“Will you be my Valentine?” is a question asked all over the world come February 14. While half the world spends the holiday drenched in red and pink next to their better half, the rest are stuck without a date, wondering what went wrong in their search for love. According to fashion experts, you might be approaching dates all wrong, and it starts with what you wear.
Almost everyone has experienced a failed date. Afterward, you may spend hours racking your brain for where it all went downhill, but what you pull off the clothing rack may actually be the culprit. A global study conducted by BestBettingSites.com surveyed 3,000 people to reveal the biggest fashion faux pas you should avoid to boost the likelihood of a successful date.
While you may not think style is a determining factor for compatibility, results show that one in three will actually turn down a second date due to clashes in fashion with their date. Similarly, one in nine consider bad fashion sense as a non-negotiable dealbreaker in a potential partner.
So, what exactly is considered to be bad fashion? Certain looks are immediate turnoffs when meeting a date for the first time. While we often hear “dress to impress” when it comes to making a great first impression, you can actually overdo it. Wearing a full designer outfit from head-to-toe rubs one in four respondents the wrong way on a first date.
Conversely, underdressing is a major faux pas as well. Thinking of showing up in your favorite tracksuit? Think again. One in four people find tracksuits to be a no-no on dates, with athletic wear, in general, reaching the highest disapproval rating at 28.3 percent.
Following luxury and athleisure as other fashion fails are Crocs (24.1%) and overly large sunglasses (23.4%). Other first-date offenders include large logos, shirts that are too tight, and high socks with low shoes. So, if any of these are in your wardrobe, you might want to consider something else to wow a potential suitor.
The survey also looked at what fashion trends are considered an “ick,” or an instant turn-off that automatically changes how you view the person. The biggest style to avoid is maximalism, with 28.1 percent of respondents finding this ick-worthy. Streetwear (26.1%) and grunge (26%) styles follow suit.
If fashion isn’t your strong suit, don’t totally freak out! All hope is not lost as 30 percent of respondents say they don’t pay any attention to good or bad fashion sense in a current or potential partner. Unfortunately, trailing closely behind are those who find style fairly important at 24.8 percent. Just over 11 percent of respondents consider a lack of fashion sense to be an instant dealbreaker.
Even more surprising, 30.9 percent of those surveyed say your wardrobe alone has the power to make you immediately unattractive, even if you have a lot in common in other areas. They even would throw out the idea of a second date because of this.
Style preferences differ among generations, though. Most Gen Z respondents say they cannot tolerate opposing fashion habits, while millennials tend to be more laid back about how chic their partners are.
If you are going on a first date this Valentine’s Day, you are not alone. Thirty-five percent more dates are arranged on Valentine’s Day compared to any other day, according to dating app Hinge. Similarly, 11.4 million more messages are sent on Tinder than average from January leading up to the holiday.
However, if Cupid has shot you a chance at a first date on the day of love, make sure to do a once-over in the mirror before heading out. You don’t want your fashion faux pas to cloud the romance in the air.
| Which of these items would you consider a fashion ‘ick’ on a first date? | Count | Percentage of respondents (%) |
| Full tracksuit/athleisure | 836 | 28.30% |
| Full designer outfit, head-to-toe | 730 | 24.70% |
| Crocs | 711 | 24.10% |
| Very large sunglasses | 691 | 23.40% |
| Large logos | 671 | 22.70% |
| Too tight shirts/tops | 659 | 22.30% |
| High socks with low trainers | 609 | 20.60% |
| Ripped skinny jeans | 582 | 19.70% |
| Roll neck tops | 475 | 16.10% |
| Flared trousers | 454 | 15.40% |
| Baggy/wide-leg trousers and jeans | 429 | 14.50% |
| ‘Man bags’ | 406 | 13.70% |
| Fedoras | 400 | 13.50% |
| High-waisted trousers or jeans | 384 | 13.00% |
| Very skinny jeans | 354 | 12.00% |
| Camouflage | 319 | 10.80% |
| I do not consider any particular clothing to be a fashion ‘ick’ | 320 | 10.80% |
| Overly creased and/or dirty shoes | 307 | 10.40% |
| Vests with overly large arm holes | 300 | 10.20% |
| Overly hemmed or rolled-up trousers and jeans | 297 | 10.10% |
| Band merchandise | 264 | 8.90% |
| Fake designer/branded watch | 261 | 8.80% |
| Uggs | 250 | 8.50% |
| Trousers which drag on the ground | 210 | 7.10% |
| Wearing shoes without socks (including boat shoes) | 211 | 7.10% |
| Low-waisted trousers or jeans | 128 | 4.30% |
| Other | 127 | 4.30% |
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