Top 10 First Date Tips for Women

Your eyes met, your smiles matched and numbers were exchanged with hope and excitement. However, whilst you thought your first date consisted of flowing drinks and scintillating conversation, you never heard from him again. So what the hell went wrong?

Here are some rules and tips that will help you make sure you will have swconed date:

1. Dont be too available but at the same time, avoid being overly aloof. Hes asked you out but you want to let him know that you have a busy, exciting life right? If he suggests meeting on a Wednesday, politely decline but enthusiastically suggest another day such as Thursday.
This tells him that you have a life but youre willing to make space for him in it.
2. Dress to impress but accordingly so. Whilst it may be tempting to show him all of your goods in one go, your aim is to have him wondering what you have to offer.
Thats right girls, that overused phrase less is more will become your new mantra.
You want to dress smart/casual. This is a phrase you will see a lot; possibly on nightclub flyers, invitations etc. It essentially means that if you wear casual jeans, dress them up with high heels.
If you are unsure of the style trend in London, there are great high street stores with websites which sell affordable, on trend fashion.
Just remember the cardinal rule! Choose which asset youre going to show off but never show cleavage AND legs. If you want to see him again, leave the mini dress at home.
3. Wear make up but dont over do it. I dont know any girl who would go on a first date without wearing any make up but you need to be careful with your technique.
For example, if bright red lipstick is your trademark look, youre going to need to save it for your third or fourth date. Although most men love to see a girls unique style, anything too striking can be a slight put off so try to keep it neutral on the first date. Keep the base of your foundation light and simply enhance your natural features. As you get to know each other better, hell probably be begging to see you in red lipstick!
4. Maintain eye contact. This doesnt mean that you should participate in some weird, stare out game with your eye balls but intermittent looks in to his eyes whilst hes talking whilst nodding your head subtly, will show him that youre really listening to him.
5. Ask questions. Everyone loves talking about themselves. Fact. You want to express an interest in him so ask him questions about his hobbies, any pets he might have and what his favourite films are. Not only will this give you vaulable information about the guy you could be dating but it will portray you as a great listener. Brownie points overload.

6. Laugh at his jokes. If you can do this, youre halfway there. Inevitably, the guy will be nervous and he his primary objective of the night will be to impress you. Some men act macho, some flash the cash, others...tell jokes. Whether the jokes are funny or not, if you like him; youre going to have to start laughing.
7. Use positive body language. There is abslutely no point in liking someone if youre looking over their shoulder, sitting with your arms crossed and have your legs facing in their opposite direction. All these signs tell him subconsciously that you are not interested in him.
So if you want to see him again, act relaxed. This means behaving in an open manner by having your arms beside you, making sure your knees are facing him (all this stuff matters, trust me) and keeping your gaze on him.
8. Smile. Some girls are unrelaxed, or dont want to ruin their make up or hate their teeth. Whatever the reason, NOT smiling is guaranteed to look ten times worse.
Flashing your pearly whites makes you appear instantly more attractive, approachable and it has the power to relax the people around you...not to mention the uplifting effects it has.
Try smiling at people on the tube...I bet you a fiver they smile back and I bet you a tenner, it makes you feel great :)
9. Never do anything more than a kiss. Depending on the kind of guy he is, he may lean in for a cheeky goodnight kiss at the end of the night.
If you want to go in for it, it can be a pleasant way to end the evening and can give you that lovely warm feeling on your way home.
Never, ever do any more than a kiss on the first date. This means not kissing elsewhere, no touching, no more!
10. Offer to go dutch. Although many of us expect the man to pay on the first date and it feels great when he does, it can be unattractive to assume that a man will immediately pay for everything – especially if youve just ordered lobster.
When the bill arrives, notice his body language. Did he reach for the bill? Is he fumbling for his wallet? Has he looked to you for reassurance? If you offer to go halves, hell be reassured that youre willing to be treated as an equal...and hopefully hell end up paying for it anyway!
Above all, make sure youre happy, interested and yourself because usually, when you really like someone your own mind does the rest.

Alon

Top 10 First Date Tips for Men

Courting a lady isn't as straight forward as it used to be. Back in the day, dating etiquette was well-established and everybody played by the same rules. Men would open doors for women, help them with their coats, and have them home by nine. Couples would go to the soda shop for the first date, to the drive in for the second, up to "old make out point" for the third, and would most likely be getting married on the fourth.

