Bravado Living

The Un-Woo

Little Mrs. Right, so cute and polite, sees you when coming her way. As you sit down beside her, her GPS guides her away from your courtship display.

Few things are worse than a date night gone awry. Courtship – a centuries-old tradition – can be an intimidating, yet rewarding experience. Its triumphs are marked by the thrill of the pursuit, while its failures are memorialized by the agony of rejection. So what’s a gent to do when Cupid’s aim is slight askew?

If your romantic approach could use a boost of octane, consider the following date night recommendations.

1. Many suitors employ the dinner date classic when attempting to woo the perfect mate. If you are prone to counting sheep under the romantic flicker of candlelight, expand your dating arsenal to include more than a simple meal. When deciding on date night activities, Find out what interests Her and make your plans accordingly. Is she athletic, adventurous, a movie buff, or a die-hard romantic? Whatever the case, do your best to solicit her input. Your date night activity should facilitate good conversation, and be successful at keeping boredom at bay.

2. Oftentimes, first impressions “seal the deal.” Even the smallest of details become glaring when illuminated under the romantic spotlight. Your first impression may be the only impression if you appear to be lax with hygiene. An intoxicating waft of body odor may numb or offend your date’s sensibilities; and the triple play of  dirty fingernails, dirty teeth, and dirty shoes, will never add up to foreplay.  This is why your mother ranted that, “Proper Grooming is Essential.” Taking pride in your appearance will always have an impact on your dating successes; therefore, be kind – be courteous – be clean!

3. Schedule date night activities well in advance to ensure that you will Be Punctual. Arriving late without a reasonable explanation, or cancelling plans on a whim or moment’s notice, is nothing less than R-U-D-E. Should something unexpected arise, give your date the courtesy and respect of timely communication. Emergencies can hardly be avoided, but dater’s remorse isn’t one of them.

4. Create a sense of enchantment with some good Old-fashioned Courtship. Bring a smile to her face with a thoughtful gift, or a sincere and observant compliment. Make no demands; harbor no expectations; just treat her like a Lady.

5. As an extension of old-fashioned courtship, Chivalry is here to Stay. The fact that your date is a contemporary woman, with an education, career, and political views of her own, will have no bearing on her ability to appreciate a prince. Every gal likes to be doted upon now and again; so open the door (car doors, restaurant doors, Jim Morrison Doors, or any door at all), and remember to pull out her chair.  

"Rambling Rambo"

6. Women are peculiar creatures. If this was the theme for your college dissertation, you truly are not alone. Without a doubt, the female population has a monopoly on the gift of gab. Although your date will help guide the topic of conversation, do realize that your participation is helpful. If verbal expression is not your forte, don’t allow nervousness to get the best of you. Keep the conversation moving at a reasonable pace, and if trying your hand at humor, keep it light and free of vulgarity. Actively Listen to what she has to say by asking relevant and intelligent questions. On the other hand, be aware that mindless chatter is like empty calories – both should be avoided. Suppress the urge to be a “Rambling Rambo,” and at no time is it acceptable to recant stories about your ex!

7. Something about you has sparked her curiosity, compelling her to investigate further. Feel free to Be Yourself (within reason), but do leave your Bad Boy or Don Juan persona at home. Who you are, what makes you unique, and what you have to offer, are all things your date will seek to discover. While you needn’t reveal your innermost secrets, do present a relaxed and approachable demeanor. 

8. The modern woman is independent. This is not a proclamation, but an ever-present truth. While equality is the order of the day, a sophisticated gentleman always has the means to pay for his date. Do be prepared to, as well as, offer to pay for the evening. If she insists on splitting the bill fifty-fifty, there is no harm in accommodating her request. However, you mustn’t assume that this will always be the case; otherwise going Dutch may equal a Doozy. 

9. As the evening progresses and you wish to express your romantic interest, remember to be Affectionate when Appropriate. Unsolicited groping is reminiscent of the adolescent, and most certainly will not be appreciated. Engaging in such behavior is a poor reflection of one’s character, not to mention the potential liabilities. Avoid any uncertainty by being observant throughout the evening. Body language (The Language of Love) is universal, and romantic chemistry is undeniable. A true gentleman knows whether to end the evening with a lukewarm handshake, a friendly embrace, or a gentle and passionate kiss.

10. Whether your date is arranged, prearranged, deranged, or a blind one, do your best to Dump with Dignity when round two is an unconscionable suggestion. If this is your predicament, avoid the following statements when closing out the evening: 1) I’ll give you a call. 2) We’ll chat soon. 3) I’ll text you some time. For the hopeful, each statement implies that there will be an impending communication between the two of you.  To the contrary, if you wish to see her again, do make your intentions known.  

Navigating the sea of love can be a turbulent, but worthy adventure. Mrs. Right is on the horizon, and if she’s truly right she’ll stay. Leave her feeling charmed, romantically disarmed, and looking forward to future dates with you – the Captain of the Courtship. 

 -K. Walsh

Popularity: 1% [?]

