As much as I appreciate the sentiment of knowing what a guy likes, and as much as I appreciate Mystery Man answering (as well as all of the other guys on this site), I have to say, it bothers me a little bit that it was even asked. What about just wearing what you want and if a guy digs it, awesome, and if he doesn't, he wasn't the right guy for you. Find a guy who likes everything about you, and don't pay attention to the rest.
I'm sorry for seeming harsh, maybe I'm in an off mood tonight. Regardless, I hope that gives someone some food for thought.

If you're in an off mood don't judge..go make a tea and go to sleep...

i love red lipstick on girls, it says a lot about your confidence. somehow though, i can't pull it off, makes me look clowny. maybe i'm not confident enough to pull it off, i don't know but i have tried a LOT of shades and it just isn't me. i MUST always have dark nails though, usually red, my current fave shade is called Valentine by Revlon. i'm a beauty writer too. so, what i know is that the cosmetic giants will tell you that there is a red lipstick for everybody. what i say when i write about wearing red lipstick is to go with your complexion like MM said. if you have a cooler complexion (look better in pinks,purples, blues, greens, general gem tone shades, you get the drift) go with the shades with blue undertones. like the plums and burgundy''s you mention. if you have a warmer complexion, look better in browns, reds, yellows, and some greens like olive, go with the tones that have yellow undertones. like the earthier shades, there are many in every line. test the shade on the inside of your wrist in the store with the tester before you buy. if it kind of blends into your skin tone, it is a good shade for you, if it pops out or looks streaky, wrong color. NEVER put lipstick tester on your lips. ALWAYS wear lip liner the shade of your lips before you put on the red, even if it is not the same shade as your lipstick. a little lipstick trick is to fill in your ENTIRE lip with your lip liner before you put the shade on, will make a world of difference when it comes to staying power. as well, the infallible lines by L'Oreal, or there is a Revlon line out there that promises 16 hour wear, the brand escapes me as I have a 10 week old kitten wreaking havoc on my desk and keyboard right now that is doing everything he can to get my attention. anyway, i've tested both of those lines as far as staying power and they last as long as they say they do. if you've never tried red lipstick or darker shades before, my tip is to once you find the shade you like, first try it on a day when you are not going anywhere, and wear it all day at home. this makes you more comfortable in it and more confident to go out in it when the time comes. remember too if you go bold on the smiles, go easy on the eyes, but you can off set that by throwing on some awesome eye catching earrings, as they fall in the same line of vision as your eyes.