How to prepare for a first date

The week before

1. What should you wear on a first date? Choose the right clothes well in advance so you don’t stress about it 5 minutes before you have to leave the house to meet them. There’s no worse look than being late! You wanna dress casual but tidy. Show you put some effort into your look but not too much effort, since you do this all the time (right?). Check out our styling guides for adding a little touches of style to your look.
2. Wondering how to plan your first date? Nervous about awkward silences between courses? Get active! Think crazy golf, ice skating or an arcade. On a first date, it’s best to keep your plans short (a couple of hours) and open ended. That way, if everything is going great, you can stay out longer, but if things aren’t hitting the right note, you can both duck out.
3. Get in touch to confirm plans are going ahead. This is good dating practice, but especially good if you met each other on a dating site. A phone call or FaceTime are great ways to hear each other’s voices – and screen for any bad vibes! It’s also a nice thing to do that eases nerves on both sides.

The day of

1.  Get in the right headspace. Remember you’re BOTH gonna be nervous. When you’re stressing about whether or not your date will friendzone you, you take yourself out of the driver’s seat. Remember: you’re the confident guy who bagged this date! Instead of pointlessly stressing stuff like “how do I make myself more attractive?”, focus on being yourself. These 10 tips for quickly boosting your confidence will help, so you stride into that date feeling like the bold and cheeky charmer you really are.
2. Put your best face forward. Careful grooming is non-negotiable prep for a date. Make sure you spend a little more time on yourself than usual. Scrub yourself clean in the shower, and don’t skimp on the bodywash. Check out our natural grooming guide for easy tips to look fab and feel confident.
3. Smell the part. Wearing a scent can boost your confidence and make you more attractive to your date. First, ward off bad odor with deodorant, then top up with your fave body spray. Have a look at our top-selling fragrances and the reviews left by guys who swear by them. 
4. Don’t sweat it. Literally. Stress can cause sweating – thanks for nothing, underarms! Our deodorant protects you against body odor for up to 48 hours, but if you want to make sure you feel dry as well as fresh, consider using an antiperspirant.

On the date

1. This is a no flex zone. Be yourself. People can always tell if you’re trying to act like someone you’re not. Convos should stay light-hearted. Don’t be afraid to open up about yourself, but don’t overdo it. Keep you and your bros’ epic party stories on ice for now. Same for any complaints about your ex.
2. First-date ice breakers are a great way to get the conversation going. When you’re nervous, it’s easy to start talking about the blue streak. Pause for breath and ask your date questions. They’ll appreciate your interest and it’ll make it easier to, you know, get to know them, which was the whole point all along.
3. Don’t read minds. Does your date seem bored or unhappy? Take a deep breath. Those nerves could be playing tricks on you. Until you know someone, you can’t read too much into their behavior. Keeping a positive outlook will always work in your favor.

After

1. Follow up. Back in the day, guys were told to wait three days before they got in touch. But you’re a modern guy and you don’t leave people hanging. If you vibed with your date, send them a quick text ASAP to tell them you’d like to see them again (when we say ASAP, we mean the next morning, not 20 minutes after you said goodbye). Not feeling a second date? It’s still polite to check they got home ok.
2. It’s ok if it didn’t work out. The road to love is paved with failed dates: hilarious ones, disastrous ones, and some that were just so-so. Even if it didn't work out because you’re not into them, they’re not into you or the lack of interest is mutual, don't forget how to be confident on a date again. Remember the only way to meet the right person is to get out there and do it again.