Dappered Classics: How to get dressed for a date

Getting Dressed for a Date – A guide for going out

Originally published 1/28/11

Don’t over think this.  Especially if you’re early on in a relationship.  I’m about to say/write something that’ll at first come off sounding abhorrent, but in context, it’s not.  Women in one sense are like dogs.  They can smell fear.  So if you’re nervous/jittery/questioning your look/etc… you won’t be yourself, she’ll notice, and you’ll be fighting an uphill battle all night.  With that, here’s a few suggestions to keep you looking, but most importantly feeling your best. .

• Be done and ready 30 minutes before you need to leave – Relax.  Read a magazine.  Or this website?
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• Match your date’s LEVEL of dress – If she’s in a cocktail dress, try not to be in  jeans.  Use the usual patrons of the destination as a guide if you don’t know what she’ll be wearing.
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• Don’t be afraid of a little color – But not a ton.  This is neither the circus, nor a funeral.
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• Don’t match your date’s outfit color for color – This seems to happen a lot if you’re married.  Either my wife or I will almost always be changing something to avoid the twinseys look.
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• Take a warm, not super-hot shower – You don’t want to start the night feeling over-heated.
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• Use less hair product – Your instinct will be to over do it.
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• Use less or no cologne – Are you a habitual cologne wearer?  Use half of what you normally wear.  Some women have a nose for it.  Wear cologne every once in awhile?  Don’t even use it this time.
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• Use a touch of antiperspirant, not just deodorant – No wet pits tonight.  Just one swipe under each arm with antiperspirant, and then apply your usual deodorant like you normally do.
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• Wear a clean, sleek watch – Nothin’ fussy, nothin’ huge.  Err on the side of dressed up. This’ll work.
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• Wear a well tailored jacket.  Even with jeans – The Old Navy twill blazer is back, in black, and after you get it majorly darted in at the sides, you’ll look light-years ahead of all the other untucked shirt wearing dudes downtown.

What else?  Other suggestions go in the comments section below.  And again, you need to get this thing tailored: