Revealed: What the ‘perfect’ man and woman look like, according to Gen Z, Millennials, Gen X and Boomers

A new survey has revealed what the ‘perfect’ man and woman look like, according to Brits of different generations.

Experts from the CREO Clinic surveyed 1,000 Brits about the physical attributes they find most attractive.

The results revealed how our preferences change with age.

According to Boomers (born 1946-1964), the ideal man is 5’7″ to 5’9″ with a classic build, blue eyes and dark brown hair; The perfect woman has blonde hair, a button nose and full lips.

In contrast, Generation Z (born 1997-2012), the youngest group surveyed, said they preferred men with athletic builds and women with dark hair.

‘Overall, the research shows that attractiveness preferences are shifting from lighter hair in Boomer women to darker hair and more athletic body types in Millennials and Gen Z,’ the CREO Clinic said.

‘While men are generally most attractive with inverted triangle or trapezoid shaped builds, the hourglass figure remains the preferred body type for women.

‘Eye color changes from blue in Boomers to brown in subsequent generations, and while wavy hair is generally preferred in men, straight hair is more preferred in women.’

CREO Clinic, a plastic surgery clinic based in London’s Harley Street, set out to understand how our physical preferences change as we progress through different stages of life.

The thousand participants were divided into four categories – Boomers, Gen X, Millennials and Gen Z – and were asked questions about their ideal partner’s age, eye color and shape, nose, lips, hair, height, body type and skin tone.

“Using the most common responses from each generation, we created AI-generated images to show what these preferences might look like in real life,” CREO Clinic said.

boomers

Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) were the oldest participants in the study.

For the perfect man, this group said almond-shaped blue eyes are the most sought-after, along with a button nose, full lips and a rectangular face shape.

While dark brown, wavy hair was a favorite, only three percent said the perfect man would have gray hair.

“Despite this, it is common for people to start noticing gray hair in their 30s, and men are expected to have noticeable gray hair by the time they reach their 50s, indicating a gap between preference and reality,” experts said.

Boomers (those born between 1946 and 1964) were the oldest participants in the study. Image: AI-generated images of the perfect man (left) and woman (right), according to this group

In terms of structure, a lean, trapezoidal or classical structure stood out, while the most popular height for this group was between 5’7″ and 5’9″.

Round, blue eyes, button nose, full lips, and a round or oval face shape were most popular for the perfect woman.

Although length was less decisive, light blonde, straight hair was the first choice.

When it comes to body features, the most popular height was between 1.77 and 1.99, with the hourglass shape emerging as the most sought-after build.

Generation X

Generation X (those born between 1965 and 1980) was the next group surveyed.

For men in this group, almond-shaped brown eyes, button noses, and heart-shaped lips were most popular.

While dark brown hair was the most preferred color, the short-breathed style was the most prominent style.

Generation X (those born between 1965 and 1980) was the next group surveyed. Image: AI-generated images of the ‘perfect’ man and woman in this group

Generation X did not have many choices in terms of body shape, but the trapezoidal structure was the most popular option.

However, this group preferred men who were slightly taller than the Boomers; the most popular option was 5’10” to 6’0″.

For Generation X women, almond-shaped brown eyes, button noses and full lips, as well as round face shapes and medium-length straight, light blonde hair, were the most popular choices.

The preferred height was only between 5’4″ and 5’6″, while the upper body shape was hourglass.

millennial generation

Next up were Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996.

For men, almond-shaped brown eyes, button nose, full lips, and inverted triangular face were most popular.

At the top of the list again was dark brown, wavy hair, cut in a short faded hairstyle.

Next up were Millennials, those born between 1981 and 1996. Image: Artificial intelligence-generated images of the ‘perfect’ millennial man and woman

Height preferences increased slightly compared to the oldest generation, with 5’10” to 6’0″ chosen as the most popular choice.

His body shape preference was an athletic build.

‘This shape is characterized by broad shoulders, a narrow waist and hips, and a generally muscular upper body,’ CREO Clinic explained.

For women, round brown eyes became popular again, along with a button nose, full lips and a round face shape.

Medium-long length, dark brown, wavy hair was preferred.

While the most popular in terms of height is 5’4″ to 5’6″, the hourglass figure has once again proven to be the most desirable option for the body shape.

generation Z

Finally, the researchers asked Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) about the physical attributes they found most attractive.

Finally, the researchers asked Generation Z (those born between 1997 and 2012) about the physical attributes they found most attractive. Image: Images created by artificial intelligence

For men, almond-shaped brown eyes, (you guessed it!) button nose, full lips and an inverted triangle face shape were preferred.

Dark brown, wavy hair with short fades was the most popular choice; It was continuing the generational trend seen in Millennials and Generation X.

His height preference was slightly shorter; the most popular option was 5’7″ to 5’9″; At the same time, an athletic structure was also seen to be the most sought-after body shape.

In the end, 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, with Gen Z patients showing greater interest in treatments that target their lips,” CREO Clinics said.

Long, black and straight hair was preferred in this group; this contrasted with older generations who preferred lighter and shorter hair.

Again, an hourglass shape was found at the top of the list, along with a height between 5’7″ and 5’9″.

“More than 2 million liposuction surgeries (2,087,189) were performed worldwide in 2024, highlighting the popularity of this cosmetic procedure in achieving a sculpted and defined figure,” CREO Clinic said. he added.