What to Wear At Speed Dating
What To Wear At Speed Dating? Choice of apparel is a common question people deliberate over when they are attending a dating event. There is no hard and fast rule that says you have to wear a certain dress style or colour. You should dress in a style and clothes that make you feel your most confident, comfortable and attractive.
As a guideline, the age group of the speed dating event will to some degree, dictate a loose style. The 20-40 range prefers the latest trends for men when it comes to pants and printed T-shirts. Most opt for dressy casual cargo trousers, chinos, jeans, and a suitable boot or shoe.
The 40-70 range typically sees some form of suit or dressy chino collared shirt combo that has been cleaned and pressed to remove wrinkles.
We suggest that if your speed date is held during the day, shorts to the knee are permissible. After five pm, shorts are not considered to be dressy casual, merely casual. When you think about the amount of effort others will put into their choice of attire, accessories, makeup etc., do the best with what you have and ensure you leave your mirror one last time looking your best.
Women have a far greater diversity in their clothing choices. They may opt for a dressy casual look or go all out with an after-five cocktail dress in any colour or style. However, respect yourself enough to avoid the trampy look with plunging necklines, and waist-high leg splits. Your speed date isn’t going to give you fantastic conversation if all they can see and think about is getting your top off to motorboat the puppies you are flaunting in their face.
Business attire is considered appropriate dress attire but suggests that you may have workaholic tendencies and didn’t take the time to change outfits before you hit the speed dating event.
We suggest you opt for dignity and sophistication. After all, you are searching for a potential long-term romance. There is plenty of time for them to see you in your raunchiest outfit and speed dating is not that place.
You can dress to attract your own age group or in a style that would draw the attention of the age group you are interested in attracting. Some speed dating events specifically advertise and require formal wear. Formal wear usually means a tuxedo or good quality charcoal suit for men with matching closed and polished shoes.
Formal dresses for women with gloves and heels. While hairstyle is a personal choice, women who have long hair formerly wear their hair in a chignon or bun. It is rare to see long hair worn unharnessed at a formal event, and in some circles will be heavily commented upon. While speed dating isn’t that exclusive, some high society venues will not permit women with loose hair (or morals) to enter their formal events. The presiding matriarch or dowager will intervene until it has been confined to either of the above styles.
Speeding dating events typically take place in the evening but are not confined to only evenings. What you wear to your speed dating event will depend on what time of the day your event starts.
Ideally, you want people to see you for what you have to offer as a person, not get caught up in your bling and accessories. Projecting a specific wealth bracket can have both positive and negative sides. Try to play down your fiscal worth where you normally sport a status watch. Swap it out for a dressy mainstream watch. You want the person you attract to be genuinely interested in getting to know you for you, not getting to know you for how much money you have or the doors you could open for them. As a rule of thumb, the harder someone tries to project a wealth level, the less they have.
If someone in investments tells you they are a millionaire and can’t withdraw the money on the spot; they are not millionaires until the invisible shares have been cashed out for real money.
What To Wear At Speed Dating – For Men
- Suit
- Dressy casual attire
- A clean outfit that portrays self-confidence
- Closed shoes, polished
- Deodorant, cologne and have fresh breath
What To Wear At Speed Dating – For Women
- Dressy casual ensemble
- Little black dress
- Cocktail dress
- Shoes that match the outfit style
Things To Avoid
- Sandals or flip flops/thongs
- Too much perfume or cologne
- Excessive bling
- Too much makeup. Wearing a trowel load of foundation in the wrong colour suggests you have issues with your appearance and you need to hide behind layers of makeup. If you can’t love your authentic, makeup-free self, how can you expect anyone else to love the real you?
- Stilettos. Two inches is enough heel to be standing or walking around for several hours.
- Bad breath. Take breath mints to ensure you have fresh breath as you converse.
- Don’t get drunk! One for the nerves and one to sit on for the night is enough. You want to remember your dates, names and information about them. You can’t do that if you get messy. It also detracts from your level of appeal to others and promotes a lack of confidence in yourself, and shows you can only achieve it via the false bravado bottle.
- Carefully monitor your speech and remove profanity. There is a time and place for swearing; it certainly is not the first time you engage someone in conversation.
- Dirty or unkempt nails. A lot of people notice the small details. Nails on both genders are a clear indicator of people who take the time to invest in personal hygiene and grooming practices and those who don’t.
Dress For Success
Ultimately how to be confident on a first date? Wear what is comfortable for you but for sure not your gym clothes. We also suggest you avoid cosplay costumes unless your dating event is specifically titled as a cosplay or fancy-dress speed dating event.
Some people crave being the centre of attention, and they will dress in bright or bold colours or daring creations that ensure everyone in the room sees them. Men and women are equally guilty of having grand egos and needing validation from others. If that is your kick in life, then go for broke. There will be someone there with whom you can bond of the opposite sex desperate for your attention.
If you are the original wallflower and shy little mouse type, don’t fear and stress, everyone is nervous for the first fifteen minutes and by the third rotation, you fall into a groove and the nerves all but vanish. If you know in advance that you are painfully shy, talk to your event organiser and they will help you to break the ice and get you into the flow of things. By the end of the night, you won’t recognise yourself as you turn into a social butterfly and flitter around the room from person to person.
Speed dating is a great way to open yourself up to meeting all personality types. While you won’t like them all or have any desire to reconnect with all of them, you can at least start with half the candidates being good fun to talk to as they draw you out of your shell and you return the gesture.
If you have never tried speed dating, then give it a shot. You have nothing to lose and could gain, at worst, a new friend and, at best, meet someone with whom you enter a healthy long-term relationship down the track. Nothing ventured, nothing gained, right?