Dating rules: Must roll her eyes—in just the right way

The endearing eye roll is a complex facial gesture. It’s about 50 percent suppressed wry smile, 30 percent exasperation, 15 percent laughter and 5 percent (just enough) genuine annoyance. It’s crucial in my perfect partner because I’m sure I will see it a lot. I’ll see it when she walks into the apartment to find the entire kitchen covered in soup and me standing next to a now-empty blender. When I retell the same bad pirate joke for the hundredth time to our friends. When she’s explaining to the ER nurse how exactly I electrocuted myself (again). When I make an ass of myself dancing.

An endearing eye roll is incredibly sexy. It means she can roll with the punches. She finds humor in all situations and doesn’t judge, even when you might really deserve it. A girl with a good eye roll has never let a little embarrassment get in the way of having fun. When I turn and get that look, it says to me: “Yes, you are an idiot—but you’re my idiot.”—Matt, 26/male/straight/single/Lincoln Park