Dating Etiquette

I know it’s the 21^st century, but there’s no excuse for bad manners on a first date.

So what are the top 10 first date faux pas and how can you avoid them?

Turning up late or not all- Make sure you get your date’s mobile number in advance so that you can call them if you’re going to be late or can’t make it at all. If you don’t want to go on the date at all then tell them in advance as it’s humiliating to get stood up and will give you a bad reputation. 

Checking your phone every 5 minutes– Getting calls and messages may make you look popular, but it’s also incredibly rude. If you’re distracted by your phone you won’t be giving your date the attention that they deserve. If you have a friend who is a bit too text happy explain that you will be busy or switch your phone to silent. 

Being too full on-Telling your date that they’re the most wonderful person that you have ever met or saying that you’d love to have babies with them would be seen as coming on too strong. Telling them that you’re having a nice time is of course acceptable.

Wearing too much perfume/ aftershave – I’m not saying that you should smell too natural on your first date (if you work in a chip shop or in the sewers take note), but it’s important that you don’t gas your date with a strong fragrance.

Sitting in silence – The Four Seasons may have proclaimed that Silence is Golden, but on a first date it’s not the best way to bond. Excessive talking, whereby you haven’t stopped to breathe in five minutes is also frowned upon.

Using foul language – If you can picture your mother threatening to wash your mouth out with soap you’ve probably gone too far with your use of obscene language. Swearing is something that divides the nation, so it’s best to err on the side of caution.

Talking about your ex – It’s a really easy mistake to make; especially if you broke up recently or were together for a long time. Talk about them to your friends and family, but don’t talk about them to your new date. 

Using your date as a counsellor – A friend, who shall remain nameless, once went on a date with a man who burst into tears when talking about women he had met in the past. Needless to say she didn’t arrange another date with him. It may sound harsh, but if you’re going through a tough time emotionally it is worth waiting for a while before arranging a date.

Wearing something completely inappropriate – We’ll go into first date outfits in detail at a later date, but as a rule of thumb consider where you’re meeting before choosing your outfit. You don’t want to be wearing skinny jeans for going climbing and equally jogging bottoms would look awful in a restaurant.

Turning up drunk – Some people like a bit of ‘Dutch courage’, but turning up drunk is never acceptable!

What do you think is the most unacceptable thing to do on a date? E-mail dating@muddymatches.co.uk to let us know.