Dating Tips and Advice from a Matchmaker (Estelle Matchmaking): January 2012

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

One Simple Bit of Dating Advice For the Ladies

Ladies, consider growing your hair long. Of course, if short hair is your thing, then don’t change it. But the majority of men love long hair, and for many recently divorced women the first thing they do is grow out their hair before they get back on the dating scene. If you haven’t had long hair in years, maybe it’s time to try it out again.

-Estelle
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Estelle is the president/owner of Estelle Matchmaking, LLC a boutique matchmaking service for selective singles in the NYC area (including Westchester and Fairfield Counties) and South Florida

Monday, January 30, 2012

Dating Tip: Confidence is Sexy

If you believe you’re sexy, others will, too. Confidence really is a natural aphrodisiac. If you go into your date slumped over and insecure you’ll be far less attractive than if you strutted into the room. Seriously, the sexiest people are those who are cocky enough to believe it about themselves first, then everyone else follows.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Ladies: Keep Your Nails Manicured

Manicure those nails, ladies! You’re no longer 22 years old rocking out to Hole like it’s 1995, so chipped nails are not OK. Of course, sometimes nails break or chip by accident and you can’t get to your manicurist right away; but before you go on your date, make sure you remedy the situation. You don’t want to reach for a glass or his arm mid-laugh and have him notice your index finger is missing a chunk of red polish. Ugh.

Saturday, January 28, 2012

A Simple Tip That Can Make a Huge Difference

Red wine is delicious! But it also stains like it’s nobody’s business… and not just your clothes if you spill it, but your teeth, too. If you decide to make wine your drink option during dinner, choice white so as to prevent having one of those dull grey toothed smiles by the end of the night.

Friday, January 27, 2012

Find Your Perfect Match in 2012 With These Tips, Part Four

Today we give you the final installment in our series on how to find your perfect match in 2012.

Love like you’ve never been hurt. No matter what 2011 gave you or took from you, don’t let it stand in the way of your future happiness. As we mentioned before this is a new year, so sweep any past disappointments and heartbreaks under the carpet, hold your head high and yes, love like you’ve never been hurt.

Get yourself out there. Maybe you’ve been afraid to make the jump into the uncharted waters of the dating world, but your match isn’t going to show up at your door while you sit around and wait. It’s up to you to make the first step and there’s no better time than a new year to do so. Our suggestion? Hire a matchmaker. You’ll get the emotional support and hands on attention that dating websites just can’t offer. And if you’ve been out of the dating scene for a while there’s no better way to find your future mate than by putting yourself in the hands of a professional.

In case you missed it, here is part one, part two and part three of our tips.

Thursday, January 26, 2012

Find Your Perfect Match in 2012 With These Tips, Part Three

Today we give you part three of our tips on how to find your perfect match in 2012.

Put the judgment aside. Whether you’re judging yourself or potential dates, you need to stop. Leave your old judgments in 2011 and give yourself and others a chance. Remember you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.

Make time in your life to smell the flowers. As human beings we spend our lives in a hurry and bustle. Too many of us don’t stop to smell the flowers or meet someone new, and yet we’re confused as to why we’re still alone. If you make time to enjoy the things you’ve been rushing past these last few years, you never know what you might find.

Don’t just think positive; be positive. Not only does being positive have a major impact on the health of your mind and body, but it’s contagious, too. People want to be around positive people because even on a gloomy day, a positive person is a glimmer of sunshine. Be that positive person and people will naturally gravitate toward you. No one likes a killjoy.

In case you missed it, here is part one of our tips and part two. Come back tomorrow for the final installment.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

Find Your Perfect Match in 2012 With These Tips, Part Two

Yesterday we covered three tips on how to find your perfect match in 2012. Today, we discuss two more.

Be realistic. It’s time to understand that perfection doesn’t exist and romance isn’t a nicely packaged Hollywood movie with an impossible ending. In having realistic goals in what you want in another person, you open yourself and your heart up to someone special automatically. However, once you do meet that person, the next thing you need to realize is even with great love and companionship comes the need to cultivate, dedicate and work hard at maintaining it.

Expand your interests. Not only do well-rounded people make for interesting dates and conversationalists, but they also make for better human beings. As January gets underway consider taking a class in something that interests you or donating your time to a charity that is important to you. People love a person who’s selfless enough to engage in volunteer work.

Look for more tips tomorrow as we post part three.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Find Your Perfect Match in 2012 With These Tips, Part One

Instead of just focusing on what you can change about yourself in 2012, maybe it’s time you consider jumping back into the dating pool and let the New Year breathe new possibilities into your love life.

1. Set an example. Gandhi said: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” This beautiful quote can also be equated to dating. If you realize who you are and what you want in someone else, then you must be the ideal partner you wish to meet. Like-minded people have a way of finding each other out there in the world.

2. Re-evaluate your body image and wardrobe. Have you always loved your legs but never worn many skirts? Of perhaps you’ve yet to embrace the fact that you’re always the tallest one in the room, so you’ve never stopped slumping? It’s time to accept the things you either love or cannot change, and dress in a way that accentuates the unique physical parts that make you who you are.

