While it may seem like the indie sleaze aesthetic was meant to be the ultimate winner when laying the groundwork for choosing the most desirable men of the year, tastes change as quickly as fleeting fashion trends.

Indie sleaze comes from the depths of the 2000s, where the aesthetics of rock, punk, and grunge were combined with bright touches from pop culture

Shortly after the effete gentlemen craze, came the himbo men: rugged, handsome gentlemen whose brawn outweighs their brains (like Travis Kelce, Taylor Swift’s boyfriend). Definitive proof that the new masculinity, which the media and social media have highlighted as the most desirable, is the fact that the magazine “People” chose Patrick Dempsey as the sexiest man alive in 2023.

“Society tends to cling to the familiar and comfortable. These kinds of figures can be perceived as confident and approachable. Even though there is talk of a new masculinity, there are people who still resist the unknown or something radically different. That’s why men with such elegance and a preference for classic beauty tend to win us over”, explains psychologist Lara Ferreiro in “El Pais”.

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Back to the past

Faced with a choice both surprising (the actor has been out of the limelight since “Grey’s Anatomy”) and unoriginal (the Disney prince’s look couldn’t be more normal), we wonder: what makes a man sexy

According to Erick Pescador Albiach, a sociologist and sexologist, it is clear that it is exactly the same as in the past. “Very little has changed in terms of standards and the traditional model of the masculine male. For a large part of society (especially women), if the values ​​that underpin power and what a sexy man is doesn’t change, neither does the prototype. In other words: if we don’t change the way we value the male, what is considered attractive will be the same as always: a face with hard features, representing masculinity and strength, half-shaven or shaved (so as not to be too female), with a lost look and half a smile… In short, a -slightly- renewed Humphrey Bogart, muscular and a little more smiling“, supports.

Previously, personalities such as Brad Pitt, Channing Tatum and Michael B. Jordan held this title. So, it’s clear that beauty and muscles are still more… sensual than vulnerability and “unflattering” silhouettes. And this despite the fact that, according to Bumble’s Dating Trends 2024 report, 32% of respondents prioritize emotional intimacy over physical intimacy for reasons of safety and understanding. According to data from an Ashley Madison study, 5% of respondents were attracted to a person because of their intelligence!

It’s clear that even as we try to celebrate the new masculinity and “embrace” a renewed sensibility, magazines are still afraid to glamorize such figures.

If a guy like Patrick Dempsey makes a lot more noise than another guy, they’ll choose to put him on the cover. The audience rules! Mainstream magazines are usually driven by commercial preferences. If they know that certain standards of beauty will be much more profitable, they will not hesitate to glorify these, the most classic images more…

Actors, models, musicians and youth idols influence society’s image. This is why pop culture trends can radically change public preferences. Depending on the trends that emerge in each season, we tend to follow a common set of preferences. Culture is constantly changing. Although change can be slow at times, diversity in expressions of masculinity and femininity has gained recognition and this is an important step forward.