As part of my research for a guide to style, I put together a focus group of 6 randomly chosen hot, single women between 21 and 33, to find out what styles in men they considered hot.

My goal was to find the things that they all agreed on.

The results were surprising, because the issues the women had the strongest opinions about were ones that most guys would never think of.

1. YOUR TEETH. Bad teeth are "just gross" said one blonde bombshell, to the enthusiastic agreement of the others.

So in order to not have your teeth immediately disqualify you, keep them brushed twice a day, flossing at least once. And if they're rotten or badly stained, see your dentist ASAP.

However, don't go crazy with the teeth whitener. "No one wants to kiss Chiclet Mouth," added the blonde.

2. YOUR HANDS. Women notice right off the bat if your hands are covered with dirt or grease.

"If you work with your hands," said one woman, "that's not the first thing a woman should notice about you."

So auto mechanics, construction workers, and other blue collar types, listen up.

"It's not what a person does," explained another chick. "It's just about taking care of yourself. If you can't even wash your hands, what does that say about you?"

3. YOUR CLOTHES. When you're wearing jeans, leave the tennis shoes at home.

"I am a believer that athletic gear is for exercise," said a part-time model in her mid-20s. "Some boys wear only tennis shoes and that's just annoying. It shows immaturity."

Good shoes instead are loafers or boots.

Try to be neat without being anal. "You should not look sloppy," said the blonde, "but don't look so put together that you appear obsessive-compulsive."

And, be an individual, agreed the women. If you've got that one shirt that only you love, you should still wear it, even if it is somewhat "uncool." For example, take a hawaiian shirt with a flamingo on it. Some guy who absolutely loves it can wear that shirt.

So the bottom is that a few guys can indeed pull off wearing the tennis shoes.

Sound confusing? It isn't once you realize that the simple test is this: Are you wearing clothes that display your core personality?

As one woman explained it, "You should be comfortable with what you're wearing and like what you're wearing, because women will pick up on that."

So in other words, the perfect style for you comes down to personal preferences and your individual sense of style. You can't make one rule for everything, except just be your genuine self.

John J. Alexander

John Alexander is author of How to Become an Alpha Male, a popular dating success guide for men.