Does what you wear on a first date matter?

Usually, a lot of men, get pressured about where to take their date, how to behave, what to say but most often they hardly sweat over what to wear, that is a woman’s prerogative to them. While most women are generally less concerned about the actual date, some are aware that the pressure is on […]

Usually, a lot of men, get pressured about where to take their date, how to behave, what to say but most often they hardly sweat over what to wear, that is a woman’s prerogative to them.
While most women are generally less concerned about the actual date, some are aware that the pressure is on the men and all that is left to them is to go with the flow. A clean shirt, a non-wrinkled dress, a nice pair of shoes all seem like obvious decisions, but do they really matter? Will it really affect how your date views you if you are dressed or not dressed a certain way? Is how to dress to impress on a first date the chief pre-occupation of a woman or man?
Some people try to avoid loud and flashy garments at least on a first date. They prefer to save it for later, when they are more comfortable with the guy or lady. Some also, prefer not to go in for excessively provocative clothes or revealing outfits, because your date might think you are sending out mixed signals. It’s just safer to be more understated and elegant on a first date and save the displays for later, dating experts would advice.
This reporter sought to hear the views of young people on the issue . Ms Adegoke Adewunmi is of the opinion that both parties on a first date must go all out to appear attractive but not excessively. To her: “You should be concerned about what you wear, because appearance shows the manner. Both of you should be concerned about your dressing. You must not go out of your way to look very gorgeous, but try and appear neat and attractive. Even your hair cut and your beards must be neat.”
To her, though it sounds inconsequential having a clean hair cut “you must both iron your clothes. Just be neat. My boy friend never told me that he didn’t like the types of shirt I wear until he saw one he liked. Even the shoes I wore on our first date, he didn’t like it. But on the other hand he too didn’t appear neat enough for me on our first date and I was disappointed. I told him immediately and tried to work on him. So, now he knows that I am a fashion conscious person and he even asks me what to wear to the office on BBM.”
Another respondent, Ms Ezerioha Modesta concurs with Adewunmi’s point “It matters a lot to me because I like guys around to look good. So, if I should go on a date with you on the first day and you don’t look good it will kill my spirit. In my own case, if I know am going on a date for the first time with a guy I will dress fine. I am sure of myself I will be worried about the guy”.
To Esther Mogbene, one of the ways to instantly make yourself more attractive and more presentable to other people is your clothing “Yes clothes matters because that is your first impression about the person’s sense of dressing and you never forget what the person wore if it made a statement. Women love guys who have swag.”
However, the men would claim the ladies worry more about dressing because they would always want to show off even when such date does not warrant extravagant attire, it is their nature according Mr. Emeka Ajoku “Well it is good to dress good on a first date though one also have to be careful because first impression matters on a date but to me I think it’s a lady that shows more concern about dressing because a guy can always wear simple jeans and a top but you know the ladies they want to show.”
However, Mr. Nathaniel Dashe says both the guy and the lady should worry about dressing on a first date because outward appearance says a lot about one.
It is not so much what label or what trend, but that they fit well, and the condition the clothes are in. People look more confident and more organized in clothes that fit them. That seems self-explanatory and obvious, but there are some people who just don’t put any thought into what they wear on first dates.
Clothes are the changeable parts of your appearance. You can’t easily change your body shape, but your choice of clothes is something you can definitely alter. Personal style is branding, what you wear does determine the type of person that you are going to attract. And this is a little obvious, but the other thing clothing really affects is how you present yourself and how you feel. It’s not about the actual piece of clothing, but about how confident you feel and how you carry yourself in something that you feel special in and proud of.
People have diverse opinion on what they consider are common mistakes when choosing dating attire. Something that often comes up is high heels for women. Some women either totally  love heels and may never be seen without them, or hate and never wear them. But sometimes they will try to alter that to fit a guy’s height. At other times they wear flats on the first date because they are worried about being taller than the guy; but it is really just about how awesome you feel.
For the men, if you are trying to date a more fashion conscious woman, especially those in metropolitan areas, you have every cause to fret about your outfit. Some guys will sometimes go to great lengths to wear a shirt, do their hair, and then completely forget that shoes are a part of the outfit.
As a guy if you have been let down by your dressing on a first date before, you may consider adopting some of these tips: Start to look at other guys’ outfits; it doesn’t come that naturally, but if you are out and you see something you like, take a moment to notice what others are wearing and how they put themselves together. Have your sister take you shopping.
Maybe if you are confused on a few things never to wear on a first date: jerseys, tie on a jean, anything stained, and torn clothes. Just never wear anything torn.
For the ladies, dress with effort, but don’t make your outfit so elaborate that it becomes a conversation piece. For example, if you are a lady who never wears high heels, a first date is not the appropriate time to pull out your brand new five-inch high heels. You may spend the greater portion of the date wobbling as you walk, which is not going to leave the best impression.
Give your outfit a test run prior to the first date. Does your skirt or shirt ride up as you walk? Is your dress too short when you sit? Are your trousers or jeans too tight? Can your feet survive three hours in those shoes? These thoughts should guide you.