What Guys Think

      

Relationship Advice—From Men

When it comes to figuring out the opposite sex, sometimes it pays to go straight to the source. We got real men to answer the question, "What the eff is he thinking?!" on matters of dating, relationships, sex, and everything in between. Check out their awesome relationship advice for women.

By Lauren Otis

"Sometimes we just need time to hang out with the boys. Just because you aren't invited out to the bar doesn't mean you have anything to be upset or jealous about. I usually find that time away from my girlfriend makes me appreciate the time we have together all that much more." —Chris B.

"Please take a compliment. It's frustrating when you give a girl a compliment and she disagrees. We weren't asking for your approval on our opinion, just telling you how great you look." —Tyler L. 

"Don't feel obligated to play down your strengths if you're good at something, like work or a special talent. We all like to see excellence and, even more so, be around it. If you're great at something and can speak about it with confidence, it makes other people want to be around you and can be a big turn on." —Dom S

"It's a turnoff for me when a girl pretends to like something just because I like it. 'You like the Knicks? Weird, I love the Knicks! Who's that tall one again? Who are you and what are your interests? If we disagree about stuff, let's have fun disagreeing about it and if any of it winds up being too important, then, well, it won't work out and that's fine." —Miles P.

"Don't be shy about suggesting dates that interest you. Guys are just as tired of going out to dinner over and over again as women are. A woman who suggests awesome date activities is one a guy can really appreciate, and it's nice to have something else to talk about other than yourselves and the food." —Jason M.

"It's great when a girl shows affection when it's the two of you, or shows she cares in a different way, like doing something nice, completely unsolicited. An independent woman is really attractive." —Brian M.

"If you want to do something nice for a guy, do it, but don't always expect something in return. Don't assume your guy will always reciprocate and proceed to get mad when he doesn't."
—Tyson L.

"When you complain to a guy about something, know that he's probably thinking about how to fix that problem. Men don't complain just to vent—we're also looking for a solution. If all you want is for us to listen, be sure to tell us beforehand so you don't get frustrated when we try to solve things."
—Ben H. 

"Don't talk about your exes, why you're single, or your insecurities unless the guy brings them up."
—Terrence T.

"Throw us a bone. We all know that men often think they know more about something than they really may. It's in our chemical makeup. Sometimes you just have to let us set the tent up wrong when camping or take three hours to change your oil—for a lot of us, it's how we both try to impress you and show you we care. Sometimes you've got to let a guy be a guy—even if we're goofing up."
—Blake S.

"Not all guys are outright about their interest, but there are certain signs you can definitely look for. If you've developed an inside joke, that's for sure a good thing. How polite is he being? Is he buying drinks? Offering his seat? Walking you home/to the train? Is he staying out way later than he should? Generally trying to make sure you're enjoying yourself? Is it super easy to convince him to get one more round when he has to wake up for work at seven? He might be miserable the next day...but he probably won't mind." —Brady O.

"Maybe I'm old-fashioned, but I love to see a woman dressed up. Plenty of women can get away with wearing anything, but I've always appreciated women that play up their differences. It's sexy."
—Andrew S.

"One hard fact people have to come to terms with is that you and your significant other aren't the last people you'll ever both be attracted to. It's okay if he thinks a celeb is hot or you secretly think your neighbor is cute—you're still going home with each other at the end of the night." —Max S.

"Don't underestimate the power of a compliment. A few kind words that show us you're into us go a long way. If we're in the beginning stages of getting to know you, it makes us feel much more at ease—a subtle way of giving us the green light. Look him in the eyes. Smile. Make it nice." —Zach D.

"Please eat food at restaurants! Eating like a bird is really off-putting— especially if we're dropping a fair amount of money. Going out to eat means going out to eat. Like drinking alone, no one wants to eat alone. It's a social thing." —John S.

"If you've been in a relationship with someone over six months and you don't trust them, get out of that relationship. Simple as that." —Matt F. 

"Be more assertive if you're interested in a guy. Sometimes reading signals from women feels a bit like reading brail if you're not blind. There are a lot of ways a girl can show she's interested without going overboard, like a subtle touch or giving a little extra attention at a party. If a guy knows you're interested there's a big chance he'll become interested too." —Josh F

"Say exactly what you mean. Men can't read your mind. If you know what you want, be upfront rather than expecting us to read between the lines and getting disappointed later. It's frustrating when women get mad at us about that! " —Oli B. 

"Don't get me wrong—confidence is sexy, and insecurity is certainly a turnoff, but so is a chick that constantly talks about how pretty she is or how much attention she gets from guys. Sometimes overconfidence can work against you." —Dave P.