Type Schmype!
The main character in my first novel had two love interests: one was quiet and brainy, tall, dark and handsome and the other was playful with a baby face. My main character was attracted to both of these men even though they were not the same “type.”
When I’m with my girlfriends, one will often comment, “that guy is cute” and another will sometimes respond, “he’s not my type.” Some of my friends have a specific type, for instance, “tall, broad and dark skinned.” Since I’m not currently in a serious relationship, I’m often asked “what’s your type”? The answer is, I don’t have a type. More accurately, my “type” is usually the type of whoever I am dating or interested in at the time.
When I liked a guy who was 6″2′ and” dorky-cute”, I found myself attracted to other tall, dorky-cute guys and was all about height. But when I found myself attracted to a shorter, stocky guy, suddenly height no longer mattered (so long as he was taller than me…) When I was dating an athlete, I loved how strong he was and how little I felt in his arms. I was all about the biceps and triceps and broad shoulders and, yowza, he was hot. But when I dated a guy who was so skinny, he fit into my jeans, it was all good.
I once had strong feelings for a brainy guy and was turned on by his knowledge of seemingly everything and his tendency to read books of a strictly intellectual nature. But before and after him, I was attracted to men who would rather debate the best television spin-offs of all times than read a book about economics.
What I’m getting at is that, for me, attraction is about chemistry and not about “type” and I never know who is going to do it for me until I meet him. Granted, I am rarely attracted to overweight men, aside from a little beer belly (I don’t particularly care for rock hard, six-pack abs and, no, I’m not just saying that) and since I work out six days a week and work hard to stay in shape, I think I’m entitled. And I tend to prefer brown hair to blonde. But in general, type schmype! Handsome? Sure! Sexy? Yes, please. Funny? For sure. Nice? I would hope so! Interested back? Fingers crossed. But blue eyed vs brown eyed, fair skinned vs dark, built vs slight? Creative and artsy vs business guy or computer geek? Who cares so long as I am attracted and he is passionate about something. If I like him, and I know when I do, well, I guess he’s my “type”.
What about you? What’s your “type”?