Strange situation: Have you ever been magnetically attracted to

[TimeMachineLust]

a stranger purely because of a strong physical resemblance to someone else?

I've just had an odd experience that I've never had before.

I went to a board room type business meeting with a large number of people I'd not met before. A man there looked exactly like an toxic ex of mine especially round the eyes. It was almost like it was his twin. My level of attraction to this stranger was bizarrely strong.

The ex in question was one of those great sex, insane chemistry but narcissistic on/off bastard types. I haven't seen him for years as a conscious decision.

I couldn't take my eyes off this man (who I know nothing about). We had that whole locked eyes thing across from each other. I know this was entirely because of me (it wasn't a two way thing) - I was fascinated by him because I was seeing my ex. So I was speaking in this meeting and having to make an strained effort to drag my eyes towards other people. God knows what he thought. He probably thought overnight he'd become a sex god!

What the hell was that about? I'm assuming its some sort of sexual imprinting.

Has this every happened to anyone else?

(Btw - this is not someone I'll ever see again so that's not the issue but it's really bothered me as its made me think about my ex - strongly)

My mums second husband was almost identical to my dad.

It's not that odd really is it? Someone has such a strong resemblance to someone and you are shocked by it. Then you look for differences.

I have 2 friends who I thought were sisters. We met at work. They are just friends. It quite odd to watch them. But not shocking

It was just the power of the attraction rather than the resemblance that shocked me. I was feeling the same strength of chemistry to a total stranger that I did towards someone who meant something to me.

Interesting question! I don't think I've ever been attracted to someone on the basis of their visual resemblance to someone else, but I am a
bit face-blind anyway. But I have definitely experienced attraction based on someone's voice or their mannerisms.

EG - Giancarlo Esposito, who played Gus in Breaking Bad, has a way of being very still when he is listening to someone, and then when he does move it has 10x the impact. I had a fling with someone who held themselves similarly and I find it insanely attractive.

Funnily enough Terry Pratchett mayherestinpeace wrote similar about Vetinari, I think it was in "Jingo". Something like "His sudden relaxation only drew attention to the lack of movement and tension in the previous moment." Sorry I'm not at home so can't look up the exact quote!

I have a long time ex (still friends 20+ yrs) All his girlfriend's and his wife look like me. I don't think I made a huge impression, I think he has a strong physical type he likes, and he just doesn't fancy anything different. It made me feel personality less when we were dating.

I once had an interview with a bloke with the EXACT same voice as my ex. They looked nothing alike but the voice was identical. If I'd closed my eyes I wouldnt have known ot wasn't him.
The Ex was a cunt and all the way through my interview I was in a fit of internal rage.
I didnt get the job

A couple of times. I went to a show and one of the actors looked identical to my 1st DH. My mum was with me and she asked for a pic with him and when he put his arm around me for the pic, wow, it was like electric.

Next time was during a layover at an airport and I locked eyes with a man that was sitting across from me, and I felt extremely attracted to him. He didn't really look like anyone I knew.

It's was odd as I'm normally not attracted to many men.

Not quite the same thing but once I worked in a job where a new man started and whenever he came into the office where I worked, he would always stare at me.
My colleagues notice and teased me that he fancied me which I thought was quite flattering as he was good looking and about ten years younger than me.
I then saw him out with his wife one day and she looked exactly like I had done 10 years earlier. The resemblance was so uncanny it was actually disconcerting.
He clearly had a type.

Yes. I once had a ridiculous crush on a girl because she bore a striking resemblence to a lad I'd previously had a crush on!

My dad's second wife bore a striking resemlence to my mum. The day I met her, she was wearing almost the identical outfit that my mum had been wearing when i left the house too!

Yes, but I already knew that I had a very distinct type, I used to work with someone who looked just like my partner at the time. I am also the spitting image of my exs ex boyfriend.

Yes. I had a strong crush on a colleague who looked very like an ex. it was like a total fantasy...I was smitten and couldn't stop staring at the colleague but I suddenly had a flash of memory that they looked uncannily like my ex...even had little mannerisms the same...I hardly knew this colleague but couldn't stop thinking about them it was sort of tortuous

A few months after my first long term relationship broke up, my then-ex started seeing someone who could easily have been my (slightly younger) sister. They stayed together for about the same length of time. More recently I had a disconcerting experience when I met someone with a very strong physical resemblance to another ex, my children’s father (however, he seems to be a much nicer person than that ex was).

I've had the lightning bolt thing a couple of times.

I've only had the lightning bolt once. Like nothing l've ever experienced before. Stopped me and him, and me, in our tracks. We both admitted it to each other but we were both in ltrs so it never went anywhere. I still think about him sometimes, and wonder if he thinks about me.

I met someone last year through online dating. Something about his photos reminded me of my first boyfriend. I was attracted to him on the first date (the online dating guy).

I think a lot of us have an image in our heads of an ideal type and I'd love to know where it comes from. My ideal physical type closely resembles a lad I went to primary school with, I didn't like him as he wasn't a pleasant person to hang around with.

I have had lightening bolt once, I walked into my new job and the guy at the next desk - WOW! He wasn’t even that great looking but my only thought was “that’s him”. We were both in relationships at the time but we got on well and I think he liked me too. The connection was insane. We both married other people, he’s now divorced I believe. It’s my biggest regret.

Also... I totally stalk him on twitter now despite being married with 2 kids 🙈

I had the thunderbolt once in work and it was the weirdest thing ever. He had to come and speak to me at my desk in an open plan office and it was if we had known each other all our lives despite only just having met.

It was so apparent that after he’d gone colleagues asked how we knew each other as we’d seemed so close.

Strangest thing ever!

Not the same, but my ex partner it was a love at first sight situation. I’ll never forget the feeling I felt when I seen him. It was a fucking train wreck like you wouldn’t believe, but the feeling was remarkable. Though in love and stable, I don’t think I’ll ever experience that intensity ever ever again!

*though in love and a stable relationship now sorry. So yes it was like a thunderbolt lightening storm on that night and from what others have said he was actually what I would describe as my perfect man. So he must have been my perfect image!