Tall, dark and handsome

[1][2] According to British lexicographer Eric Partridge, the phrase "tall, dark and handsome" originates from cheap fiction novels produced in the early 20th century.

[4] Alan Axelrod writes that "tall, dark and handsome" is often assumed as a compliment, but notes that Eric Partridge wrote that it is actually a mild insult, given the term originates from cheap and cheesy novels from the 1910s; making it an ironic phrase.

[5][1] David Puts is an associate professor of anthropology at Pennsylvania State University who has studied the evolutionary bases of human sexuality.

In 2017 he was asked if "tall, dark and handsome" is universally attractive in the human experience and he stated that not enough cross-cultural work had been conducted to be very confident in the concept's scientific validity.

[10][11][12] The New Zealand Herald described further that "At 191cm, he's taller than most models and up close - with his dark, almost black hair and bronzed olive complexion - he's like a live version of Michelangelo's Statue of David.

Rudolph Valentino in 1919. Valentino was a popular target of the term in early American film press.
David Gandy has been often called tall, dark and handsome by media such as Vogue and GQ . [ 10 ] [ 11 ] [ 12 ] [ 13 ]
Ranveer Singh , a Bollywood actor, has been called tall, dark and handsome in the media. [ 14 ]