We’ve all heard the saying: “you never get a second chance to make a first impression”, so it’s vital to make the most of those first few minutes on a date, and the key to making a good first impression lies just as much in your attitude as your appearance. Here’s our guide to ensuring that you leave a positive and lasting impression on your date!
Arrive on Time
First and foremost, don’t be late! Being punctual is important in all aspects of your life: social, professional and romantic. It shows that you are organised, a forward-thinker and that you care enough to make an effort; three things which will all go down well with a date! Setting this good impression also communicates that you expect the same in return, meaning your date will make the effort too. Make sure you forward-plan and you’re sure of exactly where and when you’re meeting and the best route to get there. Leave plenty of time to get ready to avoid any last-minute flusters!
Dress to Impress
We’ve all experienced a pre-going out, I’ve-got-nothing-to-wear style breakdown. Whether you’re a guy or a gal, sometimes the pressure to look good all gets too much and we come to the conclusion that we’ve had enough of combing through every inch of our wardrobes and we’d just rather not go at all. In reality, it’s a completely unnecessary pre-date stress, which can easily be avoided with a little planning:
- Comfort - You’ll need to feel comfortable in what you’re wearing to really relax and enjoy yourself, so think about what kind of date you’re going on. For example, you don’t want to wear a cocktail dress and heels to hit the bowling alley – it’ll leave you feeling very uncomfortable and your date will definitely notice how frequently you’re tugging your dress down!
- Friend’s verdict - Get the verdict from your friends and see how comfortable you feel first.
- Stick to what you know suits you - You don’t want to trial a brand new, really brave trend on your first date either; you’ll spend the whole night checking yourself out. Leave that job to your date!
Keep Conversation Light
Remember, the first date is all about getting to know someone new and intriguing. While you’ll want to ask the basic questions like what they do for work, if they have any hobbies, where they’ve travelled to etc., you don’t want to make them feel like you’re interviewing them for a job. Remember, you don’t need to fill every silence with a comment or a question. You can learn just as much by listening; responding appropriately shows that you have an opinion and that you’re interested in what they have to say. Dating should be fun, so keep things light and upbeat and avoid political debates or stories about past relationships.
Pay Attention to Body Language
Supposedly when you’re attracted to someone, you subconsciously focus on their lips. Your eyes are naturally drawn to the movement of their mouth as they talk, making the lips one of the first facial features we notice in the opposite sex. Bearing this in mind, you want to make sure you’ve got the basics covered! Applying an everyday lip therapy such as Prevasore will help keep lips soft and supple, so there’s no need to feel self-conscious if you catch your date looking at them. Also, don’t underestimate the importance of your smile – it’s a key sign when signalling if you like someone. You can tell if it’s a genuine smile by seeing if they smile with their eyes as well as their mouth. You can spot this by the creases that appear by the sides of the eyes.
Avoid Your Phone
It goes without saying – constantly looking at your phone while you’re in company comes across as rude and makes you appear disinterested. It signals to your date that something or someone is more interesting than them and that you’d rather be somewhere else. Why not leave your phone in your bag or your pocket so that you’re not tempted to scroll down your Instagram feed or respond to messages in the group chat. If you really need to send a text or let your friends know how the date’s going, excuse yourself and go to the bathroom.
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