Five First Date Dressing Tips: How to Make a Positive Impact

Let’s face it, first dates are something of a potential nightmare. Every iota of your being is unprepared for the travails and fears that await your first interaction no matter how confident you may claim to be.

In your mind you may have the entire evening mapped out and your hopes and aspirations, be they short or long-term, will be sky high. That seems only right as clearly the meeting you are about to undertake is one you specifically arranged as opposed to connecting on a random night out.

Dressing to Impress

Whatever anyone might tactfully say, the way you look on your first date is crucial and you wouldn’t want to leave anything to chance. You want to make an impact but at the same time this is perhaps not the evening to go out on a limb with a fashion choice that is too left of center.

In many ways you can use this first date to let your outfit reflect who you are and clearly if you are an extrovert then there’s no need to hide behind a pretence, let your outfit do the talking.

Similarly if you are something of a wallflower then a monotone, understated option could send similar useful subconscious information to your date.

Be Comfortable, But Not too Comfortable

Maybe you have a favorite dress or top, something you might consider your ‘lucky’ garment, this could be the time to give that outfit a spin. However don’t dress too dowdy or too ‘relaxed’, you want to ‘look comfortable’, without it appearing the case.

The reason for this is to set your mind at ease, to help you be the best you that you can be and the way you feel mentally could be key to the way the date progresses. You are likely to be more than just a little nervous and as such trying to keep yourself at ease with your fashion choices would be a useful way to allay your nerves.

Keep it Simple

A little black dress, nice skinny (but not too skinny) jeans and a sharp shirt, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel. You can save the truly inspired and forward thinking outfits for the second date.

On your first date there’s no need to think outside the box. That isn’t to say you shouldn’t look like you’ve put in the effort, but try to keep things simple. Tried and tested outfits that you know work well and make the most of your assets, this is the time to reach for those and wear them with confidence.

Let Your Outfit Reflect the Conversation

Another useful tip would be to let your outfit reflect the communication you’ve had prior to your first face to face meeting.

If you are about to meet your first date for the first time but have had a great deal of communication, be that talking over the phone or in text or chat form, then it would be a good idea to reflect the conversational tone you’ve maintained up to that point.

Perhaps you’ve been in regular contact since meeting via a dating app or site, and in many ways you’ve already gotten to know one another very well, so this is the chance to dress in a way that is indicative of that conversation.

This date could well be the best way to prove the value of the cost of your eharmony account, so make it worthwhile by giving a great first impression on your opening date.

Casual Covers All Bases

Now it’s quite possible that your first date is a deliberately low key affair, maybe both parties aren’t trying to make a big deal out of the occasion, and the date itself might even be a simple coffee and not a four-course meal in a fancy restaurant.

It’s all about expectations when it comes to first dates and those who look to reduce those expectations in the first place are clearly trying to pull off something of a damage limitation exercise.

These dates are more about feeling each over out to see if there is room to grow in the friendship or connection that has been made up until this point, this cagey approach is actually a very sensible icebreaker.

What Now?

Once your first date is over you’ll be considering your options. If the first date is a massive first obstacle on an assault course, then the dates that follow (should you want to meet up for subsequent dates) are something of a walk in the park.

The ‘hard work’ is out of the window and now you can get to know each other in a far more relaxing way and the more you get to know one another the more you can let your clothes choices do the talking.