Boost your marriage chances

The lovelorn girls of Sex And The City might like to put the latest selfhelp book to take the US by storm on their Christmas list.

Why Men Marry Some Women - And Not Others claims its advice will improve a singleton's chance of snaring a husband by 60 per cent.

It warns that women in their thirties who have been holding out for their long-term partner to propose could be wasting their time. It also lists the attributes a commitment-friendly fellow looks for in a partner, and how to alter dress and behaviour to trigger an almost-instant proposal.

The book will go on sale in the new year in Britain, where the number of singletons is set to rise from 11 million to 16 million over the next seven years.

"To be on the safe side, a woman should seriously start looking for a husband in her late twenties," says the author, US image consultant John Molloy-"The pool of men shrinks with time and it becomes more difficult to meet them." He adds: "After 18 months of a relationship, the chances that a man will propose drop by 50 per cent." Advice for women seeking to find a prospective husband includes:

If you find yourself in a dead-end relationship, move on.

Dress in an understated way - jeans and a pretty top are better than a too-revealing dress.

If you want to impress a man, show genuine concern for his future, his health and his career.

Never speak of marriage, children or your future together during the first half-a-dozen dates.

Mr Molloy says his book is designed to show women how to win a marriage proposal with "subtle and not so subtle pressure".