Dress to Impress or Get Lost

Why don’t people dress up for dates anymore? Now that we’ve entered the era of online dating, it seems like we’ve let our dating dress code fall by the waist side.

I’m starting to understand with the all the Internet matching sites how dating has become a sport of sorts. However this marathon of dating doesn’t require athletic attire. I say this half jokingly but the truth is more and more people are put less and less thought into meeting someone seriously and the effort just seems nonexistent.

We complete our online bios by adding our very best profile picture, so the expectation and the bar is already set for the first face-to-face meeting. Men more so than women, put less importance on their outer appearance, throwing on a clean outfit and running out the door; it’s more of an after though. Meanwhile, we women, primp, toil and spruce; perfecting our desired look from head to tow, like it’s were auditioning for Training Day.

So why do we do it, and why are we just happy accepting that our counter date partner showed up. What happened to the days when men wore suits or dressed to impressed? For one, I think we’ve entered a new phase where health and work-life balance leads the way; and despite my love for yoga I’m not wearing my Lululemons on a first date.

Gentlemen, it’s time to suit up and dress the part. You get one chance at a first impression, and sweats, ball caps and street wear isn’t what’s going to get me all hot and bothered. I’m not implying that you need to change your outer appearance and be someone you’re not, I’m simply asking you to match your personal profile. If you plan to come out for dinner dressed like one of the Backstreet boys then don’t mislead me with false online advertising.

It’s important to take the time to present yourself well, right out of the gate. It says a lot about how you will treat your partner. If you don’t care about taking care of yourself, then would you even be capable of taking care of someone else?

I always encourage my male clients to put the time in to take care of themselves, so their outside image can reflect their inner one. Unfortunately, before women get to see your shinning personality they evaluate the physical first because that’s what’s being presented to them.

These small adjustments are what I work on with my clients. You’d be amazed at the boost in confidence it can bring which in turn makes them feel great. Confidence plays a crucial role in success and it can help improve things all across the board, so clean up, get a shave, do your hair and dress to impress. Show us females what you bring to the table and let us feast our eyes.