How to nail a first date

You spent hours getting ready. That winged eyeliner is perfectly placed and your kickass outfit hugs all the right curves in all the right places.

If only the date was worth all your effort.

You’ve lost count of how many times you yawned while he delved into his soppy stories about past lovers.

Or worse – the sexy stilettos you strapped on was an awful idea because the “surprise” date he organised is filled with more strenuous activities than an episode of Survivor.

What a waste of good looks and precious time.

A first date can go horribly wrong – and ladies, while we might want to place all the blame on him for the date going south, we’re often at fault too.

So here’s how to nail that first meeting and ensure there’s a follow-up.

Keep it simple

We get that the organiser of the first date is aiming to be all cutesy and inventive, but is ice cream on a roller coaster or a hike up a mountain really necessary?

First dates are about getting to know someone. And it’s kind of hard to tell someone else about you when all you can manage is a huff and puff with each step you take. Besides, you don’t even know what their favourite activities are.

As The Metro puts it, there’s a reason the classics are the classics. A decent restaurant with good food and great company ought to do the trick.

Questions, questions . . .

So you’re out to sell the best version of yourself. But rambling on and on about that one time you rescued a dog from a drain is really pointless and won’t do you any favours.

Give your date a chance to chip in and share their experiences.

Another thing to consider is not turning the date into a job interview. Find the perfect balance between questions, answers and conversation.

As Love Panky points out, a first date is about two people getting to know each other, not one. So avoid being too much of the asker or too much of the answerer.

The ex files

It’s good to know why their previous ended as it tells you more about who they are as a person.

Were they unfaithful? Too needy? Or perhaps too busy for a relationship?

However, ask yourself whether it’s crucial to dissect that failed relationship on date No 1.

Besides, it creates the opportunity for the ex to be discussed at large – and that’s a first-date no-no if ever there were one.

Flirting – lay it on thick or nah?

We see it in the movies: girl meets guy and the chemistry between them is so thick you could slice through it with a butter knife. Dirty jokes are thrown across the table and they’re so lost in their flirty exchanges they completely lose track of time.

But this is real life and those scenes are scripted to perfection. Tasteless comments are unappreciated and you best believe it, you’ll be called out for it. Keep the compliments classy and you can’t go wrong.

The nerve-racking end – to kiss or not to kiss?

Come on, you’re grown-up enough to read the signals and determine whether a kiss at the end of date No 1 is a yay or a nay.

But whatever the mood may deliver, forcing a kiss when it’s obviously unfitting is a no-no.

As Love Panky so aptly points out, if the date is superb but a kiss still doesn’t feel organic, there will always be a next time.

Instead, walk your date out, thank them for a lovely time and follow it up with a text or call.

SOURCES: THE METRO, LOVE PANKY, THEGENTLEMANSJOURNAL.COM