It used to be that the perfect white-collar doctor, lawyer, investment banker was the choice for successful career woman. But how times are changing. These days, more and more female professionals and executives are choosing to pair up with blue-collar men like firemen, carpenters, carpenters, and trade and mining men.

Women no longer have to depend on a man to take care of them financially. Women are landing well-paying jobs once reserved for men only, allowing them to follow their hearts and not just their heads. And trade and mining men are the new studs.

After all chemistry has nothing to do with how similar your salaries or backgrounds are. So why not take the leap and go for a man you really find attractive and interesting? With trade and mining men, you don’t have to feel as though you need to impress him as much as you might have to with a white collar man. At the same time, white collar men can become competitive and not enjoy the fact that you may make more money than them. A blue collar trade or mining man can take care of you in the old-fashioned way; with his physical prowess, so he’s less likely to care about your salary.

On the flip side, white collar men can sometimes find the need to constantly impress you; with cars, fancy watches, and expensive restaurants. But in the words of J.LO, love don’t cost a thing. As long as a couple shares the same core values, then whether they’re blue-collar or not won’t matter. Plus there’s something sexy about dating someone who does something that’s so different than what you’re used to.

Having your family approve may be difficult, but that doesn’t mean they won’t eventually when they see how happy you are. It’s important not to hold pre-conceived notions of what you think trades or mining man is like. Just because someone is blue-collar doesn’t mean they’re uneducated or not smart. You might also encounter some difficulties from his family who may perceive you as being uppity.

But at the end of the day an emotional, spiritual connection is more than just the sum of your professions or income levels.