“What to wear on a first date?” is a dilemma that every girl faces as she stands on the precipice of a potential new romance. Only a few girls are born with unwavering wardrobe confidence and don’t feel the need to succumb to the pressure of ‘dressing to impress’. For the rest of us, imperfect mortals, it’s a tough call indeed.
Even though the thought of what to wear on the first date involves sweaty palms, a blank stare at the closet and being on the verge of a meltdown, all you need, to rock it like a diva, is some clarity and a little help from your friends like us!
The key to nailing your look is to mix up your first date dress choices depending on the setting, location, and season. Wearing that little black dress, no matter how sexy, to a brunch is going to backfire. As would wearing a cotton shirt dress to a dinner date that involves fine dining. We’re here to help you navigate the endless options for first-date outfits women have at their disposal so that you rock the perfect ensemble every single time.
10 First Date Outfit Ideas For Women
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We know how nerve-wracking it can be to have an overflowing wardrobe and still not find anything to wear. Been there, done that! Zeroing in on that perfect dress becomes that much harder when you’re trying to look for first date outfits guys love that also boost your confidence.
To put you out of that quandary, here is a dressing for a date tip for you: always choose something that resonates with your sense of style so that you feel confident and comfortable in what you’re wearing. Making the favorable first impression will become a walk in the park. However, that doesn’t mean that sweatpants qualify as first-date clothes for women. You still have to make that effort to look your best in order to knock your date’s socks off. With that in mind, let’s explore different options for what to wear on a first date:
1. Outfits for a casual date/coffee date
If you are going for a daytime first date the perfect style choice to follow are the three C’s – casual, comfortable and chic.
If you choose your first date attire accordingly there is no way you can go wrong. Especially if you’ve just decided to have a quick meet-up, post-work, at your nearest Starbucks, you really don’t want to overdo it. The key is to keep your style minimalistic and yet, edgy. Some great options are:
A blazer and skinny jeans
This is a look that you can never go wrong with. Especially since you’re meeting this guy post or pre-work, this look suits both occasions. Think light blazer, perfectly fit jeans, a plain top or a breezy shirt inside which you can pair with either pumps or sneakers, as per your preference.
This look will make that successful, independent woman in you truly shine, and also reflect an easy-breezy side to your personality. The advantage of this first date outfit for women wearing is that it will make your shoulders pop and also make your waist thin while hiding your hips (if that’s a problem area for you).
A crop top with shorts, skinny high-waisted jeans or boyfriend jeans
Can we just take a minute to appreciate crop tops here? These wonderful pieces of clothing can literally be paired with anything and look chic-casual. And they come in so many varying shapes and sizes that they can be worn to almost any event!
If you’re struggling with what to wear on a first date, especially a casual one, go for a crop top. Paired with shorts and sneakers, it can look like a laid-back summer look. If you are looking for a little less casual 1st date outfit ideas, pair a crop top with some high-waisted jeans (perfect to hide that muffin top!) or boyfriend jeans, a curvy girl’s best friend.
2. Dresses to wear to a brunch date
Aren’t brunch dates and mimosas just so amazing? Well, the anxiety that goes into picking what to wear to these dates isn’t! You need to pick a look that is perfect for that daytime sunlight since you don’t have the dim dinner date lights to hide you.
Here are our top picks for what to wear on your first date:
A sundress
Gone are the sundresses – the sundresses, Ted! I don’t think I can make it another eight months with no sundresses. – Barney Stinson on the arrival of winter. Barney was right. Sundresses are an absolute delight and it’s a shame to have to put them away ever. They’re also the perfect first date dress for girls on breezy, summery days.
Choose a style that agrees with your fashion sense and nail it with the right accessories. You could pick one that flaunts your neckline or something that accentuates your waistline. A pretty pastel color or a bright daytime color like yellow can truly enhance your appeal. Round of the look with edgy sandals, tussle earrings and a fragrance that smells like summer.
Maxi dress
This is another perfect first date dress or a daytime outing, especially in summer. There are so many styles available online and in stores that you can find a maxi dress perfect for any occasion! Especially a first date.
These dresses not only compliment most body types but also make you look taller and make your waist look slimmer. Style this with some chic boho flip flops or even some block heels and an over-the-top hat and you have yourself a perfect chic brunch look.
Related reading: 7 amazing first date ideas
3. Dress to impress on a dinner date
We consider dinner dates a little easier to dress for since you can go a little over the top without seeming extra. Plus the dim lighting helps! Among the most valuable first date fashion tips for dressing for a dinner date is to choose something that accentuates your best body parts, adding that element of oomph.
