@shortstories farmer's tan, as opposed to the paleness of a shut-in. handsome also used to mean 'good with his hands' as in able to do many kinds of labor, so the whole phrase is just a way of saying "strength, both innate and cultivated" so naturally that's what women like.
i don't know how old the phrase itself is, but this is probably the sense in which it originally got picked up if it's older than say 70-80 years. if it emerged later it still could have meant what i'm saying but is probably kike propaganda and meant just what you think.