Tips for men: how to present yourself on a first date?

As the famous quote goes, “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression”. That’s why we suggest you follow our comprehensive guide and find out everything you need to know about dressing and presenting yourself well on a first date.

As you only have one chance to make a good first impression, you have to put all your assets in your clothing style. How do you get the look right for a first date? To start with, you need to adopt a positive attitude and be yourself, and then think about how to dress.

Why dress well for a first date? 

Many people say that it is the inner beauty that counts and that the style of dress is not important. We would like to believe this, but… we have to adapt to reality. Like it or not, our brains instantly make judgements based on physical appearances before we even get to know people. That’s why our relationship to style is quite important. Not only does a neat outfit represent your personality, but it also shows your respect for the person you are meeting. When you meet someone for the first time, you examine them from every angle: behaviour, attitude, gestures, voice, manner of speaking and style of dress. If the first impression is bad, the person is probably not interested in a second date. 

Tips

Wear comfortable clothes! 

Be comfortable in your clothes! This is the number one tip.

It is very important to feel comfortable in your clothes, because if you are comfortable in what you are wearing, you will also be comfortable in your gestures and in the way you speak, which means that you will be natural and the date will go very well. Adapt your outfit to your body type so that you are comfortable in your movements. Don’t wear clothes that are too big or too tight. 

Wear clothes that you like and that fit you well to feel more confident. Don’t wear clothes that you are not used to wearing. Remember that what you wear should represent your personality. Instead of asking yourself “how should I dress for the first date”, ask yourself “what message would I like to convey through my style of dress”. 

Take care of your look!

Make sure your clothes are neat and tidy, not only out of respect for the person you are meeting but also out of respect for yourself! Your outfit should be impeccable, clean and well ironed: not only to make a good first impression, but also to show your attention to detail. Make sure your clothes are not stained or wrinkled. Don’t forget to shine your shoes. Most women pay a lot of attention to this. It also shows your attention to detail!

Don’t overdo it!

The mistake not to make on a first date is to overdo it. You should adapt your outfit to the atmosphere of the place where you are meeting. Avoid very formal outfits, three-piece suits and accessories such as a bow tie or tie. A few small, well-chosen accessories are highly recommended to bring a touch of spontaneity to your outfit. A watch, bracelets, a discreet necklace and a nice belt: when it comes to accessories, you’re in good shape! 

Think of a touch of perfume!

Perfume is a symbol of our personality. It has a great unconscious influence on olfactory cues in our brain. In order to choose your olfactory signature, you must take into account two essential factors: your skin type and your personality. 

If you have oily skin, opt for fresher, lighter notes. As your skin produces a lot of sebum and has a tendency to intensify the aroma, your fragrance may become too heady. Men with dry skin should go for intense woody or leathery notes. In order to make the fragrance last as long as possible, it is recommended that you apply a moisturiser to the area in question beforehand. 

For darker skin types, warm, musky notes with subtle, sensual leather fragrances are best. If you have very fair skin, oriental and citrus fragrances are more suitable to give your skin a bit of a boost. 

To understand if the perfume suits you or not, test it on yourself and wait 40 minutes. Remember, the perfume is ideally diffused in the areas where the blood circulation is important (jugular vein, wrists, inside of the wrists, behind the ears) and also on the hair.

Depending on your skin type, you should choose the most suitable fragrance formula: eau de toilette or eau de parfum. The former is more discreet and is perfect for everyday use, while the latter, also called “essence” or “extract” is more concentrated.

Be careful! Do not spray yourself with perfume on a first date.

Take care of your look!

Make sure your clothes are neat and tidy, not only out of respect for the person you are meeting but also out of respect for yourself! Your outfit should be impeccable, clean and well ironed: not only to make a good first impression, but also to show your attention to detail. Make sure your clothes are not stained or wrinkled. Don’t forget to shine your shoes. Most women pay a lot of attention to this. It also shows your attention to detail!

Don’t overdo it !

The mistake not to make on a first date is to overdo it. You should adapt your outfit to the atmosphere of the place where you are meeting. Avoid very formal outfits, three-piece suits and accessories such as a bow tie or tie. A few small, well-chosen accessories are highly recommended to bring a touch of spontaneity to your outfit. A watch, bracelets, a discreet necklace and a nice belt: when it comes to accessories, you’re in good shape! 

Think of a touch of perfume !

Perfume is a symbol of our personality. It has a great unconscious influence on olfactory cues in our brain. In order to choose your olfactory signature, you must take into account two essential factors: your skin type and your personality. 

If you have oily skin, opt for fresher, lighter notes. As your skin produces a lot of sebum and has a tendency to intensify the aroma, your fragrance may become too heady. Men with dry skin should go for intense woody or leathery notes. In order to make the fragrance last as long as possible, it is recommended that you apply a moisturiser to the area in question beforehand. 

For darker skin types, warm, musky notes with subtle, sensual leather fragrances are best. If you have very fair skin, oriental and citrus fragrances are more suitable to give your skin a bit of a boost. 

To understand if the perfume suits you or not, test it on yourself and wait 40 minutes. Remember, the perfume is ideally diffused in the areas where the blood circulation is important (jugular vein, wrists, inside of the wrists, behind the ears) and also on the hair.

Depending on your skin type, you should choose the most suitable fragrance formula: eau de toilette or eau de parfum. The former is more discreet and is perfect for everyday use, while the latter, also called “essence” or “extract” is more concentrated.

Be careful! Do not spray yourself with perfume on a first date.

Be courteous ! 

It doesn’t matter how you are dressed. If you are not courteous (without being intrusive), the person will probably not want to meet you. It’s all about small gestures and being a gentleman.

Some ideas for first date outfits

And finally, here are some basic and trendy outfit recommendations for a successful first date.

Recommendation N.1 – A pair of raw jeans + a casual olive green shirt + textured sneakers and a pair of brown leather Derby shoes, brown belt + a nice discreet watch with small brown braided leather straps. Here are some ideas: 

Recommendation N. 2 – A beige chino + a light blue shirt + a navy blue jacket or blazer + brown leather shoes + brown leather belt

Recommendation N. 3 – A light blue denim jacket + a plain t-shirt + grey jeans + cream velvet boots

Recommendation N. 4 – Black skinny jeans + a plain white t-shirt + a black leather jacket + a nice watch with small braided leather straps + Chelsea boots