We love a novelty date as much as the next girl – bike rides, salsa classes, pottery, we’re in. But sometimes it’s nice to keep it classic with a dinner date: we can get dressed up, chat, people watch and really suss him out. Yet the traditional tête a tête is surprisingly full of pitfalls, whether it’s to do with what to eat or wear, or who picks up the bill. Here are our dos and don’ts for a successful date night.
DO Align your expectations
Your idea of a dinner date venue is fine dining. He’s more of a fast-food kind of guy. Or he’s craving lobster rolls while you have a terrible seafood allergy. If you’re picking a venue together, be upfront about where you’d like to go, but be realistic – there’s a middle ground between Swensen’s and Restaurant André. If he wants to be old school and surprise you with his restaurant choice, let him know if there’s anything you can’t stand eating, and ask how dressed up you need to be
DO Wear something that makes you feel beautiful
Of course it needs to be appropriate for the restaurant you’re going to. But more important is how your outfit makes you feel. Is it comfortable? Does it fit you well, and will it continue to fit you after a three-course meal? Will your shoes allow you to take a romantic stroll after dinner? And does your face light up when you put it on?
DON’T Assume he’ll pay
It’s always nice if your date does the chivalrous thing, but make sure you have the means to pay if he’d rather go Dutch. And don’t get in a huff if he’s not splashing the cash: It’s 2017, you’re probably earning as much as him, so why on earth should he automatically cover the bill?
DON’T Be rude to your server
You can tell a lot about a person by the way they treat waiting staff. Yes, if your food’s not up to snuff, raise it with your server, but be polite, and always leave a good tip.
DO Dinner-proof your lipstick
So you want to keep your lip colour intact till you’re fighting over the last morsel of cheesecake. The best texture to choose is a matte or velvet one – they’re intensely pigmented so you can pack as much colour as possible onto your pucker. Apply a layer of lipliner first, preferably in the same hue as your lipstick, then use a lip brush to apply your lipstick. Blot with a tissue, then place that tissue over your lips and use a fluffy brush to dust some translucent powder through the tissue, over your lips. Apply another coat of lipstick and voila – budge-proof colour. If you do want to touch up at the table, make sure your lippie is as pretty as your look. Or as the lights go low, change up the colour with Chanel Rouge Coco Gloss in Caviar – it’s a sheer black shade that intensifies any hue of lipstick.
