Dress for Dating Success

When a high-profile woman is captured wearing an off-the-wall outfit she’s certain to be the subject of heated debate.

The fashion world thrives on controversy, and most women are not slow in coming forward to voice their opinion on celebrities who dress to impress.

But since those they should surely be seeking to impress are men, it’s noticeable that the male viewpoint is often in short supply.

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So are men really clueless when it comes to fashion - or merely maintaining a diplomatic silence?

We asked a group of switched-on men to take a good look at the style world’s current darlings to find out whether they agreed with the verdicts handed down by the glossy magazines.

VICTORIA BECKHAM - POSH POLISH

Long haul flight? No tracksuits in sight for the fashion designer who seems to look her most chic after she’s just stepped off a plane.

MAG’S VIEW: “When Mrs Beckham tweeted: ’The airport’s my runway!’ boy, did she mean it. Keep up the good work, Victoria, those outfits are well and truly first class.” (Look)

MALE VIEW: Since we all know how much effort she takes to look just slightly glamorous, doesn’t it defeat the purpose somewhat? It’s a weirdly dedicated kind of posh-casual that’s mostly just very dull.

RIHANNA - EDGY STARLET

Her recent S&M confession in Rolling Stone magazine only adds to her controversial style: acres of skin, a dash of sex appeal and that trademark neon red hair.

MAG’S VIEW: “She’s up there with the uber-elite of the A-list in the fashion stakes, with designers falling over themselves to dress her and front row seats waiting for her at every top show.” (Grazia)

MALE VIEW: Rihanna has a style that’s half Disney princess, half sweaty dance hall, and it’s so eclectic that even when she takes a misstep it doesn’t really matter.

LILY ALLEN - VINTAGE VIXEN

Lily’s vintage shop venture has worked its nostalgic charm on her own wardrobe. From twenties to seventies, the singer really knows how to rock a retro silhouette.

MAG’S VIEW: “She’s not afraid to experiment. Lily’s eclectic style has gotten her as much attention as her music, and every designer clamouring to dress her.” (Elle)

MALE VIEW: Lily can wear pretty much anything she likes because she’s so cool and confident. Dresses, jumpsuits - actually, she could pretty much wear a bin bag and it wouldn’t matter. She makes the clothes work for her.

CHERYL COLE - WAG CONVERT

From footballer’s other half to Britain’s sweetheart, there’s no denying Cheryl has got the X Factor when it comes to red carpet dressing.

MAG’S VIEW: “Her wardrobe choices have become as successful as her singles. While filming for X Factor, she had fashion fans watching her every sartorial move.” (Vogue)

MALE VIEW: It’s refreshing to see a bit of simple sophistication - it often feels like there’s an arms/legs/boobs race between celebrities on the red carpet, when, frankly, there was never anything wrong with the old Hollywood kind of glamour.

KATE BOSWORTH - MINIMALIST MAGICIAN

The actress has that rare superhero quality with clothes, transforming something super-simple to a red carpet success story. A slick of eye-popping lippy is all the accessorising she needs.

MAG’S VIEW: “Kate has an amazing ability to take any trend and adapt it to her own style, rather than appearing like she’s wearing a ’look’.” (More)

MALE VIEW: Just goes to show that being over-the-top isn’t everything - all you need is one distinctive (yet classy) piece of clothing, and you can hang everything else around that.

SARAH JESSICA PARKER - HEEL MAVEN

The diminutive Sex And The City star raises her fashion profile by always being the first to get her toes into the towering new ’It’ heels.

MAG’S VIEW: “This lady doesn’t have a shoe cupboard - we reckon it’s more of a warehouse - but either way we’d kill for a rummage.” (Look)

MALE VIEW: Not a fan of her ’statement’ shoes - she always looks like she’d be more comfortable if she had hooves. And her style brings to mind a little girl playing dress-up in her mum’s clothes, which is bizarre but somehow apt.

