Dating Tips for Men: Dos and Don’ts on First Date
Your first date could make or break your relationship, so I’d suggest you go through these first date do’s and don’ts for guys if you truly want to impress her. Here’s a lowdown on what to expect on a first date, the common missteps and pitfalls, to help you nail that all important first impression!!
If you find it easy to land that first date but are not able to follow it up with the next one, you seriously need to look into these tips. The first impression is crucial and if you mess it up, you’re never going to see her again.
Top Date Tips: Hands Off
It’s important to know the limits for physical touch on the first date. So how much is considered too much? If you follow the latest TV shows and movies, you’d get a different message, but if you want a solid and lasting relationship, go slow is what I’d say.
- Playful touching is okay, but don’t overstep the line.
Tip: For instance, you could hold her hand while she’s getting out of the car or hold her lower back while moving through a crowd. That’s perfectly acceptable.
- No slimy, creepy touches. Of course, elbow touching on an armrest in a movie hall could fall under incidental touching. Convey warmth rather than sexual attraction on the first date.
Touch is not undesirable, instead it is inevitable in a relationship, but it should be natural and spontaneous on the first date. This is a sign of healthy respect for the lady, but also indicates an attraction for potential closeness at a future date.
Be a Gentleman
Chivalry is not necessarily outdated. As part of first date advice, manners and respect for your date still goes a long way towards a lasting relationship.
- When considering first date etiquette, make proper reservations for dinner, theater, a game or whatever.
- Be on time to pick her up and do get out of the car and go to the door.
- Open doors for her – all doors, period.
- Keep eye contact, especially when she’s talking to you. You cannot spend the evening staring at your boots, but don’t stare at her long or hard.
- Be on your best behavior with the waitress, the bartender the cab driver. Rude behavior to them could send a red alert to her.
(Source – etsy.com)
- As part of first date tips for men, get into the right mindset. Wear the right clothes. Take breath mints. Put on a good quality spray. You get the drift.
Paying Compliments – First Date Advice
Make sure your compliments don’t come across as cheesy. Your girl has probably put in plenty of thought and effort in dressing to please you. Again, don’t repeat compliments. It could sound insincere.
- How to compliment a woman on your first date? Compliment her on her clothes; her hair but take care not to overdo it. A few thoughtful and true compliments will suffice. For instance, “ You look even more attractive than what you seem in your pictures”. “What a lovely smile you have”.
- You could even try making the compliment more specific. For instance, ‘that’s a lovely color of nail polish that you’re wearing’. It’s more flattering when you mention details.
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Relieving the Tension
- Put your new girlfriend at ease. Tell a humorous story or a joke or just play a silly game. Crack spontaneous jokes. Getting her to laugh is the best way to break tension and a second date is guaranteed!
Tip: For instance, “I have a few quick questions to ask you to ensure that you’re not a psychopath”. It helps break the ice. Be well groomed
What to do on a First Date? Conversation Tips for First Date
- This doesn’t mean you shouldn’t talk about yourself. By all means tell her about yourself. Talk about your dreams and ambitions, your life goals, so that she gets to know you. But do not be a braggart.
- Ask her questions about her favorites: favorite food; hobby; music and so on. If you find that you both love chocolate chip cookies, you’ve started bonding.
- Do not talk politics and do not lie at any cost on first time dating a girl.
- No talk about exes or past relationships, not on the first date at least.
Tip: Don’t tell her the number of girlfriends you’ve been with. It’s not something you share on your first date.
First Date Ideas
Check out these top first date ideas that can make your dating experience fun and help you bond better. If you want to plan something outdoors, make sure she’ll like it. It wouldn’t do to take her to a museum if she’s bored to tears by that sort of thing. Think about her interests before planning activities on your first date.
- Where to go on a first date? Bowling is good for casual vibes. There’s a lot of background noise, but that eases the pressure of having to talk with each other non-stop.
- What are some other things to do on a first date? A movie, theater, an aquarium, sports events are good options.
- Dinner at a fancy restaurant. Tried and tested idea to get to know each other well. However, lunch would be better, so you have the rest of the day to go somewhere else.
- Go sight seeing in your city or just take a walk in the park.
Activities are important on a first date, but the key to a successful first date is to have a good time with each other.
First Date Rules: Sit Next to Each Other
(Image – thecitybachelor.com)
Many couples opt to sit facing each other on their first date. In my opinion, this looks more like a job interview, not a romantic outing. Avoid it.
- Sit next to each other to get a personal vibe.
- If it’s a four-chair table, sit at 90 degrees from each other. And allow her to sit down first, before taking the seat next to her.
First Date Etiquette – Using Your Smartphone
Your date surely doesn’t want to come at a second place to your phone. Your phone could be the cause of that first date disaster. If you’re going to be turning your attention to pings, emails and notifications, you’re not going to have good first dates. You’re not Donald Trump. Your calls and emails can wait. 😊
- Don’t keep glancing at your phone every few minutes. It sends a message that you’re bored with the conversation or itching to go off somewhere else. It’s plain impolite!!
- If you must check your phone, let her know and explain the reason and excuse yourself for a while.
Bottom Line: You can use your phone the polite way. But be sure to put your date ahead of what’s going on in your phone. It’s a classic customer service line – Pay attention to the customer in front of you and allow the telephone to ring!
Paying for the Check
Do you reach out frantically for the check? Or do you let her pay? What’s the paying etiquette?
- It’s better to be upfront on this. Decide on the matter before hand. It takes out much of the embarrassment by making payment preferences clear right from the beginning.
Tip: You could mention it while inviting her out: Say, let’s go for dinner this Friday night. My treat! Or Drinks on me! Or Could we split the check?
(Image – threematches.com)
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Kiss on First Date: Yes or No?
When considering dating advice, it’s not wrong and it’s not right either. It’s dicey. Most guys would love to kiss the girl on the first date. Most girls might find the question confusing. A kiss shows that the relationship is slightly intimate.
- She might want to go slow and might not want to kiss someone she’s been with only for a few hours.
- A kiss on the first date could complicate matters. Better to know each other a little more before making a commitment. Then again, there’s the fear of rejection.
- The pressure of the conventional kiss at the end of the date could actually kill the fun. Just enjoy the first date to keep the stress out.
- It all depends on the kind of girl and the go signals she’s giving you. Some girls think a guy is not interested or weird if he doesn’t kiss her. Others find a guy who waits for that first kiss rather sweet.
Wrap Up
You might have endless number of questions before that first date. It is most unfortunate that men overlook most of these tips on their first date. The first date is rather tricky and we all know that first impressions are important.
It’s OK to stumble a bit on your first date. First dates are rather difficult and the conversation could get awkward sometimes. But if you follow these tips, your date will begin to feel more relaxed and you can start enjoying the day. Be confident. Have fun. Turn off your phone. Be a gentleman.
It’s not something that you learn at school. You just have to jump in and play it by ear or improvise on these tips. There’s no one size fits all but these tips are a great place to start with! So, are you ready for Friday night?
