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The first date is in the diary. Exciting. It’s time to prepare to meet the person who has virtually stolen your heart. Maybe it’s the first meeting with the person who will never let you go. The pressure is palpable and the closer you get to the moment of the date, the more you start to doubt yourself. Am I nice enough? What should I say? And more importantly: What should I wear?
Of all the aspects of a date, you have very little control over. You can prepare all sorts of questions for your date , but in the heat of the moment you forget them. One of the few aspects you do have control over? How you look, and especially what you wear. And no, designer clothes with a shocking price tag are not required to shine on a first date.
Even if you’ve seen photos on the dating app and shared them on WhatsApp, what you wear during the real-life meeting matters. Research shows that what you wear on a first date can create the chemistry we’re all looking for. In other words, you can never spend too little time on your first date outfit.
The first impression counts
It’s a cliché to say that first impressions count , but that’s how it really works. The standard rules for a hygienic appearance also apply to a first date. It’s so obvious that this advice almost doesn’t need to be given. After all, who goes to a first date with a shirt full of stains and a penetrating smell of old sweat? To give you a reminder of the basics, pay attention to the following.
The basic preparation
- Shower before the date
- brush your teeth
- Do your hair
- Choose a scent
- Polish your hands
- Trim your nose and ear hair (men)
- Trim your nails
- Polish your shoes
- Wash your clothes a few days in advance
- Iron your clothes before the date
- Wear clean underwear
- Buy new clothes if you don’t have anything nice lying around
What is it all about? That you are aware of what clothes you wear, what image you create with it, what you radiate and how you present yourself as attractively as possible. A pair of sweatpants with Crocs underneath will not help you. On a first date it is dress to impress . But what should you think about?
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Three lines
While we all care less and less about classic dating etiquette, there are three crucial rules for what to wear on a date:
- It has to suit you
- It must fit with what you are going to do
- It should be comfortable
With these rules in mind, your existing clothing collection is the first place to look. With your current wardrobe, you have the advantage of knowing how it fits, how it looks, but also which items are liked by others. In other words: what hangs in your closet is familiar to you.
You know what clothes make you feel good about yourself and what outfits you would take with you on a weekend getaway. The outfits that meet these criteria are a good choice for a first date.
1. Suitable for you
It is a mistake to make yourself out to be better or different than you are. Your outfit should reflect who you are, not who you pretend to be. When choosing your outfit, it is therefore better to start with the clothes you already have. You do not have to buy clothes for the occasion. The clothes you wear are in that respect no more than an extension of yourself, not a replacement.
2. Appropriate to what you are going to do
The basic thing when choosing your outfit is that it should fit the setting of the first date. For example, if you are going bowling, it is not wise to wear stilettos. Sneakers are the better choice in that case. This also applies to many other dates that have an informal character. In most cases, casual and timeless is the best choice.
Dagdate
A day date has the advantage of being more informal by nature. Day dates often happen in between, so you don’t have to dress up like you would when you go out to eat in a restaurant. Casual and comfortable are the key words for choosing the right clothing for a day date.
For men, this is a combination of sneakers, jeans and polo (or sweater). For women, the choice is somewhat larger and depends mainly on your own style. Don’t forget to bring a jacket if it’s cold outside, so that there is still the possibility of an improvised walk.
Evening date
When it comes to outfits for an evening date, it is a bit different than for a day date. Although it depends on where exactly you meet and what you are going to do, we assume a dinner in a restaurant. When choosing your outfit for a dinner, you can go a bit further than for a day date. A suit or a ball gown are not necessary, but a fancy bar or restaurant does require a bit more care and attention in the wardrobe department.
For women, this means a dress or skirt with heels underneath. For men, jeans, dress shoes and a blouse. For inspiration: this is what a man’s clothing can look like during a day and evening date:
3. It should be comfortable
Ultimately, it is also important that you feel comfortable in your outfit. You don’t want to spend the entire evening trying to pull your dress down. A first date is stressful enough without all this physical discomfort.
Go for items that are comfortable in a date environment. That means clothes that won’t restrict your movement, shoes that don’t need to be broken in, and breathable fabrics for when it’s suddenly warmer than you thought.
The very latest fashion trends
When it comes to fashion, it all depends on what is in fashion. The first date is certainly not the time to experiment with a new look. As much as you want to show that you are fashion-conscious, a timeless look is preferable to a trendy outfit on the first date.
In addition, not everyone is aware of the latest fashion trends, which can make you seem like an oddball or a fashion try-hard. You may also feel a bit more self-conscious about your unusual clothing choices. This prevents you from focusing on the date itself.
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3 tips for women
1. Not too revealing
Make sure your chosen outfit is attractive, but not too revealing. While women can be more open-minded than ever before without being looked at strangely, it is not wise to appear too sexy on a first date. Doing so will give the wrong impression. Wearing sexy clothing is still seen by men as a form of sexual availability, according to research.
For example , a 2010 study found that revealing clothing on women is interpreted by men as an interest in sex . For men, it is a form of evidence that they want to seduce a man. Women wear sexy clothing to feel more attractive, not to seduce. Men also think they can have sex faster if a woman dresses suggestively on the first date.
2. Take advantage of the Red effect
Red is traditionally associated with love and sex. Research shows that women can benefit from this specific color. Not only do women wearing red tops receive more messages from men on dating apps, but men also find women who wear the color red more attractive.
Using five psychological experiments, a study from Rochester University shows that the color red also makes men feel more attracted to women who wear red clothing. According to the study, men are not aware of the role that the color plays in the attraction they feel.
3. High heels for the win
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3 tips for men
1. Better to have knots than no knots
Women want to see that you put in the effort for the date. A plain t-shirt that you wear on any given day is not what your date is hoping for. In this interview with 100 women, it turns out that women prefer a shirt or blouse with a collar and buttons. 60% of the women surveyed like to see their date wearing a shirt with a collar, while only 15% of women say they don’t mind seeing their date in a regular t-shirt. Why?
T-shirts are often associated with ‘casual’, as if you can look that way without putting in any effort. Swapping a regular shirt for a button-up version with a collar shows that you are making an effort to look better than you would on a regular day.
2. Emphasize masculine features
The right clothing can bring out the male features a bit. Clothing like a fitted blouse can even exaggerate the male features a bit, such as broad shoulders, muscular chest, biceps and the V-shape of your torso. These are all features that women are subconsciously attracted to. It is not what will convince a woman to go on a second date , but it does help you feel more attractive.
Of course, it is not smart to wear a tight blouse if it makes your beer belly worse. Showing your masculine features sends a message of health, which is naturally one of the things women look for when choosing a partner.
3. Grab the iron
A recent study by Zoosk, an American dating app, shows that there are quite a few turn-offs when choosing what to wear on a first date. According to the study, which involved 6,600 single men and women, wrinkled clothes are the biggest clothing turn-off. A whopping 66% of singles surveyed say that wrinkled clothes are the worst thing you can wear. Maybe you don’t like ironing. But if you’re going on a date, you might as well get the iron out of the closet.
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