After I asked this question to my housemates, and one of them replied ‘a G-string and nothing else’, I thought it was probably high time I wrote this article. First dates are tricky to dress for because it’s hard to judge selectively what’s appropriate; technically they may have already seen you in your bra if you ran into your date whilst the Baywatch song was on in Ocean last Friday. A first date may blossom from a beautiful friendship that’s always had an undercurrent of flirty banter, or it might be a slightly more spontaneous and noticeably less romantic Tinder hook-up, but no matter how you’ve met them, here are some failsafe looks for your first date.
Dinner and a Movie
A classic first date scenario is dinner and a film; it’s something you can dress up or down for. To be in keeping with this season’s prettiest print, try this floral skater dress from Missguided; it’s casual enough to be worn during the day for a more spontaneous meeting, but it can also be teamed with some black ankle boots and a leather jacket (or gilet, considering the rapidly approaching summer weather) for a slightly edgier look. Its effortless girliness means that you can look chic without looking like you tried too hard.
Missguided, £24.99
Bowling
Bowling is a brilliant activity for a first date; the chilled out, friendly atmosphere helps breaks the ice and often makes for a more casual date. Keep things simple with your outfit too; a pair of well-fitting blue skinny jeans teamed with a summery vest and some well -worn white Converse is an ideal combination for a trip down the bowling alley. Topshop’s jeans and vests are always of top quality, but if you’re on a budget (and let’s face it, we’re all students here) H&M does a very similar outfit for £18 – top and jeans here.
Schuh, £45
Drinks
Nottingham is home to some great bars; from Wetherspoon’s to Coco Tang, there’s a bar for every budget. Obviously, going out to Coco Tang for drinks differs greatly outfit-wise from going out to Wetherspoon’s. For a more formal first date, try a midi-skirt and blouse pairing, such as this blouse from H&M, for only £7.50. This bright blue midi skirt from ASOS adds a flirty pop of colour to brighten the outfit. Alternatively, you could try this navy blue maxi skirt from Topshop – the open leg allows you to flash a suggestive and subtle hint of flesh without being too outlandish.
A more informal meet up down the local calls for something casual. This cami from ASOS doesn’t break the bank at £10, and can be teamed with these acid wash skinny jeans from New Look, so you’re simultaneously on trend and suitably dressed for your first date!
Topshop, £20
Edited by Luisa Parnell