Quick Links

All guys know that there is a distinct difference between women you spend a night with, and women you bring home to the family and spend a lifetime with. But what distinguishes one kind of woman from the other? Often it is no more than age, as many women acquire the necessary qualities as they become more mature. But some things cannot be learned, and are an inherent part of who a person is. Some women are born ready and hoping to be a wife and mother, while others never want it, at all. Still, there are some who want it but leave things to be desired in the role of wife and/or mother, and even still, there are those who never get the chance, whether they deserve it or not.

But what characteristics must a woman possess to be considered (by most) wife material? According to research (and lots and lots of interviews), the following things are a very good sign that the person you are with is wife material: being a good conversationalist, being financially independent, having varied interests, sharing the same values, being confident, having a good sense of humor, being low-maintenance, being genuine and kind, having somewhat of a tough skin, being affectionate, and yes, being reasonably attractive (being hot helps, and the women on this list have that covered).

This sounds like the perfect woman, a perfect yet unrealistic combination of traits that no one person could ever hope to have. We all have our pluses and our minuses, but for the most part, women who would make good wives possess most of these qualities at least a little bit. And naturally, their compatibility with any given man also depends a great deal on that man. The right woman for one man, no matter how perfect she is, might not make a good partner for another man.

The 15 women on this list are perfect examples of what men want (or need) in a wife, and what they do not. For different reasons, they would all either be half of a healthy and successful partnership, or contrarily, they would contribute to its demise. Read on to find out which ladies' characteristics to seek out in a woman, and which to avoid like the plague.

15. Elizabeth Olsen: Wife Material

The baby sister of Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen is now 27 years old and single. Elizabeth Olsen, who looks just like her older twin sisters, would make a great wife to some lucky guy for many reasons. She is down-to-earth, level-headed, and well-rounded. She cares about being taken seriously as an actress, and has thus been quite versatile in her role choices, from independent films to blockbusters. She is educated, having graduated from New York University School of the Arts and the Atlantic Theater Company Acting School, and she values family. Voted AskMen’s “Most Desirable Woman” in 2012, Elizabeth is not only mature and goal-oriented, but she brings the attractiveness to fulfill the physical side of any relationship, as well. And let’s not forget that she is financially independent thanks to her big hit movies like Godzilla and Avengers: Age of Ultron. All in all, she would make a pretty darn good wife.

14. Casey Anthony: Not

The woman who became famous for being a suspect in her daughter’s murder is not exactly the kind of person we think of as good wife material, especially when she turned out to be a big partier and liar on top of a potential child killer. It has been five and a half years since her acquittal in the murder of her young daughter, Caylee Anthony, a verdict which earned her the title at one point as the "Most Hated Person in America". Her life pretty much sucks since most people hate her, and she lives a monotonous existence. Sure, she more than anyone on this list could probably use a husband, but that unlucky fellow would incur her reputation and be doomed to live a monotonous existence with her. Not to mention the tiny fact that should they ever have children together, you never know how it may turn out, a sad but true fact that must be considered. Could you ever trust the woman who allegedly killed her two-year-old? Not that you need any more proof that Casey would not make a good wife, but she is also alienated from her family and broke.

13. Emilia Clarke: Wife Material

Lots of people see Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke as potential wife material, such as Jon Snow and Channing Tatum (as well as a bunch of other random internet nobodies). The British 30-year-old is single right now, but has previously dated Jai Courtney (from the Divergent trilogy), Cory Michael Smith, Seth MacFarlane, and Richard Madden, and allegedly hooked up with Jared Leto and James Franco. All of them likely saw the potential in Emilia to be more than just a hook up, though. In addition to her musical inclination (she plays the flute, guitar, and piano) and athletic skills (horseback-riding, tennis, rowing, running, sailing, skiing, swimming, and skating- wow!), she is both adventurous and well-rounded, and someone you would never get bored with. She is also a hard worker, having held three to six jobs at any given time before landing her role on GOT. Add to all of that her talent, money, and that she has made several “sexy” or “hot” lists, and Emilia possesses more than enough qualities to make her a great wife.

12. Rihanna: Not

Barbados-born singing sensation Rihanna, 28, may look and sound exotic, and by all rights, she is. But exotic is not one of the most important qualities in a life partner, and everything else about her is, in fact, not what most men are looking for in a wife. Currently single, at least one of Rihanna’s exes, Drake, has been outspoken about the fact that he thinks she is not wife material, whatsoever. And he would probably know, since he dated her from 2010-2016, which is a significant chunk of time. Somehow, when they broke up, Rihanna said she had never even considered him her boyfriend! Drake, in response, said he had never considered her “wife material”, a statement backed by his citing her “wild and out of control ways”. One media source said, “Her attitude and party animal energy is fun every now and then, but that’s not what he’s looking for long-term, especially not in a wife!”

