Men’s Fashion for Dates
Thank you for your continued support.
- When it comes to what men wear on dates, do most men usually wear suits? Is that generally preferred?
- With summer coming up, though, wearing a suit and tie seems unbearably hot. What kind of style would be best: a long-sleeved dress shirt and tie without a jacket, a short-sleeved shirt with slacks, or something more casual?
Kida here with an answer.
First of all, I don’t know much about date clothes myself. In fact, even the clothes I wear to work are pretty “homeless chic.”
That said, I’ll answer specifically in the context of a dating club.
First, what is clothing for?
I think it changes depending on your job, the setting, and the situation.
If you’re going to someone’s office for an important business meeting, and you don’t work in a creative field, you’d probably wear a proper, standard suit.
You probably wouldn’t pair a blue jacket with a red tie. Even if it were Dolce & Gabbana and cost 150,000 yen, I’d still say it was the wrong choice.
Wouldn’t it be a clean white shirt, a dark suit, black leather shoes, and a black business bag?
In that kind of situation, individuality is completely unnecessary. The point is to show respect for the other person through your attire.
No matter how hot it is, you button one button on your jacket while standing, then casually unbutton it when you sit down.
Seeing that, the other person will probably think, “At least this person knows the basics.”
Clothes aren’t always just for keeping warm when it’s cold or taking off when it’s hot. Sometimes they’re a tool for conducting business.
Now, back to date clothes.
I thought perhaps you could apply the same idea to dating.
Wait—
That doesn’t work at all.
It doesn’t, but anyway, the purpose of your outfit on a date is very clear:
To make a good impression on the woman—or at least not make a bad one.
So, as a basic rule:
- Don’t complain about the heat or cold. Fashion requires sacrifice!
- That said, sweating profusely isn’t a good look either.
With that in mind, wouldn’t fast fashion be perfectly fine?
UNIQLO
MUJI
ZARA
H&M
GAP
Forever 21
You probably have at least one of these nearby, so how about simply buying exactly what the mannequin is wearing?
Judging from your question, you don’t sound like much of a fashion leader, so I’m not sure about wearing a suit on a date in the middle of summer.
Personally, if the choice were between wearing “the jacket I bought last year for 300,000 yen” and “the jacket I just bought for 3,000 yen,” I’d think the latter might be better.
Fashionable people are a different story. If you’re stylish or used to putting outfits together, that’s one thing. But if you’re not, I think the quickest route to success is to forget your own preferences and ideals for now and completely copy the fashion sense of the mannequin in the men’s section at H&M—the one dressed to appeal to men your age, with the wavy pompadour hairstyle.
Don’t worry. Women don’t really understand men’s clothing that well either.
It’s fine to show some personal preferences, but if you’re not sure whether a woman will interpret Lacoste as “stylish,” I think it’s better to start with something generally appealing and see how it goes.
Thank you for your questions.
Sota Minami
・When it comes to men’s outfits for dates, do most men wear suits? Is that generally preferred?
I think most men simply wear the style of clothing they personally like. For men coming straight from work, a suit is usually the standard.
That said, dates aren’t always after work, so the ideal outfit can vary depending on the location. At an upscale restaurant, you might follow the dress code, while a casual, relaxed restaurant might call for a polished casual look.
As long as your clothes look clean and well-kept, I don’t think you need to worry too much.
Above all, charm her with an outfit that suits the carefully planned date you’ve arranged.
・With summer approaching, wearing a suit and tie can be uncomfortably hot. Would it be better to wear a long-sleeved dress shirt and tie without a jacket, a short-sleeved shirt with slacks, or something more casual?
Choosing what to wear in summer can certainly be challenging.
I think it depends on how you want to come across: as a mischievous playboy, or as a serious and sincere man.
For example, shorts and denim tend to give a very casual, somewhat childish impression. Pairing them with a jacket adds a more polished, mature feel.
If your outfit matches the image you want to project, it’s likely to leave a stronger impression.
I hope this helps.