Sure. If you want to go home with a peck on the cheek.

First Date Fiasco

Chances are you have probably been doing the dinner and a movie date for a while.

Or the dinner date.

Or the movie date.

These places are terrible for building attraction, they don’t highlight your personality, and they don’t foster affection. All key for securing a second date.

Here’s why they don’t work to your advantage.

If you are on a three-hour date, and the movie is 2 and a half-hours long, that is not a good way to get to know each other.

I understand the appeal of the movie- it eliminates awkward pauses in conversations.

I hate to break it to you, but if you’re on a first date, and you’re already having awkward pauses, chances are it wasn’t meant for the two of you to be together.

If you’re that worried about holding a conversation, at least take her to a comedy club so you’re not responsible for making her laugh (which you should anyway-constantly), and it gives you something to talk about after.

So do a little research, investigate some cafe’s in your area. Go to some dive bars. Ideally ones with bench seating so you can sit next to each other. Find a cool spot that you can take her to grab a drink, maybe some dessert and just talk and flirt.

You’ll end up spending less money if you don’t share chemistry, and you have more oppurtunities to play footsies if everything works out.

Regardless of the location, the goal of the date should be to get the kiss. And you can’t kiss without touching, and its very difficult to touch when you’re sitting across from her on a table eating who knows what.

You’ll probably be able to have more first dates now with less time, effort, and money, and eliminate a month of dating and hundreds of dollars only to realize it wasn’t meant to be.

Your wallet and your ego will thank you for it.

Good Luck and Happy Hunting.

-The Haute Spot

Popularity: 30% [?]

Now here’s a story that makes you feel good about the future of humanity, at least if you’re a guy. Scientists have found that evolution is leading women – but not men – to become ever more beautiful over time.

Researchers at the University of Helsinki have discovered that good-looking women have more 
children than less attractive women and that more of those children are girls. When those daughters grow up, they are more likely to be hotties and the pattern is continued. Generation after generation of already hot women are only getting hotter. Wow.

In contrast, men are not getting better looking because attractive couples are less likely to have a boy than a girl. Scientists claim that men are as aesthetically unappealing as their caveman brethren. Sorry ladies.

Markus Jokela, a researcher at the University of Helsinki studied more than 2,000 Americans over 40 years. The attractiveness of each couple was measured from photos taken during the study. Jokela found that beautiful women had 16 percent more children then less attractive women.

A separate study in 2006 conducted at the London School of Economics found that attractive parents are much more likely to produce daughters.

Scientists say that physical attractiveness increases the reproductive success of women more than men. Since attractive parents have more daughters and attractiveness is inherited, it follows that women over generation gradually become better looking. -Via

Popularity: 7% [?]

There’s nothing more embarrassing then showing up to a club and getting rejected at the door. Or so we hear, it’s never actually happened to us at THS.

You can’t dress up like a DJ every night, or can you? Well now you can learn from the pros on how to get into any nightclub.

Bring girls

No bouncer wants to let in 5 guys out for a night of dancing. It ruins the ratio inside the club, makes him look like a chump, and there are way more beautiful women outside that he will surely pick over you. So do yourself a favor and bring girls with you, even if they’re just friends. Keep the ratio at least 1:1 and push to the front of the crowd. No bouncer is going to pick you to get in, if you’re all the way in the back.

Hail Mary: So you’re in the parking lot and it resembles your 4 on 4 flag football game with blazers- chat up the group of girls in the parking lot and ask them which club they’re going to. Maybe you’ll get lucky and they’ll let you tag along all the way inside of the club. Leave them alone once you get in though- groups of girls in clubs are just looking to dance- none of them are going to get with you. That won’t stop the millions of other guys in the club from trying though.

Get on the list

Learn who the head promoter is. Every club now has a million flyer boys who have no pull, and couldn’t get Michael Jackson into the club if they dragged him in (too soon?). So go up the chain of command, and find out who runs the promotion for the night- he’s usually the guy with 4000 friends on his facebook and no real friends in real life. At the very least find out who’s running the door, what he looks like, and call on him by name. Point to the girls you’re with and escort everyone in your group into the club.

Dress Appropriately

Read our other articles

Divide and Conquer

Sometimes, you have to just split up. It’s a lot easier letting in 2 guys, than it is 5.

Arrive Early

It’s a lot better to be waiting inside of a club for 45 minutes, than it is to be waiting outside for 15. No-one cares that you show up fashionably late. Also, there’s probably open bar- take advantage.

If all else fails- buy a bottle

Buying a bottle is probably one of the biggest wastes of money known to man. If you know a promoter well enough, he’ll probably give you one for free. Or if you’re crafty enough, you can sneak one in your back pocket and sip from it in the bathroom.

But it will do one thing– get you, and all your boys inside. Split the cost so you regret it less at the end of the night when you realize clubs aren’t that cool anyway.

Popularity: 11% [?]

Ralph Lauren Black Label 2009 Collection

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Popularity: 15% [?]