When we spent a semester abroad living in Italy, we embraced everything about the culture — except for the men. Slicked-back hair and too-smooth moves grew tiresome after a few makeout sessions, and we found ourselves scanning the clubs for a familiar taste of home: the Boston guy. We developed a spot-on radar for the worn Sox cap, loose jeans, and affable smile, and upon first wink, we tended to fall a little bit in love. Fast-forward to the present: even though we live here now, our affections for Boston men haven’t diminished. So what do you love about those boys from Beantown?
“I like that the boys from Boston have a certain edge and confidence about them. They usually aren’t overtly arrogant but still have just enough of an attitude to keep me interested. And I do love the quintessential Red Sox baseball hat!”
E.M.
“The most endearing thing about Boston men is their unflinching devotion to their beloved sports teams. It’s like watching a puppy who’s grabbed hold of an old sock and won’t let go. Just shaking and growling and shaking and growling. Adorable. And that devoted puppy love extends to relationships, which is why dating a Boston man will guarantee you a spot on a gleaming pedestal, right up there with (well, right below) the Sox.”
S.A
“Boston guys are fiercely loyal. Whenever your guy introduces you to his friends, it’s always, ‘Hey, this is Pete, we played Little League together,’ and ‘This is Dave, we’ve been friends since second grade.’ When a guy stays tight with his buddies, you know he will be there for his girlfriend, too!”
A.R.
“Boston guys are down-to-earth, fun-loving, and they don’t try too hard. They can be as comfortable dining in a trendy South End restaurant as they are watching the game at a dive bar in Southie or chilling in a beach chair down the Cape. They are a little pale, a little Irish, and just a tad scruffy. Top it off with that sarcastic attitude and a worn-in Sox cap, and they’re irresistible.”
K.M.
“My fave thing about Beantown boys is that they are mama’s boys. It’s so freakin’ cute that they all want to live a couple of blocks or the next town over from mom. They check in with mom, they take mom to Red Sox games, they are so passionate about mom.”
M.A.
“The fact that my biggest competition for a Boston boy’s attention is a Red Sox game makes it easy not to get too jealous, and of course I’m always the one he goes back to when they break his heart.”
S.S.
“[I’m attracted by] a Boston Red Sox hat that might smell a little but has that great worn-in look. And, of course,
some Irish love. Also, nice jeans and flipflops are the perfect combo.”
E.N.
“I find it irresistible that Boston guys can relay every Boston-related sports stat known to mankind, all in a Boston accent. There’s also something comforting about being able to turn on a Boston guy’s TV knowing that it will already be set to NESN.”
D.K.
“Boston men are simple. They’re so easy to entertain. I am from New York City, where the men have this metropolitan mentality. ‘Let’s go out to Nobu, then out and about in the Meatpacking District.’ In Boston, a perfect date is sitting in the nosebleed section of Fenway, then dinner standing in front of the Sausage King cart mowing a sub. A Boston guy will be more into you if you’re wearing a Varitek shirt or chanting Manny Ramirez’s name with the crowd. Plus, I find it amusing that the Red Sox are almost a religious belief to Boston guys — that, and their clear obsession with the Dropkick Murphys.”
R.M.
“I personally like the way they seem to have Boston Red Sox hats ‘resting’ on the top of their head, always at a little tilt. And while the Boston accent is so trashy on a girl, it is SO HOT on a guy! It’s also nice how diehard they are about their sports teams. Guys from elsewhere are not as passionate. And they have a confidence (though sometimes they don’t really have a reason to) that usually borders on ‘asshole’ and usually makes them more attractive than they actually are.”
K.O.
“I love Boston guys for their quirky senses of humor. I came all the way down to Virginia looking for a Southern gentleman, but all those well-mannered mama’s boys did was make me want to come back home and find myself a nice sarcastic Bostonian!”
L.D.
“Why do I love Boston guys? They aren’t from New York.”
K.