Here are a few first date clothes women option you can explore for a dinner outing:
LBD – the Little Black Dress
Nothing glams you up better than the classic Little Black Dress. It’s sexy, it’s elegant and you cannot go wrong if you pair it with the perfect attitude to carry on your sleeve. Keep the accessories simple, blow dry your tresses, wear stilettos and add a designer clutch to finish with the perfect oomph.
A midi skirt paired with a shirt
If you’re looking for a first date outfits guys love, it helps to know what men notice about women in the first meeting. When that first meeting is a fancy dinner date, nothing says sophisticated fashion like a satin midi skirt with a shirt of your choice.
Play with patterns and prints but don’t go overboard. Among the first date dressing tips to swear by is the simple rule that if one piece of your clothing has patterns or design, keep the other plain.
You can pair this ensemble with your favorite denim or leather jacket or even a blazer in the winter to complete the look. Make sure you pair this up with some sexy heels to give a ‘pump’ to your look. Stilettos work the best but some heeled ankle boots will work wonderfully for the autumn-winter season.
4. Outfits for a movie date
You definitely want to keep it casual for a movie date. But obviously, a well thought out, seemingly effortless type of casual, duh! Our favorites are:
Bell bottoms/flared jeans with french tucked shirt/t-shirt
What to wear on a first date in a casual setting? This is surely one that you cannot go wrong with. God knows we were glad when the flared jeans made a comeback. These wonderful jeans make your legs look long, your waist small and your butt peachy.
Paired with a French tuck, this look just checks all the right boxes. Feel free to wear your fav sneakers with this one.
Related reading: 7 positive things to do after break-up
Shirt dress
If you want a style that is street smart, then a shirt dress is perfect for you. Choose one in solid color, checks or basic denim and pair it with some kickass sneakers for the optimum cool-girl look. This is just the right first date dress for the girl who ranks high in the cool quotient.
5. Perfect dresses for a drinks date
If it’s an evening date, then you can ditch being just casual. If you feel like dressing up, there’s no reason to hide it. Glam up your look, girl!
But considering it’s a date over some drinks, you might want to pick some chic comfort too. You don’t need to worry about 1st date outfit ideas that marry comfort with style because we have you covered.
Here’s what we suggest:
A black strappy jumpsuit
God bless the person who decided to glam up the old jumpsuit and turn it into a fancy outerwear clothing article! A black jumpsuit is perfect for dinner and drinks because: 1) it’s hella sexy and 2) it combines the neckline of your favorite sexy black dress with the comfort of pants!
You don’t need to be conscious about your skirt shifting or how you’re sitting or if people can see your nether regions while you try to get it on, on the dance floor. You can be sexy and confident and totally wow your date in this outfit.
Pair it with sneakers or block heels, as per preference. A sling bag and golden hoops and blow-dried hair will ensure you look like the goddess that you are!
A sexy romper
The jumpsuit’s smaller, bolder, cousin is the romper. If you don’t mind showing a bit of leg, especially in summers, this is the outfit for you.
Satin rompers, lace rompers or even solid colour rompers with a lovely cut can make the perfect outfits for a first date. Again, they’re comfortable so you can drink freely and enjoy your night and tell your friends about your drunken endeavours the next day. We’re rooting for you to nail this first date dress.
Styling Tips For A First Date
So now that you know what to wear on a first date, let’s look at some first date fashion tips that will help you and absolutely nail your look, every single time. Here are some other tips you should keep in mind before dressing for a date:
- Don’t complicate your choice of outfit by overthinking: You got this, girl! You know what flatters you so don’t second guess and ruin your night
- Don’t try ambitious fashion on the first day: Yes, it’s tempting to go overboard but trust us, very few guys appreciate fashion like we do and hence might not understand the sophistication of that ruffled one-shoulder-off dress
- Stick to your personal style: Like we said, you know yourself best and your own style best. So, instead of experimenting on a totally different tangent, stick to your personal style
- Dress according to the venue: We cannot stress this enough! Avoid going to a fancy dinner date wearing shorts and a t-shirt. All this will do is make you feel out of place and ruin your mood
- Pick an outfit that flaunts your best asset: You know your body-type. Pick an outfit accordingly. If your best asset is your thin waist, pick something that is cinched at the waist and makes it the point of focus. If you want to flaunt your booty, pick something well fitted in that area like a nice pair of jeans or a leather skirt
We hope this article helped you ease at least some of that first-date anxiety! What is your personal favorite first date outfit? Do tell us in the comments below.
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Nothing can ever go wrong with jeans and a cold shoulder top. 🙂