CAREY MULLIGAN - PRIM ’N’ PROPER

Championed by US Vogue’s Anna Wintour, the British actress has adopted a demure style that sets off that cool elfin crop.

MAG’S VIEW: “With her pixie haircut and sophisticated schoolmarm style, Carey Mulligan has captured the fashion flock’s attention. See how she manages to flawlessly channel a mix of classic and sophisticated (think Audrey Hepburn) with offbeat (think Tilda Swinton).” (Vanity Fair)

MALE VIEW: There’s something about Carey that harks back to the teacher at a school disco. Not in a bad way - she would be the teacher all the boys would be sort of awkward and staring at their feet about - but a teacher nonetheless.

KATY PERRY - KITSCH QUEEN

With an impressive collection of wigs, wacky dresses and neon-bright accessories, the newlywed has made kooky her own brand of fashion. Often cartoonish, she’ll take a look to the limits of taste with rubber dresses and cheeky prints.

MAG’S VIEW: “Strip away the pink and blue extensions, comedy bras and other frills of her cartoonish persona and another side of pop star Katy Perry emerges: a sophisticated femme fatale.” (Harper’s Bazaar)

MALE VIEW: Katy’s never exactly been one for modesty, but she knows how to create a distinctive look and she sticks to it. If there was a dress made out of candyfloss, Katy Perry would be first in line to buy it.

Why Dating Superstitions Actually Work

By Diana Vilibert

When it comes to getting lucky, I can always count on one thing: the less prepared I am, the more likely it is that it’ll happen. I remember reaching this conclusion one fateful night when I found myself in my bathroom, taking off my tights (control-top, natch) and grabbing a razor and shaving cream before balancing my foot on the edge of the sink, praying the glass of wine I’d just finished wouldn’t topple me over. My date was in the living room, probably wondering what the hell I was doing in there.

This wasn’t the first time I found myself in that position — I’ve even been guilty of shaving my legs in a restaurant bathroom in between dinner and dessert. And once I started noticing the pattern, without fail, every time I would fail to shave my legs before a date, I would get some action.

I asked my friends if they also have date-night beauty or fashion superstitions, and I found out I’m not the only one (OK, I was the only one who shaved her legs in the restaurant in the middle of a date — it was just once, I swear!). One girlfriend said that on a first date, “If I’m really nervous I wear my ’everyday’ dress to pretend I don’t care. I usually wear my best dress on the second date.” Another swears by mismatched socks. “The first time I got kissed, I was wearing mismatched socks. I was freaking out beforehand... really nervous that i looked like an idiot (which is dumb; he couldn’t even see them), but since then it’s been a thing.”

And it’s not just the ladies — though my guy friends stick to more general superstitions. One swears by a lucky shirt, while another admits he avoids clothing that has not given him much luck in the past.

I couldn’t help but notice that between my stubbly legs and my friend’s “everyday” dress, the goal is to avoid trying too hard. After all, who likes to spend four hours picking out the perfect outfit only to have the date be a total bust? Aim low and you won’t be too disappointed; you may even be pleasantly surprised. But meanwhile, my guy friends all kept it simple: get laid once wearing a certain outfit or cologne, and keep wearing it. One even continued to wear his “lucky” shirt after getting mugged in it.

So what is it about these silly superstitions, and why are we convinced mismatched socks or a certain dress is what gets us lucky — as opposed to our shining personalities? According to eHarmony, it has to do with uncertainty. “Whenever we experience something that seems uncontrollable, such as falling in love, we seek to gain control,” writes psychologist Bruce Hood. And we can’t help it: “Our brains are wired to seek out patterns in the world — especially at times when we are uncertain about outcomes. And what could be more unpredictable than the early whirlwind of a passionate romance?”

And you might as well give in — trying to rid yourself of superstitious behavior only makes it worse, writes Hood. “We might tell ourselves to get a grip, but deep down our emotional brain is firing on all cylinders,” adding that “The irony is that if you try to stop yourself from being superstitious (which often one cannot), then you feel more anxiety, which in turn leads you to seek more control.”

