A first date is an experience you’ll never get back with that person. So making a nice first impression is very important. You want the person to know you but not so much that you scare them away. However, it’s a little complicated when you don’t know what you say or do might impress a person or gross them out. Of course, you’re supposed to be yourself, and if people can’t accept you then you’re better off without them. But we all want our dates to like us and find us attractive.
When two people graduate from harmless flirting to taking the decision to go out with each other in a romantic setting, it means both are serious enough about the date. You may have liked each other in the past or not known each other well; it does not matter. Now that the two of you are assembled and sitting next to him with an intent of knowing your date better, the two of you will observe the way you act and analyze each move. If he is bothering to behave politely, it’s obvious that you should too. In that case, what else can you do to appeal to your date?
Suggested read: 10 compelling reasons why you seldom make it past the first date
Here are 16 first date tips for women that won’t let you go wrong if you are trying to dazzle your date:
1. Make yourself smell nice.
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There’s something so enticing about a good fragrance. You are easily attracted to people who greet your olfactory senses pleasingly. Don’t immerse yourself in body spray; that way they will be gasping for fresh air if they stay next to you for too long. At first, take a proper shower and clean yourself well, especially around the joints. This should be done even when you aren’t going out on a date. Just dab a little perfume of your choice behind the ears, neck, wrists, and cleavage. If you happen to sweat too much in certain areas, use an antiperspirant. Make sure your hair smells good too so that if he happens to stand close to you, whatever he inhales, makes him long to get even closer to you. And make sure the perfume is mild so that it doesn’t mask every other smell.
2. Be punctual.
You don’t want to seem over eager and reach before time. You may delay by 5-10 minutes, not more than that. You are just plain annoying if you turn up 30 minutes late or more. Would you feel nice waiting alone for your date to turn up for too long? So, don’t do that to another person.
3. Dress in colors that look nice on you.
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It doesn’t always have to be red, black, gold or something too sexy. However, if black happens to be your color, go for it. Lighter pastel shades like baby blue or lilac seem very pleasant too, especially if you’re going out in the day. Neutral colors like beige, light yellow, grey, and khaki look very subtly sexy as well. Just choose a color that makes you feel like yourself.
4. Wear the right outfit.
Appearance doesn’t mean everything. However, the way you dress speaks a little about the kind of person you are. The first thing that he will notice is how you are dressed and what your face looks like. Be yourself but don’t overdo anything. Don’t wear outfits that you feel too uncomfortable in or you can’t breathe in. Wear something that’s not too tight or loose and flatters your figure. Choose an outfit that goes with the place where you are going. If you’re going out to dine in a fancy restaurant, you don’t sport a tee and cargo pants just the way you don’t wear a cocktail dress to hiking or bowling. If you happen to not love dressing up, it’s not a problem. While we ask you not to overdo it, making a little bit of effort to look nice never hurts, no matter where you are going. Minimal things like clean, shiny hair, exfoliated lips, dirt-free fingernails, and a hint of eyeliner always look nice.
5. Breathe, relax, and smile.
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Don’t worry or feel anxious. Now that you are done with your appearance, put a smile on your face. They say a smile is the best accessory you can have. Every woman looks lovely with a smile. It makes you seem more approachable and less intimidating. No one likes a sullen, rude date. Even if you are not a cheerful ray of sunshine, a tiny smile doesn’t hurt. Don’t forget that there’s pressure on your date to look good and seem fine as well.
6. Make conversation.
Awkward silences can’t not be awkward at the very beginning of a date. Talk to him, get to know him better, question him about his tastes and interests. Let him know about yours, answer his questions but don’t reveal everything about yourself. And, do not dominate the conversation. That is the sign of a good conversationalist. Keep the exchange light, ask him about hobbies or about favorite musicians or writers. Avert topics like politics or religion or anything he might feel too strongly about. Don’t feel shy about showing your personality. Are you obsessed with watching a certain dreadful TV show or some other guilty pleasure? Go ahead, spill. Do you want to talk about that void you feel in your soul in the dead of the night when your mind wonders about the rationale behind human existence or the universe? Not really.
7. Don’t mention exes.
The last thing you need is for him to feel uncomfortable with unnecessary details he did not ask for. Don’t blabber about your past boyfriends or give away too much information. He might think that you consider him as a rebound guy. Don’t ask him about his exes, he might find you too prying. And a first date is too soon to feel jealous about exes. Talk to and about each other, not other people.
