A committed couple can be viewed as a closed unit. When a man in the relationship actively seeks visual pleasure from women outside that unit, he is directing admiration outward—someone inside the relationship is being drawn to someone outside it. In contrast, when a woman dresses in a way that others may find attractive, and she derives some pleasure from that, the attention flows in the opposite direction: someone outside the relationship is impressed by someone inside it.

The direction of attention matters.

When a man enjoys looking at other women, his attention is directed toward specific individuals. In contrast, a woman who dresses revealingly in public has no idea who will see her once she goes out.