Dressing properly for a dinner date is something that many men struggle with. With so many outfit choices, it can easily be a complicated process to figure out. Let's take a closer look at how you can dress appropriately and really make an impression on your date.
When dressing for any special occasion, you don't only want to make an impression, you also want to feel great. It's important that you feel confident with what you are wearing, and that your outfit suits your personality, as well as the event you are attending. With that being said, there are a few important aspects that you should consider when you are dressing for a dinner date. If you plan ahead, you will make it much easier to choose the right outfit, and you will look great for your date.
The Color Theory
Before diving into your closet that throwing together an outfit, it's important to have a basic understanding of color. This will be the foundation of your outfit, with dressing for your dinner date or any other important equation. The best place to start is with a color wheel; you will notice that colors of mainly divided into two categories - warmer colors like the great, orange and yellow, and cooler colors, like blue, purple and green. The goal of using a color wheel is to ensure your colors balance and work in harmony with each other.
Ideally, a mix of cool and warm colors will help to achieve the concept of harmony, and there’s a wide variety of options that you can choose from. Keep in mind that there are four major color schemes that play a role: monochromatic colors, similar colors, triadic colors, and complementary colors. Monochromatic colors consist of wearing various shades of a specific color. A similar color scheme will involve two colors that are usually adjacent to each other on the color wheel. An example is blue and green.
Triadic colors allow you to experiment a bit, as you can choose colors that form a triangle within the color wheel. An example would be blue, red and yellow. This should create a combination of contrast and balance, which can work wonders if worn correctly. Finally, complementary color schemes involve choosing colors that are direct across from each other on the color wheel. They provide the most contrast, for example, orange and blue.
Choosing a Shirt
With the colors sorted out, it's now time to choose a shirt. When you are dressing for something formal, stay away from T-shirts and throw away your polo necks. These may be acceptable for a casual lunch, but definitely not for an evening dinner date. You can be a bit creative and show off your personality with a plaid shirt or a solid dress shirt. Make sure that the shirt fits you well and that you are comfortable. These shirts come in a wide variety of colors, so remember to choose wisely.
Chinos or Dark Jeans
A dark denim jean always remains a timeless classic. A light denim can work well during the daytime, but not at night. A dark denim that is well fitted will simply complement you much more and even make your dress shirt stand out. Just make sure that your shirt is always tucked in. You can also opt for a chino; chinos are a great way to dress in style while still being affordable. Choose a navy or blue chino as this should generally do the trick. You can be bold and choose a color like burgundy too. Just make sure that your trousers will complement the rest of your outfit.
Your Blazer
Nothing shows your sense of style like a well-fitted blazer. It is very important to pay attention to the way it sits, as well as the color and pattern you choose. If you're just starting to experiment, it's recommended that you stay with one pattern, and no more than two colors. If you're comfortable with two or more patterns, and you can pair everything well together, give it a try. Just remember that proportion is critical, and when patterns are the same, the spacing between them is of utmost importance. For example, if you are wearing a large, windowpane blazer, you should choose a smaller checkered shirt to go with it.
Shoes
Good choices for shoes include brown leather shoes, loafers, or wingtip brogues. These are all safe choices and you will work all your bases covered. If you have chosen the denim pants to wear, you may even get away with a pair of trendy sneakers. The more formal your trousers, the more formal look shoes need to be so that it looks like you’ve chosen your outfit in accordance with each other.
Time to Accessorize
Now it's time to add accessories to your outfit. He should never overdo it, pay attention to details and bring out your own personality. If you want to look super shop, you can opt for a skinny silk tie. Skinny ties are less corporate looking but they still give the impression of being very well-dressed, looking quite dapper without feeling like you're going to work.
Another great option is to go for a printed silk tie. This is a fantastic idea for a date, and you can choose novelty printed ties with the repeating motive. These ties feature small repeating motifs, which is related to a theme such as a lifestyle, travel, animals, sport and more. When viewed from afar, they look like nothing more than a mix of bright colors, but when viewed up close, they will reveal an intricate pattern.
You could also try to add plus players to your outfit. This can be the perfect addition to your first date attire. You can even pair it with the tie and look super stylish. This will add even more character to your entire outfit and it will definitely make an impression on your dinner date.