11. Emma Stone: Wife Material

It seems like most guys have at least a little bit of a crush on the lovely Emma Stone. She appears on several lists of celebrities who would or do make great wife material, and for good reason. In fact, diply.com made an entire list of 16 reasons why she does, and they are hard to argue with. These reasons include that she is goofy, a lover of Star Wars, she is cool and confident, she jokes around a lot, she can dish it and take it, she is sweet and caring, knows how to (and loves to) have a good time, she loves to eat, is smart, likes to geek out sometimes, and finally, Emma is “literal perfection” (I think they mean physically). She really does sound like the whole package, which can be hard to find. Surprisingly though, the 28-year-old is somehow single. Her exes (who are crazy for letting her get away) include Andrew Garfield, Kieran Culkin, and Teddy Geiger.

10. Halle Berry: Not

You’re probably thinking it is insane that the beloved (and angelic-looking) Halle Berry is not on the other side of this list, but the truth is that she is not really the best wife material. That does not take away from how hot she is, but having been through three husbands and three divorces, obviously she is either very bad at choosing men (meaning she makes poor decisions or does not know herself well enough yet) or she just sucks so none of her husbands wanted to stay married to her. These exes are Olivier Martinez, Eric Benet, and David Justice, and she has three children by three men (but only two of her husbands). Throw in her copious amounts of previous partners, and the three baby daddies, and that is a lot of baggage for one dude to take on. Plus, she is now 50 years old, and not getting any younger.

9. Kirsten Dunst: Wife Material

She may not be in the spotlight as much as she used to be, but Kirsten Dunst is still plenty relevant in Hollywood, and she is currently single and ready to mingle. An excellent choice for a wife, the 34-year-old from New Jersey has previously dated people like Justin Long, Adam Brody, Jake Gyllenhaal, and Tobey Maguire. She holds dual citizenship in America and Germany, so anyone marrying her would have plenty of travel opportunities. Additionally, she is a former cheerleader and dancer, and contributes to a number of charities, showing that she is a giving person. She is a goal-oriented woman who one day hopes to direct. Kirsten says that she will never disclose anything about who she is dating unless she is engaged or married, so you know she respects privacy. Her future husband will get the benefit of having a famous wife, with less of the B.S. that goes along with it than most Hollywood couples have to deal with.

8. Taylor Swift: Not

Taylor Swift is infamous for dating men and then after they break up, writing songs about their relationship, and usually not in the most flattering tone for the exes. Some of these ex-lovers-turned-song-material include Harry Styles, Jake Gyllenhaal, Taylor Lautner, John Mayer, Joe Jonas, and even some women like Dianna Agron and Karlie Kloss. These names are only a portion of her little black book though, and given her history of dating so many people and then blabbing about the most intimate details of their relationships, Taylor belongs on the list of Hollywood women who are not the best wife material. She is 27, so perhaps she needs to mature a little bit more, although 27 is an age most adults act like adults, so who knows? The Pennsylvania native has her pros and cons like anyone, but overall her big mouth, sordid dating history, and the fact that she doesn’t really seem to know if she is gay or not, make Taylor seem a little too immature for a commitment as important as marriage.

7. Diane Kruger: Wife Material

It may surprise some folks to learn that Diane Kruger not only never wanted to be married to her longtime love Joshua Jackson (neither of them felt the need to marry, even after more than 10 years together), but that they have actually split. They were an item from 2006-2016, but have sadly gone their separate ways. Even though Diane Kruger did not want to be married to him, we do not know if this means she just never wants to be married to anyone. Spending a decade of your life with anyone (which, let’s face it, is longer than a lot of marriages last) is an accomplishment, and shows commitment. That and the fact that Diane has a lot to offer a man place her in the “good wife material” category of this list. She is a former ballerina, supporter of UNICEF, speaks multiple languages, and is even friends with her ex-husband, Guillaume Canet. This last point is important because it shows that should anything ever go awry in her romantic relationships, she is mature enough to maintain a friendship. It is the same way with her and her most recent ex, Joshua Jackson, according to her.

6. Chelsea Handler: Not

When you think of comedian Chelsea Handler, you probably think of booze, sex, comedy, and someone who doesn’t really have their sh*t together, even at the age of 41. And despite her successful career, which is something that most would agree is characteristic of a good wife, just being successful is not enough. She has had some relationships, and some have even lasted a few years. But none of them are even near to being long enough to show that she is capable of a lifetime of commitment. If by 41 years old you have not had more than a three or four year romance, that is saying something. Known for her sarcasm, self-deprecating humor, and criticism of A-list celebrities, Chelsea is also known for a memoir called, My Horizontal Life: A Collection of One-Night Stands. If a woman has had enough one-night stands to fill a book that she knowingly publicizes, that is a red flag if I ever saw one. She also wrote Are You There, Vodka? It’s Me, Chelsea, and Chelsea Chelsea Bang Bang. I rest my case.

