Why Are Men So Obsessed With Sundresses? I Asked My Guy Friends To Find Out

Light and sleeveless, bright and floral – by definition, the sundress is summer in a dress! It’s been around since the 1960s, becoming a “statement of femininity with enduring popularity and appeal.” Plus, it’s versatile! It can be paired with sandals for a day on the beach or dressed up with heels for a fancy garden party. 

Not only is it a piece of clothing women love to wear, but men love to see women wearing it too! But why? Could it be the gently cinched waist? The light, airy material they’re made from? Or simply, is it just because sundresses are cute and feminine? I asked my guy friends to find out!

Sundresses Are Sexy and Classy

One of my friends said men are obsessed with sundresses “because they’re somehow sexy and classy at the same time.” Although sundresses are typically tighter on top, it isn’t in a distasteful way. Sundresses have a nice compromise between showing off a woman’s figure while also keeping all the “essentials” covered.

In a similar vein, another (very posh) friend of mine said that “excessively revealing outfits emasculate men by trying to summon their most appetitive, chimpanzee-like drives.” He further said that “elegantly worn dresses, whatever the season, give men a subtler foretaste of what might happen if they act and behave like men with chests.” The “men with chests” reference is an allusion to C.S. Lewis’ Abolition of Men. But what he basically means is that tasteful dresses like sundresses give men a glimpse of what they could have if they behaved morally and like true gentlemen. Skimpy outfits just turn men on and offer no challenge and nothing to explore.

Sundresses Look Good on Everyone

“They’re hot! I’ve never seen a bad one,” said another of my friends.

No matter if you naturally have a fuller figure or a more slender figure, my guy friends think sundresses look great on everyone! “They’re very flattering and look good on everyone. I think it being summer when you see them might play into it a lot,” he said. 

Sundresses hug a woman’s curves in all the right places and can even give the illusion of a more tapered, snatched waist. So they’re a great option if you’re looking to meet a guy this summer, or even if you just want to dress up for your boyfriend or husband! In fact, studies show that when men are looking for a potential partner, they prioritize women who are good-looking and slender. A pretty sundress can help you achieve exactly that!

Sundresses Emphasize the Female Figure

“They’re a lighter color, so they tend to emphasize a woman’s more tanned skin in the summer. As well as being feminine and flowing, they also emphasize the female figure,” I was told by a guy friend.

And it’s no wonder guys think this! Thanks to the sundress’ bodice style that tapers at the waist and drapes across a woman’s hips, sundresses perfectly enhance the feminine figure. 

Sundresses Get a Man’s Testosterone Going

Did you know an attractive woman measurably increases a man’s testosterone level? Now, imagine what an attractive woman in a sundress could do! 

My guy friend says he notices this when seeing a woman in a sundress: “Women just look good in a summer dress to the point where it just starts elevating a guy’s testosterone levels.”

Plus, an attractive woman also raises a man’s cortisol levels. Researchers believe the rise in cortisol happens when a guy is feeling apprehension over an opportunity for courtship.

Sundresses Are a Sign Summer Has Arrived

Many of the guys I talked to mentioned the fact that sundresses are a sign of summer and, usually, happiness!

“All of the good things you find with summer, sundresses come with it. So it brings that feeling of happiness when you see a woman in a sundress,” he said. “It’s just one of those things that’s synonymous with sun, happiness, and getting outside.” 

If guys find sundresses synonymous with summer, it’s no wonder they like them! During the warmer months, a person’s circadian rhythm tends to improve. Melatonin usually increases, which means people tend to sleep better, and in turn, their mood improves, so they release more serotonin. Plus, you tend to have higher vitamin D levels, which also boosts mood and libido. One 2021 study found that more sun exposure caused enhanced female attractiveness in men and increased the desire to mate in both males and females. 

Sundresses Show Off a Woman’s Legs

You’re probably not surprised to find that part of the reason men love sundresses is because they get to see our legs too. “They’re pretty, colorful, and very summery. Also, legs are nice,” said my guy friend in New Zealand (they love sundresses all the way over there, too). 

But why do guys love legs so much? Interestingly, on online forums, men have expressed that they find legs to be a kind of “visual foreplay.” They find legs are suggestive, sensual, and seductive. In comparison, breasts and buttocks are seen as “in your face” sexual. Dr. Leon Seltzer believes this may have to do with a “man’s innate attraction to the sensual, rather than the explicitly sexual.”

Why Do Women Love Sundresses?

After asking my guy friends why they love sundresses so much, I thought I’d ask a few of my female friends for balance. One of my friends said they love sundresses simply because she loves the reaction she gets from her boyfriend when he sees her in them. “One time, I bought a cute summer dress just because it was on sale and wore it after he’d been away on a business trip for a few days. He got so excited and could not stop looking at me. It was great!” she told me.

Another of my friends said she loves how “feminine” and “cute” they make her feel. Plus, “they’re so comfortable to wear. At least when it’s hot, I can still feel feminine while feeling comfy, and because the dress is so cute, I don’t need to worry too much about putting a whole ensemble together.”

Closing Thoughts

Sundresses are loved by women for their combined features of comfort and beauty – and the reaction they get from men. They’re perfect for casual outings and summer parties, date nights, or garden parties with your friends.

But one thing that’s really great about sundresses is that they’re effortless. There’s no need to spend hours matching your jeans to your top and your top to your shoes. Just throw on a sundress and a pair of neutral sandals, and you'll turn heads wherever you go!

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