Caution: all of the thoughts in this article are the author’s – no offense to any man, woman or nationality is intended! 

Latvia is a tiny country in the Baltic States with the most beautiful women in the world, according to this article. But does it make them happy?

Photo by Irina Kuzmina

It’s official:
Latvian women really are the most beautiful!

You may have seen an article doing the rounds over the last couple of weeks about Latvian women being the most beautiful women in the world. They beat off some pretty steep competition from the Swedes, the Italians and the Brazilians.

As a Latvian woman myself, I just couldn’t resist saying a couple of words about this! First of all, congratulations to Latvian women – I’m proud to count myself among you!

I wonder what it is that makes Latvian women so beautiful to outsiders. Is it their eyes, their hair, their bodies? And how can we really say that one nationality is more beautiful than any other? It’s like saying that the sun in Florida is more beautiful than the sun in Spain!

Photo by Irina Kuzmina

However, the online reaction to the article has been a real surprise to me. So how should a woman react when receiving a compliment? Smile back and say “thank you!”, I guess. Instead of focusing on the positive, commentators have used the article as a weapon in the never-ending rant about Soviet times, Latvians vs Russians and the state of the economy.

Why can’t Latvian women just accept the compliment, smile and move on? Well, I think there are a number of reasons for this. You may be surprised to hear that Latvian women aren’t used to being complimented! The men here are a little cold and not very generous with their praise and appreciation for us.

More women than men

Latvia is full of beautiful blondes. Sadly, these women are mostly single. Also, women here outnumber men 58% to 42% so men don’t really have to try that hard! They can have their pick!

Photo by Yuris Zaleskis

“The smartest girls are alone. The really beautiful girls are alone – if they are smart.”
Dace Ruksane, Latvian sex columnist, author, and editor-in-chief of the country’s most successful women’s magazines, Lilit

According to a BBC News article, the shortage of Latvian men leaves women lost for love, and
between the ages of 30 and 39, there are almost 3,000 more women than men. There is no competition among the men so they know that they will definitely get a women – even if they don’t try very hard: no compliments to women is just part of the problem!

My own experience of being a Latvian woman.

Well, I’ve been fortunate enough to get a great husband:-) However, I can spot a foreign guy entering a cafe from 20 feet away. It’s not the way they’re dressed or the type of laptop they have. It’s just one single thing: if he gives you a look – it’s not a local guy. If a Latvian guy stares at you, you start to think: is something wrong with me? Do I have food in my teeth or something 🙂

Every time I’m abroad, I feel awkward: men are looking at me! Wow, it’s such an unusual feeling for an average Latvian girl! I’m wearing my jeans and sneakers and still…And…oh gosh, even giving me the occasional smile (Flirting along with accepting compliments is not what you would call a Latvian talent, because we don’t get enough practice! (see man shortage:-))

But tell me: Why the hell should I care?

Desperation creates perfection

Do you see what a little competition can do? I mean, if there were 8% more women than men in your town, would you find a little extra motivation: to look fitter, to get a better education, would you wear heels more often, and wear some make-up even when just going to the grocery store? I bet you would! I don’t want to be a target for feminists here, it’s just simple logic.
So beauty requires a little work: both mental and physical. Get running or at least walking, or challenge yourself with any activity at all. It takes effort to wonder if my hair looks good or if I look like I got dressed in the dark. Being a young mom makes it even more challenging.
But being a mom also brings a happiness and beauty to your life that radiates from within.

Beauty doesn’t equal happiness?

Americans are known the world over for their Hollywood smiles, and in Latvia, well, we’re not known for smiling at all! I guess it makes sense – if there are more women than men, of course we don’t smile that often 🙂 But true beauty comes from a genuinely happy smile, and what could possibly make you smile more than being a new mom? Being a mom really is the most beautiful thing in the world!

Photo by Irina Kuzmina