Dos and Don'ts of First Date Dressing

If unsure of what to wear on an important date it is worth noting that the majority of men like fitted clothes which show off the figure and ladylike (or girlie) dresses and skirts. The stylish sheath dress is a winner as it suits all figures and can be glammed-up with a colorful bag, jewelry and heels. A simple soft sweater teamed with a sassy swing skirt or fitted jeans can also work its charms.

Women's Fashions that Men Hate

Many men are not fans of on-trend outfits like harem pants, all-in-ones and intimidating gladiator sandals. Until a woman gets to know her prospective partner and his clothing tastes she should be play safe in the wardrobe department.

Says Danielle Lineker, (wife of Footballer Gary Linker,) in the Daily Mail's fashion feature "Danielle Lineker" of June 10, 2010, Gary “is a typical man. He loves it when I wear classic things like beautiful dresses or fitted clothes that show off my figure. But he’s not a fan of high fashion pieces such as harem pants, and tells me I look like a mechanic in my khaki all-in-one playsuit!”

When deciding what to wear on a first date, consider these fashion guidelines:

Do

• Channel a feminine, even girlie vibe. Think soft fabrics such as angora or cashmere and stylish fitted tops, skirts, dresses and well-cut (fitted) pants. Skirts with a little bit of swing or pencil skirts that hug curves win over baggy boyfriend jeans.
• Keep it simple and tasteful rather than in-your-face sexy.
• Wear pieces that inspire confidence and femininity.
• Dress for the woman you are. Be true to your own fashion personality rather than try to be something you're not.
• Accentuate those assets. Great legs should be shown off in a skirt or dress not hidden under jeans or pants.
• Show off that décolletage. A pretty camisole under a jacket is more alluring than a turtleneck sweater.
• Wear heels on a first date but avoid sky-high stilettos if they are difficult to walk in. Melissa Somes author of Full Frontal Fashion (Plume Publishing 2005) suggests keeping stilettos to his imagination for now.

Don’t

• Wear too many trends. Don’t overwhelm him with fashion. A survey for MSN features 10 things women wear that men hate. These included gladiator sandals, tuxedo suits, leggings, harem pants, dungarees and oversized sunglasses
• Wear too much make-up. Go for natural looking foundation with gloss and blush.
• Be afraid of wearing color. Men love strong colors like red and girlie pastels like blue and pink.
• Dress provocatively on a first date. Think ladylike instead.
• Try to impress him with too many designer labels. It screams “high maintenance” and may make him run a mile.
• Dress for the Academy Awards. Too dressy can look desperate.

A first-date outfit should be an one which makes a woman feel comfortable and confident. It is not about money. A tried and tested little black dress from the thrift shop that makes her feel like a million dollars may be better than a cost-a-fortune Chanel-style tuxedo suit, which can come across as too trendy (and too expensive!)

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