My opinion is split down the middle on this one. The fact is we live in a time where looks make up for 98% of our entertainment and the other 2% is comedy based on awful looks. That percentage is probably as jacked up as the situation I'm asking about, but I've always been torn on this subject honestly.
The truth is that as we age, our looks will begin to change for the worse. I know that everyone loves to say "black don't crack", and sure we have a few people who have hit the senior citizen mark looking damn good for their age (50s, 60s, even 70s) - but honestly, everyone isn't a fitness guru, a beauty conduit, or a person who wants to spend their life obsessing about a wrinkle, saggy body part, etc. for the rest of their lifetime.
I DO understand and believe that men (however) are very visual creatures. I DO get the fact that men often crave physical things they would appreciate in their woman - but I know for damn sure that they won't trade the physical for other wholesome qualities unless he's lacking them within himself. I believe the "hoes that win" are only winning to another whore honestly. Men that spend so much energy celebrating and/or mentioning/entertaining women who have very low respect for themselves (IMO) are products of failed upbringings and value systems. I'm not saying that a man who loves T&A wasn't raised right, but a man who would entertain street booty in a serious way beyond the sexual could probably sit on a couch for a few years about where his childhood went wrong.
Anyway...I'm not writing to bash, (I promise I'm not lol) but with keeping up appearance, I would be lying if I said I've never been moved (positively or negatively) about the way a man keeps himself up. Hygiene and overall presence is one thing, but I'm not about to disown you if you're not GQ man candy of the week. And...I do know it's often much different for men versus women.
I believe there is balance in this though. A woman who stops putting pride into her appearance is definitely opening a door to not just other more attractive women being noticed, but for their mate to notice their neglect in a negative light. There should be enough self-attentiveness on a lady's part where she respects regular grooming, regular hygiene, regular skin care, her curves (whether modest or ba-donk-like).
If my man was around the house not washing his ass, looking like Cousin It in the face (I love facial hair BTW, but not a rain forest), wearing things that look like he searches trash cans for dinner scraps, I would probably be searching him for crack like substances before I ask him what the hell is the problem.
But on the flip side of this, I feel like any man who would make his woman feel "less than" because she isn't a centerfold or she picked up some weight, or any other sign of "not perfect" is still in the Similac phases of his manhood.
Like I said, there's nothing wrong with standards and preferences, but a lasting bond should be based on the friendship and connection that goes beyond physical gratification. Yeah, if a person is going off the deep end looking a hot ass mess (aka embarrassment), I can completely understand having an issue, a talk or discussion.
But if that's your other half...imperfections shouldn't break something that should be solid beyond the superficial.