The rules of the road have changed. Somewhere between Say Anything, and MTV's Next bus, we throw out the rulebook completely and just started winging it. Our individual quests for love and sex have become as varied and strange as life itself. This was a good and necessary change, but it has made dating... well, terrifying. Without any concrete guidelines, how is the novice romantic supposed to navigate those first few dates?

It's not so hard, really. As far as dating goes, the one thing that hasn't changed over the years is the simple fact that guys should be gentlemen. What follows are some suggested guidelines to help you be a true gentleman despite the weird modern reality in which we find ourselves.

bad first date

1. Don't take her out to dinner on the first date
   These days, the most popular first date is the weeknight 'getting-a-couple-drinks' date. And, for good reason. It's non-committal, relatively brief by necessity, and the drinks help to calm everybody's nerves. So, don't try to impress with a 4-star restaurant when you barely know the person. This way, you'll keep your wallet intact and she won't feel beholden. Plus, if the sparks don't fly, it's easy to retire the evening early.
2. Hug her at the beginning of the date
   Breaking down the physical barrier at the beginning of the date makes the rest of the date so much easier. At the beginning of the date, give her a hug, and tell her how delightful she looks. Also, by showing your attraction to her early on, you free her to reciprocate gestures of attraction throughout the date, making it easier for you to judge how well the date is going.
3. Look your best
   Well, duh. But, a lot of the times when guys try to dress up for a date, they end up wearing something they aren't truly comfortable in. You should dress up a little, sure, but, try to wear something that makes you feel like a million bucks. If you don't have any clothes that make you feel like George Clooney in Ocean's 11, go out and find some.
4. Be a class act
   Chivalry may be dead, but she'll like you more if you try to revive it just a little. Open the door for her, pull out her chair, support her on icy sidewalks, etc... Despite the obvious self sufficiency of the modern woman, courtesy is still courtesy. A dash of chivalry shows your attraction and ability to protect and nurture. But, it's important not to take this too far. You don't want to seem old fashion, or as though you're trying real hard to impress. Just be be a good, considerate guy who knows the pleasure of treating a lady as such.
5. Compliment her and others
   When you're on a date it's good to toss out a few genuine compliments. But, unless you're Dennis Leary, you probably already knew that... So, let me say that it's a good idea, not only to compliment your date, but to also talk nicely about people that you both know, or people that you've met throughout the night. By projecting kindness towards people that aren't around, you'll show that you tend to see the positive side of things, which is a very attractive characteristic.
6. Embrace your inner weird
   A lot of people tend to go all glossy on dates. Sort of like a job interview, you really just want to seem appealing. This is a mistake. First, you actually become less attractive by paving over what sets you apart... But, more importantly, if you highlight your idiosyncrasies, you've got a better shot of finding a girl that compliments you, and tolerates your obsession with minimalist free jazz .
7. Change your sheets
   Be prepared... The Boy Scouts know what they're talking about. When you go out on a date with someone, there is always the possibility that you'll end up back at your place. So, change the sheets, and get rid of any debris that is usually strewn about. If, in the end, the date was totally awkward, at least you've got a clean place to come home to.
8. Pay for the date
   That's right... Beyond it being a kind gesture, offering to pay is a good way to get information on how the date is going. When the check comes, beware if she really does seem to want to pay her share. If she wants to pay, it's because she really doesn't want to feel obligated to you in any way shape or form. But, the single fake-wallet-grab is a good sign. Don't worry, she's gonna let you pay this time... She knows you're going to be eating all the ice cream out of her fridge in about two weeks :)
9. Kiss Her
   If the first date has gone reasonably well, go for the kiss at some point towards the end. A so-so date that ends with a great kiss can = an awesome date. Sometimes you just gotta get the kiss out of the way before you can really feel comfortable with someone. So, man up and kiss her. Just do it. She'll be glad you did. Hopefully.
10. Don't try to sleep with her
    Despite the advice from 20 seconds ago (you should still tidy up your place, it's starting to smell a little), having sex on a first date is not a good idea if you think you might want a relationship with the person. Studies have shown that people who have sex on a first date have a lot more trouble developing a good date into a relationship than those who are content delaying gratification. So, even if the date is going really, really well, don't push for the sleep over. After all, it's always nice to have something to look forward to, and, when all is said and done, she'll fancy you a gentleman.

So.. how was your first date?
tell us!

Alon