Set a good first impression, dress smart!

First dates are important, it’s when you have a great opportunity to set either an excellent first impression (in person) or when you can ensure that the date ends abruptly! When I was growing up in the 80’s I remember seeing Mithun Chakraborty strutting his stuff in Disco Dancer as Jimmy, back then I thought wow I want to be just like him as he was so cool! I also recall seeing Sridevi strutting her stuff on quite a few occasions and I’d think “Grrrr”, however times move on, fashion moves on so think carefully about how you’re going to make the best first impression! You have to consider the way you dress, the way you portray who you are.

Dress smartly and you’ll “feel like a million bucks”! It sounds cliché but it’s true dress smartly and your whole demeanor changes, if you’re wearing a designer suit you might notice your posture improves, your back’s straight and you ooze with confidence, dress like Bhangraman from Goodness Gracious Me and you might find your self in a slightly squatted position doing the light bulb dance which is likely to deter most ladies. Unfortunately in this day and age you are what you wear and it’s how people make their first impressions of you.

From experience, ladies tend to have a better grip on fashion, all they need is a pair of Jimmy Choo shoes and they have it going on! But seriously women tend to get it right more often.

So guys, how do you dress to impress?

Suit up, in your collection you should have a black or navy good-quality suit, a casual jacket, a collection of plain colored cotton shirts, some smart jeans as well as a good pair of leather shoes, in black or brown and they should be in good condition!

Footwear, as mentioned above it’s very important! A woman will judge you by looking straight down at your shoes, you may not realise it but you’re being assessed through all of the minor discrepancies, missing buttons, creased clothes the list goes on. But footwear is the biggest giveaway because we men tend to think of them as necessities that should be comfortable above all else, but style is vital! If you don’t know what’s stylish simply check out some stores, what’s being displayed? Once you have your footwear selected, make sure it matches the rest of your outfit. Demonstrate that it has taken you longer than 2 minutes to get ready!

What time is it? It’s important to wear a good quality watch that is masculine. Typically this is the only piece of jewelry a man often wears, and it says alot about you. Research has shown that most women have a liking for men with large masculine sports watches, but ensure that the watch fits in with your outfit in terms of style, it’s no good wearing a smart semi casual outfit with a watch that looks so big and overly masculine that you look like you’re about to go on a mission to save the planet!

Wallet, avoid a Billabong skater type nylon wallet that opens with the loud sound of velcro tearing apart – you need a smart looking leather wallet, finally ensure it’s not stuffed with old receipts.

The smell of love, needless to say think about how you smell alot of research points out the importance it plays in landing the one! Try to avoid overly commercial & common fragrances, go for something that stands out so that your date associates that gorgeous aroma with you. Don’t be afraid to round up a few of the counter girls at the fragrance stand and get their opinions; they should know what smells good.

So the message? Fix up look sharp, dress smart but casual it’s not that hard to set a great first impression.

Related Article:

- First Date Do’s and Don’ts