5. Minka Kelly: Wife Material

One of the most naturally beautiful (but underrated) actresses in Hollywood nowadays is Minka Kelly. She most recently dated Wilmer Valderrama, but they broke up in September after only one month of dating. Before him, there was Sean Penn, Derek Jeter, Topher Grace, John Mayer, Taylor Kitsch, and a few others. Some of the hottest men out there have taken notice of the beautiful Minka, but unfortunately she remains single for the time being. This seems crazy, because she brings a lot to the table, especially when you are considering things that make a woman a good wife. The 36-year-old actress thinks that honesty is “brutally important” in a relationship, and that  so is trust. She values a man who is comfortable in his own skin, and calls herself a tomboy. She is compassionate, and on top of all of that good stuff, she loves to wakeboard, snowboard, and says that even though she didn’t go to Juilliard or theater school, she has seen and done a lot, and that makes up for it. She sounds like every guy’s dream girl, so it is a wonder she is still single.

4. Lindsay Lohan: Not

It is probably not very shocking to find Lindsay Lohan as a part of this list, in with the other women who do not have the qualities (or enough of them) to be considered wife material. It is a shame, because she started off so sweet, playing twins Hallie and Annie in The Parent Trap when she was just 11 years old. This was her breakout role, and although it led to her fame, ultimately she wound up in rehab and now she is never in any movies, at all. The girl who is a redheaded knockout (on her good days) is known for her partying, stints in rehab, and being arrested for DUI’s. Lindsay is single at 30 (but rumored to be hanging out with her manager), and maybe since her idol is Marilyn Monroe, that explains a few things. Her theory on life sums up why she is not good wife material: “Life is full of risks anyway; why not take them?” To an extent, risks can be healthy, but not with her mindset or history.

3. Katharine McPhee: Wife Material

The runner up in American Idol 2006 (to Taylor Hicks), the adorable Katharine McPhee does it all. She of course has the voice of an angel, but her fame led to acting parts, as well, most notably in movies like The House Bunny and especially the television show Scorpion. At 32, Katharine has shown her true character countless times, such as when she overcame the eating disorder bulimia, and was a struggling actress before American Idol, doing everything in her power to make her dreams come true, and often suffering because of it. That is true dedication. She loves classical music, set up a fund to finance a school in Africa, and is a die-hard football fan (the San Francisco 49’ers). What guy wouldn’t want all that? She is a strong woman who is an advocate for women’s issues, standing up for what she believes in. And finally, this awesome would-be wife (who was, in fact, previously married for six years to Nick Cokas) wants to have “like, 15 babies” (according to her). That means a big family, as well as a lot of time in the bedroom! Wife material? I think so!

2. Caitlyn Jenner: Not

This list’s final person who is most definitely not good wife material is Caitlyn (formerly Bruce) Jenner. First of all, the obvious: she was a husband for nearly a quarter of a decade to Kris Jenner, and married twice before that (to women). A fourth wife would (judging only by the facts) not likely last “till death do they part”. Furthermore, Caitlyn/Bruce has not yet had gender reassignment surgery, and no one knows for sure even which gender she will date after she completes her transition. At 67 years old, while we applaud her courage to make such a huge life change, it sounds like Caitlyn may not know for herself what she truly wants, and even if she did, she should probably be focusing solely on herself at such a time, and not in finding a fourth spouse. Between the confusion of transitioning, the reality shows, the spotlight, the humongous and overly-involved family, and her age, she does not make great (or even adequate) wife material. That is a whole lot of baggage, if you ask me.

1. Kate Middleton: Wife Material

Catherine Middleton, Duchess of Cambridge, gets the first spot on this list. She is the ultimate example of what a woman should strive to be as a wife. Kate has everything a man could want in a life partner: she is beautiful, loving, strong, a good mother, athletic, and is able to put up with the pressures and expectations of being a new member of the Royal Family. And she does it all with grace. The 34-year-old wife of Prince William and mother of Harry and Charlotte is a fashion icon, gives a lot of time to various charities around the world, and no one can say a bad word about her. Sure, photos have surfaced of her partying when she was younger, or when her skirt blew up in the wind or a paparazzi photographed her without her bikini top while on a private vacation. But as far as scandals go, that is it, and compared to other celebrities and royalty, that is nothing, especially when the vultures intentionally seek it out. I cannot think of a more stunning and graceful woman to be the best example of wife material than Princess Kate.

Source: people.com