Love

11 Sneaky Ways To Stand Out To A Guy (And Apart From Other Women)

Photo: Getty Images
woman and man cuddling on picnic blanket

Nothing quite scares guys away like the phrase, “I’m not like other girls.” For most men, that’s a sign that a girl has problems — big ones.

It’s basically as big a warning sign as hearing a guy tell you that you’re “not like other girls.” Hearing these phrases suggests drama is about to pop up, and that there may be underlying gender hatred attitudes that you wouldn’t want to get involved with.

What sucks about this is that most guys want a woman who isn’t like most other girls they’ve met.

Truthfully, standing apart from the crowd can play a huge part in how likely it is that you’ll end up getting the partner you want.

The more attractive the guy you’re interested in, the more you will have to stand out among the competition to get him. The same can be said about guys; the more they stand out (in a good way), the more likely it is that they’d get girls to be attracted to them.

RELATED: NYC's Most Popular Woman Reveals Her Top 5 Online Dating Secrets

So, is there a way you can learn how to stand out to a guy among all the other ladies out there? Use these ten techniques, and you’ll quickly find yourself being way unique among most other ladies approaching him.

Here are 11 ways to stand out to a guy, and apart from other women:

1. Approach him, but don’t roll over for him

Most girls tend to either refuse to approach men or will approach them and act like hungry puppies around them. Guys don’t respect girls who throw themselves at them, nor do they often feel comfortable with girls who won’t talk to them first. The best approach? Talk to him as if he’s just a friend, and then toss in a subtle flirty smile once in a while.

2. Dress just a little bit differently

Men are visual creatures, and the easiest way to stand out from the crowd is to dress differently than the rest of the crowd. In the pickup artist world, this is actually called “peacocking,” and it actually works well for men and women alike.

What people get wrong about peacocking is that it doesn’t mean you have to try to wear a giant fluffy hat or platform shoes. Rather, it’s about having a cool, interesting accessory or hairstyle that sets you apart from the rest just a little. An interesting necklace, a cool set of shoes, or even platinum blonde hair can make a huge statement without seeming too “out there.”

3. Have a life outside of him

From what I’ve seen, nothing quite makes a man lose interest faster than having a girl who doesn’t do anything but hang out with him. Sadly, it’s a trap most of us end up falling into when we get too in love. Don’t be that girl.

RELATED: The 2 Ingredients Couples Need In Order To Be Truly Compatible

4. Oh, and have hobbies and interests, too

Nothing gets more boring for a man than to be stuck talking to a girl whose sole interests include whatever’s trendy, what other people are doing, and celebrity obsessions. It’s banal and it gets most guys bored. Try a new hobby, such as beer brewing, cooking, or even breakdancing, and you’ll quickly find guys seeing you as more interesting.

5. Don’t show interest in his money or career, but do show interest in him doing something

You would be surprised at how many men think that the only thing women care about is money. This is obviously not true, but that’s why so many men end up talking about their jobs nonstop on a first date. If you see him flashing cash around you, tell him to put it away and tell him you’re more interested in his personality.

6. Stop being obsessed with Instagram and how you appear to others

I hang out with a lot of men, and when I hear them complain about women’s personalities, this always comes up.

Most guys do not want to be paraded around like accessories. It’s degrading and dehumanizing to feel like a prop being used to show others “how cool you are.” By forgetting social media for a while, you’re showing him that you want something a bit more real — and he likes that.

7. Don’t put up with BS

Men are masters at dishing out BS behavior and getting women to tolerate it. This is why so many good girls end up being burnt out. If you see a guy behaving in a way you don’t like, tell him you’re done.

Most men, sadly, don’t appreciate women who try to take the high road about this kind of stuff. If you want to learn how to stand out to a guy, the easiest way to do it is to tolerate no crap and call him out on it.

RELATED: 3 Biggest First Date Turn-On And Turn-Offs, According To Study

8. Be direct

Because of the ways women are often raised, we tend not to say what’s really on our minds. This is not good, because most men out there need to hear things as bluntly as possible. By being unmistakably direct about what you want, what you’re thinking, and what you’re feeling, you will make relationships easier and also impress men.

9. Compliment them

Most guys do not hear compliments, ever. This is the easiest way to get them to remember you and also get them to want to talk to you more often.

10. Learn to cook

When granny told you that the way to a man’s heart was through his stomach, she wasn’t lying. You’d be shocked at how rare it is to see girls who can cook these days. So, if you have that skill, you’ll definitely be different from many of them.

11. Be the person you want to be, rather than the person society thinks you should be

This one is hard. You will get blowback for it and it may cost you “friends.” But it’s worth it, and it will make you stand out. To do this, just ask yourself what you would do and wear if you didn’t have to worry about the consequences — and do it all.

It took me years to stop caring what others thought of me, but it was so, so worth it. Stop caring if you’ll be judged for not wearing the right clothes, having the right interests, or saying the right things. Be who you want to be, and that genuine side of you will definitely have men interested in you. 

RELATED: 10 Weird Ways Guys Flirt With You (That You're Probably Not Picking Up On)

Ossiana Tepfenhart is a writer based out of Red Bank, New Jersey whose work has been featured in Yahoo, BRIDES, Your Daily Dish, Newtheory Magazine, and others.