smart, sexy, interesting, a leader not a follower, etc.), but like many women, most of us have a list of certain things we don’t like to see you do either. From bad behavior in restaurants to dirty home habits and poor hygiene, there are certain things that can be considered semi-annoying or even outright deal breakers. This list is a compilation of comments received from women in recent discussions, online chatter and direct responses received on Twitter when we posed the question, “What are the top 10 details you notice about men?”

1. Women notice – How You Treat Strangers/Service People

Rude to the waiter? Got no love for the bartender? Didn’t tip the valet? All these things are big red flags when out on a date. If you are impatient, condescending or curt with a service industry worker, we see it as a reflection of how you might eventually treat us. We like to hear you speak politely with the people with whom you come into contact, and show respect and courtesy towards anyone catering to you. Another sign of maturity is how you act when things go wrong with a service-based situation. It’s important for us to see you stay calm and resist overreacting when things don’t go your way. Throw a temper tantrum in a restaurant? Get thrown out of my phone contacts forever.

2. Women notice – What Kind of Car You Drive (but not in the way you think)

Many men assume women care about what type of car you drive. That is correct, but not in the way you think. Most women care more about whether your car is clean, has a full tank of gas and is safe, and less about the price tag on the vehicle. Sometimes women also associate cars with personality. A dude in a Jeep or an old SUV might be viewed as easygoing, physically active and fun, while a guy in a Honda might be considered practical and efficient. The same stigma goes for flashy automobiles. Wish you drove a bright-red Lamborghini? Scoring a set of pricey wheels might backfire on you, as many women polled see expensive sports cars as a sign of over-compensation, womanizing or a flat-out mid-life crisis. Of course, these are all very unfair characterizations based solely on the car you drive, but hey, you asked and women answered.

3. Women notice – R-E-S-P-E-C-T for Your Mama

Want to talk trash about the woman who raised you or complain about how your mother was an awful parent? Don’t do it. Or better yet, please do tell us this information so we know in advance that you do not respect women. The way a man feels about his mother has direct ties to how he feels about women in general. Hating on the woman who gave birth to you is just scary.

4.Women notice – Obsession with Technology Rather Than Intimacy

Young man kissing his smart phone, close-up; Photo: Westend61 (Getty Images)

Are you as technologically suave as you are savvy? Just because you have the latest version of a smartphone doesn’t mean checking it 20 times during dinner is an intelligent choice. In fact, peeping your phone at all during a date is a big no-no for some women, while other ladies say it’s OK to glance at the screen a few times. When it comes to phone usage and dating, it’s best to use your intuition. If you’re taking care of your elderly grandmother and there might be an emergency, it’s OK to inform us that you might be a little extra aware of your phone. However, compulsively checking your texts, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Tumblr accounts while you’re supposed to be enjoying a lovely day in the park with your lady friend signals disinterest in your partner. Another tip: If you have a Bluetooth in your ear for any reason, remove it immediately.

5. Women notice – Keeping Your Tooties in Check

Personally, feet don’t really bother me or turn me on. I’m foot neutral. I’ve dated dudes with some pretty gnarly paws, and I was OK with it. Perpetually stinky feet are obviously gross, but I couldn’t care less if your toes look freshly pedicured and if your pads are callus-free. Other women beg to differ, as evidenced through Twitter.

6. Women notice – Movie-Theater Etiquette

This is my own personal, patented, movie-date test. The first time I go to the movies with a guy, I take serious note of whether he cleans up his mess after the movie. Basically, if he orders popcorn or a drink, I wait to see if he picks up his own garbage or if he leaves it in the aisles for “the help” to clean up. If he leaves his trash, I might assume he’s not very thoughtful or conscious of the mark he’s leaving on the space around him. My next step is usually to politely ask “Are you going to pick up your trash?” while motioning to help him clean up. If he goes to pick it up as if he sincerely forgot, I let the incident slide. If he says something arrogant like “That’s what they pay the theater workers to do,” I view him as immature, entitled and see it as a complete disregard for others. It sounds harsh, but the test is always spot on. Try it. You’ll see. By the way, this goes for women too. If she’s a piggy about her movie manners, point it out and see how she reacts.

7. Women notice – Exes and Ohhhs

Bashing your ex on a first date is pretty much the worst thing you can do outside of killing a puppy. If you tell me all your former lovers are psychos, stalkers, cheaters, skanks or sluts: Check, please.