Suggested read: 10 topics you should avoid like the plague, on the first date!
8. Pay attention to your date.
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You don’t want to seem preoccupied by your surroundings, more importantly by your phone. There’s nothing worse than when you talk to a person and their eyes happen to be not on your face but their phone. Reading texts and checking your Instagram feed can wait. If it can’t wait, then maybe you are not yet ready to interact with three-dimensional people. If anyone has to urgently contact you, they will call you, don’t worry.
9. Eat properly.
Not only does this refer to following basic table etiquette like chewing with your mouth closed and using cutlery properly, it refers to what you eat as well. If you order a salad and eat half of that, it’s not going to make you appear skinny or pretty suddenly. You’ll look the same if you ordered real food and ate without wasting it. Otherwise, your date might think that you have a weird eating disorder or something. A woman who can enjoy her food without being too self-conscious is more appealing than one that is too full of inhibitions. Also, eat a sufficient amount only. You don’t want to be very full; you must be nervous already. Moreover, please don’t eat from your date’s plate unless he offers or insists. He may not want to share his food and since this is your first date, you might want to maintain a safe distance.
10. Don’t drink too much.
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You don’t want your senses and judgment to be impaired. Neither do you want to go home smelling of liquor and leaning heavily against him or sit crying at the dinner table. If a drink or two helps you loosen up, then go on, but know your limits.
11. Don’t whine.
No one particularly likes complainers. Even if the place turned out to be below the standard of your expectations, there must have been a reason. Maybe he thinks the place is great because the food is good or something, maybe he’s a little tight on the budget, maybe he has some kind of sentimental attachment to the place or maybe something went wrong with his plan. No matter what the reason is, the quality of a date does not depend on the amount spent on it; it depends on the company. So try to be as co-operative as possible and focus on the person, not the things. If you aren’t mature enough to understand that, you need not go out on a date.
12. Don’t fiddle or worry about how you look.
You can spend as much effort as you want to while getting ready, but don’t waste time in the washroom reapplying makeup or any other unnecessary thing. You have more significant things to care about – like how the date’s going, what he sounds like, and/or if you are enjoying yourself. He’s not going to notice your last coating of lip gloss or whatever, no offence.
13. Take your decisions.
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Neutral, diplomatic answers can be irritating. No one is asking you to make all the choices and be controlling. If he asks you a question regarding your preference, it is polite to say: It’s up to you, especially if he’s hinting at something specifically. If and when he asks you a second time without showing any inclination, be decisive and pick an option because otherwise, it will only cause an awkward back and forth, leading nowhere. Being confident about what you want makes you more desirable.
14. Deal with the bill smartly.
This can be a little awkward for you as women are conventionally supposed to let the men pay. So reach for your wallet, but if he tells you not to worry about it, drop it and just say thanks but assure him that the next meal’s on you. If he doesn’t advance towards the bill, pay it off. Best case scenario, just calculate half of the bill and tell him the amount so that you two can split it amongst yourselves. If he doesn’t cough up, just pay the remaining amount.
Remember that in today’s age, women can pay the entire bill just as men can. There’s no moral obligation for them to take care of it. Of course, common courtesy tells each of you to, at least, offer to split the bill evenly amongst yourselves. However, if your date happens to be bothered by you trying to pay your half and teases you for being ‘one of those feminist types,’ beware. You might be dealing with a misogynist here.
15. Tell him goodbye in the right way.
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This obviously depends on how you liked the date and your personality type. If you are attracted to him and ready to kiss him, give him a lingering hug and bring your face slowly close to his. You want the kiss to be tender with the right amount of tongue and you want to withdraw quickly, leaving him wanting for more. If you’re into him, let him know that you are interested in meeting him again. If you’re not ready for the kiss or if you didn’t like the date, shake hands with him and don’t mention anything about meeting later. If he leans in to kiss, turn your face to let him kiss your cheek and that should do the job.
Suggested read: The perfect way to end a first date
16. Take it easy.
Your date is over and if you are still keen on keeping up the good impression, don’t seem over-eager. You might text him about what a nice time you had but not asking him about when you will meet next is probably the best idea, especially if rejection means a great deal to you. If he happens to be interested he will certainly ask you out again.
So, it’s not too hard to impress a sensible person with these first date tips for women. Just be your best self, and that’s the most one can ask for. Obviously, every person is different. Ergo, the way to their heart is different. However, these sixteen first date tips for women are truly failpoof and the easiest way to not drive away a man you hope to pursue. Good luck!
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