What to Wear on a Date

Congratulations! You have finally made a connection with someone that seems to be truly special and you have planned your first date together. If you met on the Internet, you have probably already spent a great deal of time getting to know each other. Therefore, many of the typical first date jitters are no longer a problem. After all, you already know quite a bit about each other and you know that your personalities seem to be a good fit. Now, your biggest dilemma is deciding what you are going to wear on that first date.

Considering the Location

The first thing you need to consider when selecting the perfect outfit is the location of your date. Obviously, if you are going out to an opera or meeting at an elegant restaurant, you will need to wear a more formal outfit than you would wear if meeting at a local nightclub or bar. As such, your first goal should be to wear an outfit that is appropriate to the location and occasion. While you want to look good, you don’t want to be overdressed for the occasion. At the same time, while you want to appear relaxed and comfortable, you don’t want to underdress or otherwise dress in a sloppy manner.

Thinking About the Other Person

Since you have already spent some time getting to know the person, you should have a good idea of the things he or she likes and dislikes. Try to pick an outfit that will be alluring to your date. If he mentioned that he likes open-toed sandals, try to put together an outfit that incorporates this style of shoes if you are comfortable wearing them. If she likes a man in Dockers, look into wearing a pair that you feel comfortable wearing. Remember, while you don’t want to go outside of your comfort zone and wear clothes that you absolutely hate wearing, you also want to select clothes that you think your date will find attractive.

Accentuating Your Positive Attributes

When selecting the perfect outfit, you should also find clothing that accentuates your best attributes and draws attention away from those characteristics that are not so desirable. This doesn’t mean that you have to dress in a sleazy way. Rather, select clothing that draws the eye to your best characteristics. If you have a great pair of breasts, for example, you don’t have to wear a shirt with a plunging neckline that shows off your cleavage. You can, however, wear a nice v-neck and necklace that draws more attention to your top half than your bottom half.

Keeping Yourself Comfortable

Perhaps the most important step you should take when choosing your date outfit is making sure the outfit is comfortable for you to wear. If the date goes well, it can last for quite a long time. In this case, you want to be certain the clothes and shoes you are wearing will still be comfortable hours into the date. If you are purchasing a new outfit for the occasion, you might want to consider wearing it around the house one evening in order to make sure it is as comfortable as you thought it would be.

When selecting a comfortable outfit for your date, look for one that is made with a nice, breathable fabric. Although you will be past many of your first date jitters, you are still likely to be a bit nervous. When nervous, most people get a bit sweaty – you certainly don’t want an outfit that is going to exacerbate that problem! You should also look for an outfit that is not too tight or restrictive. The last thing you want is to be sucking in your gut throughout the entire date in order to keep your buttons from popping or feeling the need to kick your shoes off underneath the table because your feet are so cramped. You certainly don’t want to end your date early because you simply can’t stand being in those pants for another minute!

Making it Simple

Finally, be certain to choose an outfit that is not high-maintenance. An outfit with a bunch of buttons in the back that requires help to put on is a bad choice for a first date. You don’t want to force yourself to go the entire night without using the restroom because you have no way of getting your dress back on afterward! Similarly, an outfit with a bunch of embellishments might not be a good choice for a first date, as it will be quite embarrassing if any of those embellishments were to fall off in your dinner. While the outfit may look great on you, the risk of embarrassment is simply too great. You have enough things to worry about while on a first date, don’t make worrying about a "wardrobe malfunction" one of them.