For many of us single working females,  some  of our dates are planned for a time directly after work.  So, how can we dress appropriately for work and still look sexy and appealing for our date?

Usually the first date is fairly casual. That being said, you still want to look attractive for that first meeting since it is important to impress if you want to make it to a second date.

Men love beautiful eyes and and a lovely smile. Make sure that you have accentuated your eyes with a little eye liner and soft shadow.  Looking natural is important since most guys want us beautiful but not overdone. You may have seen in dating profiles the typical statement, ” I want a girl who can go from formal to a basebal cap and jeans. I am looking for someone who looks like the girl next door”.  Meaning they want it all, which of course is highly unlikely!

Secondly, try to wear an outfit which accentuates your best features. If you are on the heavier side, this means not wearing spandex or tight fitting clothes.  You have no idea how many dates that I have been on where guys have shared stories about women showing up who were overweight and under dressed or wrongly dressed for their body type.

One of the keys to a successful first meet is being appropriately attired. If you are not sure, take a friend with you to the store or to look at your wardrobe to aide you in your selection for your date.

If you are meeting for drinks after work, wearing slacks with a nice top and accessorizing it with jewelry can work great. I really love nice costume pieces that are not overpowering to compliment an outfit.  Keep the focus on your face and not your body or clothing, so don’t overdo it!

There are really great summer fashions out now that are fairly inexpensive in discount stores such as Target and Ross. I love Target’s handbag collection and accessories for the summer.

If you chose to wear a dress, wear one that is not too “officey” and would transition to an appropriate night time dress. Banana Republic, Anne Taylor and Chicos have nice selections this year!

If you are going to expose your legs, make sure they are tanned or have at least a hint of color. Most men love a woman’s legs and you can use one of the many new spray tans out on the market if you are not a sun worshiper.

It can be tough to juggle working, kids, and dating. Simply don’t over plan the first date. It should be natural and relaxing!  Show your confidence and guys will love that about you!

When meeting someone from internet dating, sometimes there are big surprises in store. What if you are not attracted to your date when you lay eyes on him? Listening to someone’s voice and seeing photos, sometimes old ones, is not the same as a face to face meet!

Have you ever met someone for the first time expecting fireworks and given off ice cubes?? It happens more often than not.
Why? Photos may be old or not clear. Personalities and mannerisms are different in person than on the phone. He might have less hair than his pics or suddenly gained 20 pounds!  It happens to everyone that dates long enough online.

Unless your date is rude or disrespectful, at least spend a few minutes chatting with him. If you feel it would be wasting his time, then be honest and explain that there just isn’t sufficient chemistry to continue.

Normally, singles will suffer through the date and simply hope that in the end they have spent enough time not appearing rude. Does that sound familiar? The casual glance at your watch. Or, the visit to the bathroom to see if any other suitors have attempted to contact you?

If  you make it through the date and he still appears interested, the polite way to handle it is to send an email thanking him for a great evening and explain that “even though you had a great time, there is not enough chemistry”.

Being rude or discourteous just because there are no sparks is not necessary. Just try and put yourself in the other person’s shoes!

It is pretty disheartening when you have had what seemingly was the “perfect date” only to find out that it was not all that!! What you don’t realize is that you might have given off signals that turned or scared your date off!

When you meet your date for the first time, there is often pent up excitement and expectations about what you think and feel about potential partner. Often, a small gesture or comment can trigger a fast turn off as well as making it the last date!

One of the things many people tend to do is to volunteer too much information about themselves or past relationships. You should keep the first date simple and not turn it into a therapy session or a ex bashing fest. Even if your date exhibits this behaviour, don’t reciprocate.

If your date mentions your ex, you can answer in general terms. You don’t have to go into details about what a jerk your ex was. You can simply say that it didn’t work out because you had conflicting views etc. Save the details for down the road.

Also, don’t mention all the medications that you take. If you take Xanax, keep that information near and dear to you. Don’t feel the need to share it on the initial date. It will send off red flags and probably end any future dates.

Confessing all your past dating transgressions is never necessary and certainly not at the beginning. If you really are attracted to your date and enjoy the company, smile and engage in light hearted conversation.

Dating is meant to be about eventually finding that perfect person. That person is out there….. somewhere…!!!