How To Address Your Almost Perfect Guy's Flaws

So, you've scored a great boyfriend--except there's this little blip, like he's obsessed with his hair, or he wears hideous bling. Other people probably don't see the flaw, but it drives you freakin' nuts. Let us help.

It isn't like you'd dump the guy over his minor shortcoming, especially since everything else about him is so awesome. But to be honest, as hard as you try, you just can't overlook it. Perhaps, back when you first started dating, you forgave his quirk or even considered it kind of cute, but now it's just driving you crazy. The problem is, guys have egos. So, you have to be smart about how you go about fixing his fault. "There are ways to tweak the small stuff that irks you about a man--you just have to be subtle and make him think he's changing out of his own free will," explains Barton Goldsmith, PhD, author of Emotional Fitness For Intimacy.

On that premise, we had experts give strategic tricks for eliminating a bunch of real women's guy gripes. If you have an issue, chances are, it's in this mix.

He's perfect, but...he calls everyone 'chief.'

"It doesn't matter who it is--everybody is 'chief.' He even gives me this nickname for one of the guys!" --Patty, 30

The Fix: Ask him why he calls everyone that. He'll probably say he doesn't know, so just come back with "Oh, it seems a little old-fashioned. My lolo used to do the same thing when he was going senile and couldn't remember names." Now that you've planted the idea that he sounds dated, he'll feel self-conscious about his chief habit, and it'll fade.

He's perfect, but...he wears fugly man jewelry.

"My guy dresses well, except for his accessories. They look like they belong in my jewelry box, not on him." --Melissa, 29

The Fix: Next time he wears his flair, enlist a girlfriend to poke fun at him gently by saying "I could have sworn I saw that in a women's store at the mall. Is that where you got it?" If that doesn't get him to put away the accessories, ask a second friend to tease him with "Well, your girlfriend doesn't have to worry about girls hitting on you with that around your neck." It's sneaky, but he's more likely to take wardrobe suggestions from women he doesn't know. Plus, you get the point across without having to be the bad guy.

He's perfect, but...he quotes movies 24/7.

"The first couple of times he quipped 'Life is like a box of chocolates...,' it was hilarious. The 50th time, I wanted to tear my hair out." --Sunshine, 22

The Fix: Say in a joking manner, "Let me take you to a movie, so you can get some new lines." Guys relate through humor, so he'll get the message without feeling hurt. If he still doesn't stop, start talking back to him in annoying chick-flick speak. It will take only a few "You complete me"s to get him to wave the white flag.

He's perfect, but...he has really bad body odor.

"My guy reeks on a regular basis. I love a manly man, but his smell is too potent for me and anyone else with a functioning nose." --Marie, 21

The Fix: Bring him a potent deodorant soap and tell him the scent turns you on, so you'd love it if he used it. Then, suggest a sexy shower, during which you lather him up with your gift. Chances are, he'll start associating the soap with sex, and he's more likely to get clean if he thinks it'll lead to, um, getting a little dirty (sorry, we couldn't help ourselves).

He's perfect, but...he forgets to brush his teeth.

"My boyfriend and I have been living together for three months, and I rarely see him brush his teeth. He could be doing it when I'm not around, but sometimes his breath smells really foul. To make things worse, he says he hates anything mint-flavored." --Sarah, 20

The Fix: Scare him straight with a little subterfuge (hey, it's for the greater good): Relay a horror story about how one of your sister's guy friends, close in age to him, didn't brush often enough and wound up with rotten teeth that required thousands of pesos in dental fees, plus massive mouth pain. If his bad breath still crops up, offer him a cinnamon candy by passing it from your mouth to his. The seductive twist hides the fact that you're trying to mask his bad breath.

Go to the next page to read more pet peeves and how to fix them.

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