29 Comments
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B S's avatar

Years of putting time and thought into first date outfits, only to meet my future husband at a costume party dressed as a ‘Sexy Space Wizard’, complete with a wizard cape my grandma had made me for a Halloween costume when I was six years old.

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Viv Chen's avatar

meet cute WHOMST

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Margot's avatar

We're celebrating Valentine's day today so I am finding myself having chosen a black turtleneck, my current favorite dark-wash wide leg jeans, and black cowboy boots with a dainty silver necklace. I'm at work so I've made it feel more casual with a slouchy grey knit vest and switched the cowboy boots for Doc Martens, and when I get home to get ready I'll put on some more jewelry and maybe a red lip to get ready for our dinner.

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Viv Chen's avatar

jewelry + red lip yes

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aya's avatar

seeing someone wear all black as a first date outfit feels very validating tbh...! also that iro paris dress!! <3

loved all of these + the different perspectives that go into the choices made.

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N/'s avatar

loved reading about everyone's first date outfits!

In the early 2010s my go-to was a neutral silk shirt+jeans that started feeling tired pretty quick because it was basically a costume, I found the going easier once I decided to dress according to my own actual tastes (more black/colour/pattern depending on mood, sheer tops, cashmere in winter) and not in some wannabe sexy Parisienne three-buttons-undone look which really just translated as 'Madewell website front page'.

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

obsessed this

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Viv Chen's avatar

wait can I ask you next time….

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Ochuko Akpovbovbo's avatar

ask me!

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A...'s avatar

I wear my smile, velvet orchid perfume, red lipstick and a long dress looking like a femme fatale in a noir film

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Viv Chen's avatar

Sultry and classic 🥀

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Tim O'Reilly's avatar

I loved seeing a lot of these clothes without the person in them because seeing just the clothes, I would say, "oh that's fun" or "omg that's so buttoned up" and it dawned on me just how much clothing communicates in a first impression. ofc it's something we "know" but i feel like seeing these intentionally chosen personal artifacts quite literally laid out you can piece together something about their owner and the knowledge hits you from a different angle and is basically what you're doing on the first date itself <3

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Celine Nguyen's avatar

Viv!!! this was a lovely read—I truly think you are one of the best style/fashion newsletters out there, and it was so cute to get these stories from a range of styles AND gender identities

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Cecilia's avatar

I like to switch it up every time but one constant is my hair. I always have it down and natural. Some people get ✨weird✨about my hair so I try to see what my date thinks early on.

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Emmanuelle Maréchal's avatar

For my first date with my now boyfriend I wore a whole black outfit. It was summer and I wore COS large pleated trousers paired with a sleeveless top and birkenstock. I prioritise comfort in my outfits as I have fibroids and it can get tricky when my body decides to not cooperate, so I like wearing clothes that are large during summer. The trousers and birkenstock were for comfort, but the top was definitely for enhancing my jewellery (a necklace made of cowries and earrings by Ryan Storer x Albus Lumen) and because I like my shoulders. One rule I have when going out on a date is to dress for me first and only. I need to love myself.

Funnily enough, my boyfriend said on our first encounter that he couldn't take his eyes off my face because the top and jewellery made him look at all the details on my face. Like he said the top attracted his attention to my shoulders, neckline and then face. So, my outfit did a pretty good job.

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Mads Writes's avatar

I had the wildest outfit on on my first date with my now partner...the most unflattering pair of jeans I owned, a black crop top, and a relaxed open button-up with what a friend described as a "Goth Aloha print". I think it was my lucky vans that did it...

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emily north's avatar

THIS IS SO GOOD

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sahra denner's avatar

depop and teeny from survivor!!! two legends

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Danya Issawi's avatar

Honored to be here next to TEENY!!!!!

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Viv Chen's avatar

i was making your outfit collage and thinking damn this is a really good outfit lol

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Robyn T. Davies's avatar

Oh, loved this! I became interested in first date style when I started dating for the first time in 12 years(!). Liza from Everybody Gets Dressed recently wrote about first date style, and Christina from Habiteur did something similar in November 2023, for those who want to read more on this topic

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Viv Chen's avatar

thank you for sharing!

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S. Jane Kim's avatar

Love that June describes her style as "gemini" lol it makes so much sense to me!

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Viv Chen's avatar

It comes through doesn’t it!!! Her collection of shoes is to die for

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