Written by Menswear Style in Tips & Advice on the 14th May 2018

Meeting someone new and arranging a date is an exciting time. You find yourself thinking about that special person, and you truly can’t wait to find out more about them. It’s also understandable that you might feel nervous because you want to make a good first impression, and you may begin to feel self conscious about how you look. Not to worry, this is a completely normal feeling, and can be resolved with a few simple tips and tricks, so that when the big date finally arrives, you rock up looking sharp and dressed to impress. Want to feel and look your best for your first date? Take a look at our top tips for looking sharp on a first date.

How you smell makes the world of difference 

There’s something amazing about walking by someone that you find attractive and them smelling wonderful. The same should apply for you too. We don’t need to tell you that a bath is a must before your date, but making the extra effort and picking out some cologne to spritz on will make the world of difference. If you’re not the type to usually wear cologne or you’re not sure on which smells to go for, head to a store like Boots, Selfridges or Harvey Nichols and ask for some advice from one of the shop assistants as they will have great knowledge on which smells work best and will also be able to help you pick out the perfect scent to wow your date.

Have your mop chopped 

Looking scruffy is a no no on a first date, and one of the easiest ways of achieving that look is by neglecting your hair do. Take yourself off to the barbers and have a fresh cut so that you’re looking your best for your first date. If you’re unlucky in the hair department and are already balding, then you can take steps into resolving your problem. Hair loss treatments are available from many pharmacies that simply involve you washing your hair with a hair growth promoting shampoo. Alternatively, you could ask your barber if there’s any way that they can style your hair to cover up any bald spots. Don’t forget that making sure that your beard is trimmed and neat is important too. Why not buy yourself some beard oil so that the condition of your beard immediately improves and is nice and soft? You never know if you’re going to need it to be soft if she leans in for that all magical first kiss!

Dress for the date 

A mistake that many men make is by over dressing on their first date. While you want to look your best in a fresh suit and tie, it might not fit the date that you’re going on. Make sure you’ve got a plan for your first date so that you can dress for your date rather than just throwing on your best suit and hoping for the best. You should however, make sure that you’re wearing a collar for your first date. Regardless of whether you’re wearing a suit or not, a collar is always a winner! Try to keep your shoes smart too, as your scruffy trainers certainly won’t do you any favours. Take a look at these ideas on what men should wear on a first date and see if you can pick up any inspiration. 

Be strict with your diet  

What you’re eating can have a massive impact on your final look. Make sure that in the weeks or days leading up to your date that you’re being stricter with your diet. Cutting out junk food and fizzy drinks will do wonders for your skin and help you avoid a breakout on the big day. It will also prevent you from being bloated and help you wear your clothes that little bit better. Eating healthier will also make your hair softer, your eyes brighter, and also make you feel much better within yourself, so you’ll be more likely to win her over.

Don’t overdo the bling 

Another massive mistake that many men make is by wearing all of their bling on the first date. While there’s nothing wrong with wearing some of your jewelry, you also don’t want to end up wearing more than she is. Choose one piece that will compliment your outfit, or even avoid it altogether. After all, you want her to be looking at you and not be blinded by the bling. 

Further tips 

So, now that you’re dressed to the nines, you need to begin thinking about how to impress her with your charm too. Here are some tips on how to win her over: 

Bring flowers: it’s not a must but making your date feel like a million dollars will definitely go in your favour. They don’t have to be expensive but it’s advised to avoid the garage bunch of flowers. 

Have yourself armed with questions: there’s nothing worse than being sat with your date and having no idea what to say. Don’t go too personal with your opening questions, but try and ask unusual questions so that your date doesn’t turn into every other generic ‘get to know each other’ date. 

Choose somewhere to go: briefly mentioned earlier, it’s always a good idea to decide where to go beforehand so that you can dress accordingly. Not only that, there’s nothing sexier than a man that takes charge! 

Smile: while you might be nervous, the best outfit and tip that you can take on board is simply remembering to smile. It will make the world of difference.

Show up on time: there’s no bigger turn off than feeling that your date might not be showing up. If there is a reason for being late, let her know so that you can assure her that you’re reliable. 

Grab the cheque: while she may want to pay her own way, it always comes off better if you’re not avoiding paying for your date too. 

Avoid alcohol: there’s nothing worse than accidentally drinking a little too much and then putting your date off. 

Don’t be overly touchy: while hand holding is a definite yes, too much physical affection can come across too strong. 

Keep your language clean: while swearing is a regular thing for adults in this day and age, some people simply don’t like it. Avoid swearing so that you don’t give off the wrong impression to your date. 

Be a gentleman: chivalry is most definitely not dead and women love being treated like a lady. 

Listen to her: there’s nothing worse than your first date boring on about their own lives and not having a chance to tell a few stories yourself. Avoid talking too much about your buddies too, as this can be a massive turn off. 

Take these top tips on board so that you can literally dress to impress and totally blow your date away with how amazing you are. Don’t forget to remember these tips on how to handle your date too so that you can rest assured, you’re getting a second date!

We discuss how to be a gentleman and look sharp on a first date, including scent, haircut, diet and further tips.