Attractive? Maybe...

What is it that initially attracts us to eachother?

Now I'm not talking the little details of eachother's lives and the personality and all that stuff, I mean what is it about that boy you and your friends see while at the store or the park or McDonald's that makes you think "Oh, he's cute." (And don't pretend you've never done it. I've done it, and I'm about as anti-flirting, un-boy-crazy, as it gets. I don't mean thinking you're soul mates because you shop at the same shoe store or order the same thing off the dollar menu. We don't want stalking, just thinking that he's maybe possibly kind of good-looking.)

I know that society obviously affects what we as humans perceive to be attractive. Stereotypes, both good and bad, have a surprisingly large impact on our (mostly subconscious) first impressions of eachother. (My friend and I did our science fair project on this last year.) So as society's standards for physical attractiveness vary, so will ours (to some degree).

But is that all? If so, then why do some girls have much different opinions on what makes a guy attractive than others? What makes so many girls swoon at the sight of Justin Bieber or Taylor Lautner or the Jonas Brothers, when others of us are maybe more inclined to think that David Tennant is just about the cutest guy ever? Is it maturity levels? Friends and family? Does your own appearance impact what you find attractive in another?

Anyways, sorry for the slightly weird topic today. I just had similar conversations with some of my friends recently and the topic intrigued me. Thanks for reading! :)