What to Wear on a First Date

By Suzanne M.

I have been asked to join some fellow Canadian bloggers who write a blog called True Love Bites, available at http://www.truelovebites.ca

It is a relationship blog, with a twist of humour, which explores a wide range of topics, including "First Dates". Which got me thinking about what people wear on a first date, fashion wise.

Do they dress fancy? Casual? Deliberately dress down? Or try to find a balance... "Business Casual" has so many definitions it is truly undefinable.

So perhaps the best term for this scenario is "Date Casual", which is to say casual, but the clothes is usually freshly cleaned, the person is recently shaved, showered, etc - which unfortunately means that some women will rush home after work, shower, shave their legs, do their hair, pick out clothing, and then rush back out to meet the 6:45 date. While men, depending on the person, may simply go straight from work to their date, wearing the same clothes they wore since 8 AM, with a 5 O'clock shadow, etc.

Check out the video below for example (which was shown on a recent post on True Love Bites) and notice how the two people meeting for the first time end up talking about his sports jacket (and WTH does she not know what a sports jacket is???) She shows up wearing a jacket that looks like a cross between a trench coat and a fuzzy bathrobe, but somehow the topic ends up being about his idiotic sports jacket.




Yes, the video is more about the concept of Augmented Reality Dating - but even though their reality is augmented using their contacts, they still feel the need to "dress casual but professional" on a first date. So it really comes down to first impressions.

Too Professional - Might make the person seem too boring and rigid.
Too Casual - Might make the person seem sloppy and lazy.
Just Right - Somewhere closer towards a happy medium, hence "Date Casual".

NOT TO BE CONFUSED WITH "dating casually" or "casual dating", which refers to people who go out on dates with many different people, but don't actually form long term relationships with them because they just want to try lots of different people on like someone shopping for shoes.

So for example lets look at the images below.

Overall very casual, but the blazer jacket makes it slightly more professional.

A blend of casual and professional, but looks pretty boring. Too much grey.

On the left the scarf makes her look more professional and artistic, but still flirty.

On the right the large bag and loss of the scarf makes her look easy and sloppy.

And because this is a Canadian website we should also talk about what happens during the winter. Do you sacrifice being warm for the sake of fashion? Or do you manage to combine smart fashion with something that keeps you really warm? Like a parka, poncho, knitted sweater dress, etc.

Below, some samples of ponchos.

I even saw a guy recently outside wearing a poncho while he was playing Pokemon Go. So it is both fashionable and practical. In other news it is snowing outside my window...

In more other news here are some posts from True Love Bites. Check 'em out!

Augmented Reality Speed Dating Platform
Politics, Love, Trumpites and Dealbreakers
Five Tips for Restaurant Dates
Marriage and Popping the Question
The Girlfriendzone
Jian Ghomeshi, the Sexual Predator and why "Not Gu...
Promocode for Couples Archery Lessons in Toronto
The Lavishness of Hobby Specific Gifts
So-Called "Nice Guys" and the Real Reason Why "Nic...
Ashley Madison's Phoney Accounts
10 Tips for Dating Asian People in Canada
TrueLoveBites.ca - New Domain Name
Badoo Sucks and I will tell you why
Valentines is coming, Rose Colour Meanings + Bizar...
Monogamy Vs Monotony
How to get a Boyfriend - Chinese Wisdom
Funny Text Message Breakups
7 Great Romantic Getaways in Canada
Attractiveness, Kissing and Oral Health
Would you date a deaf person?
5 Ways to Spot if your Date is a Serial Killer
Halloween is a great time of year to meet New Love...
The Instant Connection
5 Ways to Spot a Serial Dater
Exercise and Common Lies people post on Personals
Do's and Don'ts of Dating Vegans and Vegetarians
Attractive Things Men Do
Dating Academic Cheaters
An Essay on Cheating and Breaking Up
An essay on the foolish things girls do for a guy....
Happy Valentines Day!
March 15th - International Breakup Day
5 Valentines Gift Ideas
Learning Your Lessons when it comes to Dating
Christmas - The Relationship Breaker???
Jealousy Fuelled Rage and Temper Tantrums
Advanced Kissing Skills 101
You Are More Beautiful Than You Think
67 Ways to Save Money and still go on Dates
Should I Text Him Flowchart
A Good Boyfriends knows what to do...
The Coffee Date - Poetry by Maria Jones-Statham
The Pre Date Phone Call - Screening your Dates Bef...
Lets just stay friends...
Chewing Gum = Prepare to get Kissed
Advice for First Dates
Best Breakup Line Ever!
Building Stronger Relationships Towards LOVE
5 Tips to Become a Lady Magnet
How to Find Happiness and True Love
Lots of Single Chinese Women can't find a husband
Breaking Up With An Overly Attached Girlfriend
College Relationships
Three Dates Equals Sex
How to Fake It and get into their Pants
What to talk about during a First Date
The Fake Out
How to Ask a Woman on a Date
Are cooking classes really a good place to meet a ...
Worst Dating Gifts Ideas
10 Things You Should Never Say To Your Boyfriend
What to Wear on your First Date
Love, Dating and Long Distance Relationships
In the beginning...

How to Dress like a Manly Man

By Monique Bellamont - March 2016.

Ack!

It is that word many "manly men" shy away from - metrosexual.

Which we women find silly because it reveals that many men are so homophobic that they refuse to deal with anything that is remotely "gay".

As such men's high fashion has suffered over the decades to the point that men really can only wear suits and uniforms. Anything too risque and they feel they are being emasculated

However done right, men's high fashion doesn't have to look metrosexual.

What it should look like however is:

Rugged.
Cool.
Capable.

And a touch of James Bond doesn't hurt.

As such high end clothing for men really needs to flatter a man - building a bridge between "uniform / suit" and "rugged casual wear".

Check out the image below to see what I mean. The men in the photo below, all wearing clothes from Toronto-based company Kish Wear (see http://www.kishwear.com/), look rugged yet sophisticated. And this is what men want when it comes to high fashion. They want to look professional, yes, but they also want to look like they could doff a cowboy hat and ride off into the sunset at the same time looking heroic while they do it.

 Now as a single woman who dates a lot I have to imagine waiting in a coffee shop for the guy I met off POF to show up.

And then he shows up wearing a black bow tie, wearing a white shirt, suspenders, a black jacket with fur collar (I am describing the photo on the right here) then I am going to be instantly impressed and have the following first impressions.

#1. This man is intelligent. He is smartly dressed.

#2. This man knows how to dress properly and takes care of himself. He probably bathes daily, does his laundry regularly, and might even wear cologne on special occasions.

#3. This man probably knows how to treat a lady. If he treats himself well, then he probably treats others well too.

#4. This man has a job / career. He wouldn't be able to afford this quality of clothes if he is still living in his parents' basement.

#5. He looks like Viggo Mortensen. Part of that is just the hair and beard, but the clothes completes the package.

#6. Retro. And anything retro is cool. So that is automatically a bonus.

Thus, first impressions, I would be very happy to meet a man dressed like that. Whether his personality matches mine, that is another topic, but the first impressions means that I will be taking this man seriously and he will be having my undivided attention while I sip my latte and contemplate a second date.

Below are some photos from Kish Wear's 2014 Winter Collection available at http://kishwear.com/lookbook/winter-2014