If you found yourself in London's Broadgate Circle during the summer of 2024, you would have been surrounded by a very specific type of man. The archetypal eligible bachelor was a towering 6'5, with blue eyes and a lucrative career in finance, often backed by a trust fund. A viral TikTok song celebrating this alluring but emotionally unavailable subset amassed over 60 million views after its April release, cementing itself as the unofficial anthem of the season.
The New 'Ideal Man': Blueprints Beat Spreadsheets
However, 2025 has witnessed a dramatic pivot. The gilets and punishing work hours of the City banker have fallen out of favour. This year, data suggests height is no longer a deal-breaker, as 5'7 architects holding PhDs have emerged as the most sought-after heartthrobs.
This revelation comes from dating app Happn, which analysed its users' matches. The findings indicate a clear new priority: 'creativity, stability, and personality over height and a fancy job title.'
Sex and relationship expert Annabelle Knight explained this shift to Metro. 'We're seeing the shift towards valuing creativity, stability, and personality because modern relationships demand more emotional intelligence,' she stated. This is supported by data from consumer insights platform GWI, which found that 61% of women seek a caring partner, 55% value empathy, and 53% look for gentleness – all hallmarks of emotional openness.
'Creativity signals curiosity and self-expression, stability offers reassurance in an unpredictable world, and personality is what actually sustains desire long-term,' Annabelle added. 'A great conversation or shared values will always outlast a flashy job title.'
Height Loses Its Social Currency
The introduction of height filters on apps like Tinder has long made stature feel like a fundamental dating metric. While personal preferences will always exist, experts point to a significant change in what is prioritised.
'The rise of the "short king" reflects a wider cultural shift away from rigid ideals of masculinity,' Annabelle Knight explains. 'Men are being celebrated for softness, self-awareness, humour, and authenticity – not just dominance or financial success. Dating culture is finally catching up to the idea that attraction is personal, nuanced, and deeply emotional.'
This isn't to say the 6'5 finance bro cannot possess these traits, but rather that the definition of desirability is broadening. 'Height simply doesn't carry the same social currency anymore because attraction has evolved,' Annabelle notes. 'People are realising that feeling safe, seen, and emotionally understood matters far more than someone being able to reach the top shelf. Chemistry isn’t measured in inches.'
Why Finance Bros Lost Their Crown
While the trope of the Canary Wharf or City investment banker made for a hot TikTok trend, its moment appears to have passed. 'The "6'5 finance bro" trope feels tired because it’s built on surface-level status rather than substance,' Annabelle states. 'That stereotype often comes with emotional unavailability, long working hours, and a slightly transactional view of relationships. That might look impressive on paper, but it doesn’t always translate to intimacy.'
Generalising a whole profession is reductive, but the finance archetype can be associated with certain red flags. 'The finance bro archetype red flags often point to things like poor work-life balance, an identity overly tied to status, and a reluctance to do emotional labour,' she adds. 'Confidence can easily tip into entitlement, and ambition can leave very little room for connection if someone’s job always comes first.'
The data from 2025 presents a clear picture: the landscape of attraction is becoming more nuanced, valuing emotional connection and personal authenticity over traditional, superficial markers of success.
