All really interesting ideas. I think it can be summarized as:
1) Novelty can implyl attractiveness. Signaling being open to novelty may be a hope to proxy being novel (hence the "never wear any makeup", "cut your hair short")
2) The process of romance elucidates that the overtness of being so far on the pendulum swing is not actually representative of reality. Referring to point 1 hints that its actually virtue signalling is an attempt to appear novel to the other party.