REPORT: Muscular, Wealthy Men Considered Most Attractive According to Study

According to a new analysis of photos taken by train commuters on London’s underground, muscular men showing signs of wealth are ranked the most attractive of any commuters.

The Independent reports that a recent analysis of data collected from the Tubecrush website, where users take covert photos of attractive men on London’s underground train system, by researchers at Coventry and Aberystwyth University found that commuters ranked muscular men that showed signs of wealth as the most attractive of all male commuters.

The data analysis was performed by studying the types of images posted to the Tubecrush website, the comments attached to these images and the rating given to photos using the sites “thumbs up” and “thumbs down” rating system. The analysis helped researchers to determine the most popular physical traits possessed by men posted to the website, notably the majority of submissions on the website were of white men despite London’s multi-ethnic culture.

Many of the photos posted to Tubecrush emphasized men’s muscular areas such as biceps, pecs and chest, all of which suggest physical strength is a trait commonly desired amongst users of Tubecrush. Many comments on the photos estimated the sexual prowess of the men featured in the images. One comment alongside a photo of a tattooed man in gym clothing reads, “Hey sexy workout man – protein powder is working well for you! When there are no other places to lay your head after a long hard workout you have to use your bicep as a pillow. Now that’s some kind of pillow talk we wouldn’t mind having with this hottie.”

Another element often commented on in the photos is symbols of wealth such as expensive phones, watches, jewelry, and seemingly expensive suits. “This cute suited chap looks very handsome in his purple tie. With some sexy scruff and cheeky grin he could easily be our Prince,” reads one comment alongside a photo of a bearded commuter in a sharp navy suit.

The lead author of the study and senior lecturer at Coventry University, Adrienne Evans, stated “from smart-suited City workers to toned gym-goers flashing their flesh, the men featured in the photographs on TubeCrush show that as a culture we still celebrate masculinity in the form of money and muscle.” Evans continued, “they are marking the middle-class, wealthy, mobile and sexually powerful male body, not as a political one as feminists intend it to be, but one that should be actively desired.”