It has long been decreed that good girls love ‘bad boys’ – but women are now ditching moody and mysterious men for openly devoted and affectionate partners.
Social media is going wild for male celebrities who ‘simp’ for their other halves – from constantly mentioning their significant others in interviews to sharing a myriad of photos of them on social media or being entirely fixated on their beloved at public events.
A dating coach has revealed that the move towards such ardent romance is partially rooted in gradually rising relationship standards.
‘As a dating and relationship coach, I’m really excited to see this cultural shift away from the old “bad boy” trope and towards a new appreciation for men who are openly devoted to their partners,’ Kate Mansfield told FEMAIL.
‘What we’re seeing emerge is a refreshing trend of men who are comfortable showing their softer, more vulnerable sides – and frankly, I think it’s about time.
‘The rise of the “simp” (a term used to describe a man who is overly attentive and submissive to a woman) signals a leveling up in what women now find attractive.
‘Gone are the days of bad boys and players dominating the dating scene. Instead, women are increasingly swooning over men who are confident enough to publicly celebrate and prioritize their significant others.’
She suggested that the change is being driven by two key factors.
‘First, social media has made it easier than ever for men to showcase their more sensitive, nurturing sides,’ Kate revealed.
‘Posting loving tributes to their partners has become a way for them to signal their relationship-readiness.
‘Secondly, I think women are increasingly rejecting the unhealthy power dynamics and emotional unavailability that often come with the “bad boy” archetype. They’re craving partners who are secure enough to be vulnerable, communicative, and devoted.’
Recently, Olympic star Gianmarco Tamberi went viral after making a heartfelt apology to his wife after losing his wedding ring in the River Seine at the opening ceremony of the Paris Games.
The 32-year-old world champion was one of two flagbearers for Italy when his ring slipped off his finger into the water as his boat travelled down the Seine during the ceremony.
‘I’m sorry my love,’ Gianmarco wrote to his wife Chiara on Instagram. ‘Too much water, too many kilograms lost in the past few months or maybe the uncontrollable enthusiasm of what we were doing. Probably all three things.’
Gianmarco said he watched as the ring bounced onto the boat and then disappeared.
He added: ‘A glimmer of hope… but unfortunately the bounce was in the wrong direction and floating more than a thousand times in the air.
‘I saw her dive into the water like that was the only place she wanted to be. A few moments that lasted an eternity.’
Gianmarco tried to make the best of a bad situation, saying he ‘couldn’t imagine a better place’ to lose his ring.
Social media went wild for the athlete’s ‘romantic’ and ‘poetic’ apology, finding it equal parts hilarious and heartwarming.
TikToker Simone Umba gushed over the post, calling it a treat for all ‘hopeless romantics’ in a video.
Commenters couldn’t agree more, dubbing it an ‘R&B apology’.
‘Was it the ring that fell in or the wife,’ another added. ‘Man is in shambles.’
‘See, boys are able to do better,’ a third penned, while one also wrote: ‘Clone that man immediately!!!’
Elsewhere, fans of Hollywood It-Couple Tom Holland and Zendaya can’t get enough of him constantly posting photos of his girlfriend.
Most recently, he shared a photo of his partner at the Met Gala – which he did not attend – in May, captioned with simply a series of heart-eye emojis.
People wrote that they ‘need someone to treat them the way Tom Holland treats Zendaya’ and declaring him to be the ‘best boyfriend’.
The couple met on the set of Spider-man: Homecoming in 2017, but predominantly keep their relationship out of the public eye.
Tom previously revealed the reason he keeps his relationship with girlfriend Zendaya so private is because their bond is the ‘thing he keeps most sacred’.
Last year, he said on Jay Shetty’s podcast: ‘My relationship is the thing I keep most sacred. I don’t talk about it. I try my best to keep it as private as possible.’
‘We both feel like that is the healthiest way for us to move on as a couple, so I do try to keep as removed from Hollywood as possible.’
Another couple that has the public obsessed is Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift.
Just last month, the NFL star proudly declared his love for the singer as he gushed over the ‘cool’ popstar – and insisted he would never try to hide their romance.
Over the years the musician, 34, has been criticised for her string of public relationships – with Taylor arguing that the backlash was ‘sexist’.
However, her six-year romance with Joe Alwyn was fiercely private, with the British actor later revealing they had ‘agreed’ to keep the ‘details’ of their love life under wraps.
In a possible dig at Joe – who split from Taylor last year – Travis, 34, revealed he was proud that the world knew about his romance with the singer, stating: ‘You want to keep things private, but at the same time, like, I’m not here to hide anything.
‘You just don’t want to let everyone into your personal life and be able to comment on it, knowing that everything she does is getting a headline.’
Gushing over his girlfriend of 10 months, Travis continued: ‘She’s very self-aware… She understands situations like that, and I think that’s why I really started to fall for her, how genuine she is just around friends and family.
‘It can get crazy for somebody with that much attention, and she keeps it so chill and so cool, and I can admire it for sure.’
The sportsman confessed she ‘really won him over’ with how much she wants to ‘support’ his career and how she just walks into the games like anyone else and isn’t concerned about being mobbed by fans.
He said: ‘The first game she came to against the Bears, I was like, “I can probably set you up with everything,” and she just walked right through the front door.
‘There’s no like going down, talking to security, making sure she [gets to her seats]. She was like, #2I just want to be around the family and friends and experience this with everybody.”
‘I was just like, “She got points for that.” She’s in the madness. She wants to be a part of it. She wants to support me and do things like that. She really won me over with that.’
Travis and Taylor have been dating for the best part of a year, with the pop sensation’s first appearance at Arrowhead for one of his NFL games last September publicly confirming the relationship.
Since then the world’s most high-profile celebrity couple have gone from strength to strength; enjoying a host of trips away and nights out together, meeting the families and supporting each other in their respective fields.
Travis was in London for Taylor’s sold-out Eras Tour concert at Wembley Stadium, even joining his girlfriend up on stage for a show.
During his brief appearance, the tight end grinned as he carried Taylor across the stage and gently placing her on a red couch before she changed outfits.
The appearance sent Taylor’s fans wild as they were left in awe at Travis’ professional performance, which even saw him show off some of his signature dance moves.
‘These types of gestures show a level of emotional openness and partner appreciation that simply wasn’t valued in the past,’ Kate said.
‘The “simp” mentality, when coming from a place of genuine care and respect, is far more appealing than the typical aloof, hyper-masculine persona.
‘Of course, there’s a fine line between healthy devotion and codependency. But overall, I see this shift as a positive evolution in dating culture.
‘Men who are willing to publicly cherish their partners are raising the bar and, in my opinion, setting a new standard for what relationship-oriented women should expect.’
