The late Karl Lagerfeld infamously proclaimed, “If I was a Russian woman I would be lesbian. Russian men are not good looking.”

It’s surprising but somehow the same features that look cute on Russian girls don’t turn up just as gorgeous in the male version of developed DNA. That’s not to say that there are no good-looking men in Russia; it’s just the proportion between good-looking males and equally attractive females appears to be heavily skewed in favour of ladies.

Is it even true that Russian women are better looking than men?

Naturally, if certain standards of beauty are applied, wouldn’t it be logical that males and females of the same nation appear equally striking?

However, this doesn’t seem to be the case.

I have some ideas; let’s see what could be the reason.

• Maybe it has something to do with current standards of feminine and masculine beauty, which evaluate different features as beautiful in men and women. Maybe one day the standards will change and our grandkids will think the opposite way.
• Maybe it’s because females in Russia spend hours every day to look beautiful: Just daily makeup and hair take 40–50 minutes or more. Males, on the other hand, devote their time to more productive pursuits. “Dad is working, and mom is beautiful” is a popular depiction of the Russian family life. (Yes, it’s a joke. But every joke has a bit of joke; the rest is the truth.)
• Maybe the standards of grooming are simply different for males and females. The famous saying in Russia holds, “A man should be just slightly more attractive than a monkey”. I keep hearing this proverb from ladies and there had been even calls in Russian press to women to put forward higher requirements to men!

When I try to sincerely explain why Russian girls are better looking than guys I get so much criticism from all ends of the spectrum, it’s flabbergasting.

But isn’t the reason obvious?

If you try to have muscles and a good body, you can get these results. If you don’t try, it’s unlikely you will have it! This explains the reasons behind ‘mysterious” gap between looks of females and males in Russia. Guys simply don’t strive to look good!

See also:

• 7 Reasons Why Russian Women Are So Beautiful.

Beautiful women are in abundance on the streets of Russian cities such as Moscow or St. Petersburg, foreign travellers attest. Beauty is like the second religion for ladies there.

My personal opinion (flawed and biased, as it is)

All in all, I can tell you my personal opinion about the phenomenon. Men in Russia don’t look after themselves. It’s not promoted as necessary for a “real man”.

Another popular saying holds that a male in Russia has to be “mighty, hairy, and smelly” (it’s not a joke), to fit into the image of a “real man”. Of course, there are tons of young males who don’t fit this caricature image, and it’s no wonder they are not viewed as “real men” but often as some “metrosexual boys”.

(Definitely, females of Russia aren’t excited about smelly and hairy males: Strong, yes, hairy and smelly, no. But being too good-looking, hairless, and fashionable also raises suspicions and feels unnatural in a male, in the view of Russian girls.)

Another thing is heavy drinking, which most Russian guys deny, but women living in Russia still complain about. The statistics about consumption of alcohol in Russia show it’s dropping. However, the average numbers are always confusing, as some people drink a lot, while others nothing at all (or nearly nothing). Healthy lifestyle is a strong trend in Russia and drinking together is no longer viewed as requirement when doing business (as it was 20 years ago). But this doesn’t mean that men in Russia stopped abusing alcohol. Apparently, it’s still a huge issue, especially in smaller regional towns as opposed to large cities.

A person who drinks heavily doesn’t look good, and with time looks worse and worse. If there are some hot young Russian guys, the numbers drop as they age. It’s not easy to find a good looking Russian man in his forties or fifties, while there are plenty of ladies who look after themselves and present beautifully.

So, in my view, it’s as simple as healthy lifestyle and grooming. If you are healthy and present well, you look attractive. If you don’t put efforts, then the good looks aren’t going to last.

Why the looks of men and women in Russia differ so much

It’s the same logic when we rationally think about the appearance of men and women in Russia. We all know how much efforts a person needs to put in just to go out and present well. It goes for both men and women, and ladies usually spend more time and efforts to prepare for a night out.

Well, in Russia women do it all the time, not only when they go out! Their looks is their highest priority, even more important than a career. They believe a male stays with her because of her looks, and having a male partner is an absolute must for having an acceptable social status, if you are a woman.

• It shows in the recent WCIOM poll as well: Only 3% of women mentioned looks as a quality that is important for them in a man. In total, appearance was at #16 in regard to qualities ladies value in a partner. When Russian males were asked, beauty was #1 characteristic they value in women with 29% score.

Do you need more proof? Statistics and polls may not tell the whole truth, but they definitely point out to trends.

A guy needs to have a job, and a woman needs to have a man in her life! That’s the underlying current in navigating the societal landscape on the territory covering 1/8 of the world’s land mass, called Russia.

It’s just another consequence of the system of values in the society. Everything you see comes from these values. If you want to understand something about a person or a society, look no further than their values.

I hope it makes sense!

Read also:

• What are Russian women like?
• How many kids do Russian women want to have?
• Top-5 beliefs of Russian women you won’t like
• Salaries in Russia: How much do Russian women earn?