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5 Jersey Shore Dating Tips

By Stephanie Castillo

Last Thursday, we and 5.3 million others welcomed back our favorite fist-pumpers—only this time they’re GTL’ing on the shores of Miami. If the premiere was but a slice of the upcoming guido cake, we’re bound to love this season even more than the last. There’s just something about the abnormally tan cast that keeps winning us over time and time again.

Rolling Stone recently sat down with the cast in a tell-all, bare-all interview that got us thinking: Can we take away some of their seemingly outlandish charm and make it work for us? Below, our favorites quotes from the cast that underscore why we fell for “Italy’s finest,” jam-packed full of insight that just might score us a date or two.

1. Send out good vibes like The Situation.

“I had so much confidence because of all the steps that I had done and where I’d come from. Maybe some of the other people were unsure about what was going on, but when they’d go to me, I was like, whoooooosh, and that was it.”

The only thing Mike “The Situation” wears better than aviators and muscle tees is confidence. And you know what? It’s so sexy. Having confidence let’s the people around you know you’re secure with yourself and comfortable in your own skin. It helps to attract the right kind of people—no grenades. When you love yourself, the better the chance someone else will, too. How To Date With Confidence

2. Snooki doesn’t get heated, and neither should you.

“I really don’t care what people have to say about me. As long as they’re talking about me... that’s a good thing.”

This goes hand-in-hand with being confident. No matter where you go, you’re bound to run in to someone who doesn’t accept you for who you are. But who cares? The only opinion that matters is your own. When you’re focused on other people, you’re not focused on yourself, and guys don’t want to have to constantly build you up. Then again, if a close friend of yours has something to say, like, “Lay off the jello shots before you get arrested for disorderly conduct,” or other seemingly good advice, then perhaps you should listen. It doesn’t have to inhibit you, but it’s worth listening to if the words come from someone who cares about you. 5 Ways To Stop Being A Needy Girlfriend

3. Find a beat like DJ Pauly D and stick to it.

“For me, I take DJ-ing very seriously, and I don’t ever want to cheapen that brand. I will not do a club appearance, I will not do a wing-eating contest, I will not do anything but DJ.”

Nicely said, Pauly D. When you find something you’re passionate about, don’t let it go. Pursue it wholeheartedly, and in its true nature, because that passion represents a piece of yourself. We all want someone with interests and goals. We also want someone we can depend on, and sticking to your guns is a sure-fire way to communicate you’re dependable.

4. Dress like Jenni and make the boys say “woww.”

“I always had the look. I probably had the look more back then than now. I’d just destroy my clothes: rip them and re-sew them and add accessories, go to Hot Topic and buy all my jewelry and stuff.”

Fashion at the Jersey Shore played its role in catching our hearts, too. Style, in general, does that—especially when you dress in a way that allows others to get a feel for who you are. Taking something and making it your own is bold. But regardless of whether you buy it or make it, there’s one thing we know guys love: and that’s seeing a women who obviously has put some thought into her outfit. Of course they like a little cleavage and tighter fitting jeans, but nothing says sexy more than a woman who knows how to dress to impress.

5. Embrace your blowout (or what have you) like Vinny.

“They asked me at the first interview, ’So, are you proud to be guido?’ and I’m like, ’What’s your definition of guido?’ Are you thinking about spiky hair, big steroids, orange skin all year ’round? If that’s your definition of a guido, then I’m not one. But I’m like, ’If you’re looking for someone at the shore who’s 100 percent Italian, someone who has good family morals, someone who likes to party, then I’m your guido.”

Guido. Goth. Hipster. Prep. It doesn’t matter what you are, only that you’re proud to be it. Everyone has something to bring to the table, so don’t fear standing apart from the crowd. When you’re marching to the beat of your own drum, the right man will fall in line and march along with you.

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