A recent survey has unveiled the characteristics that define the ‘ideal’ man and woman, as perceived by different generations in the UK.
The CREO Clinic conducted a study involving 1,000 British participants to explore which physical traits are most attractive to them.
The findings highlight the evolving nature of beauty standards across age groups.
For those in the Baby Boomer generation (born between 1946 and 1964), the quintessential man stands at 5’7″ to 5’9″, boasts a traditional physique, has blue eyes, and dark brown hair. Meanwhile, the ideal woman is envisioned with blonde hair, a delicate nose, and full lips.
On the flip side, Generation Z (born 1997 to 2012) favors men with a more athletic build and women who sport black hair.
As stated by the CREO Clinic, “The survey illustrates a trend where preferences transition from lighter hair in Boomer women to darker hair and a preference for athletic builds among Millennials and Gen Z.”
‘Men are generally most attractive with inverted triangle or trapezoid shaped builds, while the hourglass figure remains the preferred body type for women.
‘Eye colour moves from blue in Boomers to brown in later generations, and wavy hair is typically favoured for men, whereas straight hair is more often preferred for women.’
A new survey has revealed what the ‘perfect’ man and woman look like, according to Brits from different generations. Pictured: AI–generated images based on the most common answers
CREO Clinic, a plastic surgery clinic based on London’s Harley Street, set out to understand how our physical preferences change as we move through the different stages of life.
One thousand partcipants were grouped into four categories – Boomers, Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z – and were quizzed about their ideal partner’s age, eye colour and shape, nose, lips, hair, height, body type and skin tone.
‘Using the most common answers from each generation, we created AI–generated images to show how these preferences might look in real life,’ CREO Clinic explained.
Boomers
Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) were the oldest participants in the study.
For the perfect man, this group said almond–shaped blue eyes were the most sought–after, along with a button nose, full lips, and a rectangular face shape.
Dark brown, wavy hair was the favourite, while only three per cent said the perfect man would have grey hair.
‘Despite this, it’s common for people to start noticing grey hairs in their 30s and by the time men reach their 50s it’s expected they will have noticeable grey hairs, showing a gap between preference and reality,’ the experts explained.
Boomers (born between 1946 and 1964) were the oldest participants in the study. Pictured: AI–generated images of the perfect man (left) and woman (right), according to this group
In terms of build, a lean, trapezoid or classic build came out on top, while the most popular height for this group was 5’7″ to 5’9″.
For the perfect woman, round, blue eyes were the most popular, as well as a button nose and full lips, and a rounded or oval face shape.
Light blonde, straight hair was the top choice, although length was less decisive.
When it comes to body characteristics, the most popular height was between 5’7″ and 5’9″, while an hourglass shape emerged as the most sought–after build.
Gen X
Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980), were the next group surveyed.
For men in this group, almond–shaped brown eyes were the most popular, along with a button nose and heart–shaped lips.
Dark brown hair was the most preferred colour, while a short fade was the style that came out on top.
Gen X (born between 1965 and 1980), were the next group surveyed. Pictured: AI–generated images of the ‘perfect’ man and woman from this group
In terms of body shape, Gen X didn’t have much of a preference, although the trapezoid build was the most popular option.
However, this group preferred slightly taller men than Boomers, with 5’10” to 6’0″ found to be the most popular option.
For Gen X women, almond–shaped brown eyes, a button nose, and full lips were the most popular options – along with a round face shape, and straight, light blonde hair of a medium length.
The preferred height was just 5’4″ to 5’6″, while an hourglass figure came out as the top body shape.
Millennials
Next up were millennials, born between 1981 and 1996.
For men, almond–shaped brown eyes were the most popular, along with button noses, full lips, and an inverted triangle face.
Again, dark brown, wavy hair topped the list, cut into a short fade hairstyle.
Next up were millennials, born between 1981 and 1996. Pictured: AI–generated images of the ‘perfect’ millennial man and woman
Height preferences showed a slight increase compared with the oldest generation, with 5’10” to 6’0″ selected as the most popular choice.
Body shape preference was an athletic build.
‘This shape is characterised by broad shoulders, a narrow waist and hips, and often a muscular upper body,’ CREO Clinic explained.
For women, rounded brown eyes again proved popular, alongside a button nose, full lips, and a rounded face shape.
Dark brown, wavy hair was the preference, with a medium–long length.
In terms of height, 5’4″ to 5’6″ was the most popular, while the hourglass figure once again proved to be the most desired option for body shape.
Gen Z
Finally, the researchers quizzed Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) about the physical qualities they find most appealing.
Finally, the researchers quizzed Gen Z (born between 1997 and 2012) about the physical qualities they find most appealing. Pictured: AI–generated images
For men, almond–shaped brown eyes were the preference, along with (you guessed it!) a button nose, full lips, and an inverted triangle face shape.
Dark brown, wavy hair in a short fade was the most popular choice – continuing the generational trend seen in Millennials and Gen X.
Height preference was slightly shorter, with 5’7″ to 5’9″ the most popular option, while an athletic build was also found to be the most sought–after body shape.
Finally, the perfect Gen Z woman was found to have almond–shaped brown eyes, a button nose, a heart–shaped face, and full lips.
‘Research shows that lip fillers continue to be a popular treatment in the UK, and Gen Z patients are showing more interest in treatments targeting their lips,’ CREO Clinics said.
Long, black, straight hair was favoured in this group, showing a contrast with the older generations, who prefer lighter and shorter hair.
Again, an hourglass shape was found to top the list, along with a height of 5’7″ to 5’9″.
‘In 2024, over 2 million liposuction surgeries (2,087,189) were performed around the world, highlighting the popularity of this cosmetic procedure in achieving a sculpted and defined figure,’ CREO Clinic added.
