Not too long after we were married, my wife and I met some friends for a double date. We were doing the normal thing – dinner and a movie.
Before we left the house, for some reason, we decided it would be funny to dress up like nerds. I take that back. It wasn’t dressing as nerds as much as it was finding random, wild clothes in our closet that absolutely didn’t match.
We walked to the restaurant where we were meeting our friends and giggled as we saw people staring strangely at us.
After all, I was wearing big work boots, 80’s shorts, a dress up shirt, and a headband while my wife was wearing a mix of flip flops, leggings, leather pants, sweater, complete with a flashy red cape.
Yeah, we were nerds.
Our friends saw us and laughed. They also knew us well enough to expect such things from us. We ate dinner, watched our movie, and generally had a great night.
However, I can say that nothing would have set that night apart from any other dinner & a movie date unless we had dressed up. It’s the dressing up part that makes that night stand out in my memory.
Get Dressed Up for Your Dates
When you go on a date, you need to think about dressing up. Naturally, it doesn’t mean you have to dress like a weirdo.
But taking some time to evaluate how you look makes a big deal with your overall experience. Even if you’re just going to a dinner & a movie, take a look in the mirror and make sure you’re ready to impress.
When you take some time to work on your appearance, you’re proving to yourself and, more importantly, your spouse, that you really care. You’re taking the time to put on a good show.
You don’t have to go overboard with it. Even just changing a shirt can do the trick to set a better tone for the date.
The point is to make a conscious decision about what you look like. Show your spouse you care by presenting them with a well dressed you.
Dress Up Date Ideas
With the above in mind, there are some really fun dates you can do when you make your appearance the focus. The following are some ideas of “dress up dates”.
Matching – this one is pretty low key but still fun. A matching date simply means wearing matching clothes. You see older couples doing this all the time.
This can be as easy as wearing jeans and red shirts. The goal is just to match and be obvious about it. It’s a bit cheesy for sure but this adds to the fun of it all.
Costume – you don’t have to wait for Halloween to throw on your favorite wig or clown costume.
One time when picking me up from the airport, my wife put on a crazy blue wig and covered her face with copious amounts of make-up. I laughed as she started yelling my name as I approached the baggage area. It got a lot of attention.
Dressing up in costume gives you permission to break free a bit. It allows for some anonymity even that you don’t normally enjoy while wearing just your Dockers and polo.
Event – dressing up for a particular event is pretty common but still really fun. Have you ever gone to an athletic event? It’s hard not to dress up with your favorite team colors.
If you’re seeing a movie with recognizable characters, why not dress like them? This combines the event date with the costume date. When the last Star Wars movie came out, we saw couples all over dressed as Han Solo and Princess Leia.
Suit and Dress – something happens when you put on a suit and a dress. It takes the date to another level. Usually if you’re wearing these clothes it’s because you’re attending a function that requires it like a gala, a night at the opera, or whatever.
While these can be fun dates, why not get dressed up just to go out for ice cream? It changes the whole atmosphere of the date and usually spices up the romance.
Bride and Groom – This date takes the whole suit and dress date to another level. It’s much, much more daring!
Ladies, open your closet and pull out your wedding dress. If you don’t have access to it, any white dress will do and wear a tiara or veil. Guys, pull out your old tux or a nice suit.
Then, once you’re dressed up in your wedding apparel, hit the town as a new bride and groom! You’ll be amazed at the fun reactions you get. You may even get a free dinner!
Dress Up and Have Fun
The point of dressing up is to have a more meaningful date. Most of all, it’s just plain fun.
Dress up for your next date. See what happens. Chances are very good it will make your date that much more memorable!
Author Sean.
Reprinted from Simple Marriage.