3. Commit to a new healthy you. It’s a new year, so why can’t it be a new you? Lots of people make New Year’s resolutions that involve fitness and a new healthy lifestyle, and in doing so it leads to a happier mind and soul. Make a pact with yourself to eat better, workout and cut out any bad habits. Once you have these elements in check then you’re ready to share yourself with someone new.

Look for more tips tomorrow as we post part two.

Monday, January 23, 2012

Dating Advice ... Food For Thought

Gandhi once said: “You must be the change you wish to see in the world.” If we relate this to dating, then “You must be the ideal partner/date you wish to meet.” Food for thought, isn’t it?

Sunday, January 22, 2012

Dating Advice: Be Respectful At All Times

R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Sometimes a love connection just isn’t in the cards, and that’s fine. But no matter what you’re feeling about a date, you owe it to yourself and your date to be respectful at all times. Even if you never see each other again, at least you can remember the fact that respect was part of the equation.

Saturday, January 21, 2012

Dating Advice: Learn to Laugh it Off

Be able to laugh at yourself. We’ve all heard stories where, on a first date, someone slips on a marble floor and falls, or maybe even dumps a cup of coffee on their light-colored linen pants. If this happens, laugh about it! Lingering on it instead of just making it into a silly fumble isn’t very attractive. When life gives you lemons, make lemonade and have yourself a giggle.

Friday, January 20, 2012

Dating Advice: Men Love High Heels

I know we’ve covered how men love heels before, but this quote by Marilyn Monroe says it all… and this woman knew a thing or two about landing a husband: “I don’t know who invented high heels, but women owe him a lot.” Just something from an icon to consider the next time you’re getting ready for a date, ladies.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Dating Advice For Women: What to Wear On A First Date

Ladies, you don’t need to wear Chanel on your date. Yes, we all want that classic coveted Chanel suit and maybe even some of us have one (or two or three), but showing up to a date covered in designer labels isn’t the most appealing thing in men’s eyes.

Firstly, they’re not as in to labels as we are, so the effort is somewhat lost on them. Secondly, it can make you appear shallow and too obsessed with looks, as if you’re trying to hide a wonky flaw under all that bouclé. Lastly, if you show up to a date looking as though you just walked off a runway and have an Hermés Birkin bag swinging from your arm you may look like you have yourself a lovely collection of credit card debt. Yikes. Who wants to sign up to deal with your financial indiscretions? And trust us, no man will agree with you that the Birkin bag is an “investment.”

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Dating Advice: Make a Real Connection

Follow up and follow through. If the date goes well and you agree to call in a few days, then do it. Waiting seven days and torturing your date with “why isn’t he calling?” is a rookie’s dumb move. You’re not a rookie, you’re not out to be a player, you’re looking to make a real connection and fall in love. So leave the game playing for game night, and be direct in your communication.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

Dating is Like a Dance, Learn How to Perform It

Learn how to dance—both literally and metaphorically. Not only should you have a basic knowledge of how to twirl your date around the dance floor, but understand that courting, flirting, and wooing are all part of the metaphorical dance. It keeps things exciting and hopeful.

Monday, January 16, 2012

Dating Advice: Don't Be Clingy

Space is a good thing; clingy is bad. Learn how to walk that line between too much and not enough. Know that everyone has their own idea of personal and emotional space, so proceed with caution until you can gauge what this means for the new person in your life.

Sunday, January 15, 2012

A Good Dating Rule: Pay Attention to Red Flags

We all have our dealbreakers. Go into your date knowing what your threshold is and your turn-ons and offs. We’re not saying don’t give your date a thorough chance, but being well aware of where you draw the line is always a good idea. You don’t want to waste your time or someone else’s with issues that, had they been recognized sooner, could have prevented you from moving on earlier.

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Your Brain and Your Love Life

Love is the result of positive experiences upon the brain. Called “feedback loops,” these “molecular changes” work as a reward system in your brain therefore reinforcing the good memory. According to scientists, several of these good experiences compiling in your brain can result in… you guessed it: love. So make each and every date count and worth remembering.

Estelle
Get daily dating tips from Estelle in your email in box - Subscribe
Estelle is the president/owner of Estelle Matchmaking, LLC a boutique matchmaking service for selective singles in the NYC area (including Westchester and Fairfield Counties) and South Florida

Friday, January 13, 2012

What Are Women Really Attracted To?

In case you didn’t get the memo, men and women are wired differently. While men are very visual, women tend to choose men based on their brains. Did you ever wonder why some of the most beautiful women in the world date men that are, well, not as beautiful? It’s all about what’s in your noggin. So work on your intelligence… it will also help you get through life a little easier.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Surprising News About Dating Chemistry and Attraction

Dr. Jason Shepherd, a neurophysicist in the Department of Brain and Cognitive Sciences at MIT, suggests that when you’re on a date you should be aware that you’re clueless.

According to his research, we as human beings receive so many sensory inputs, that we’re only able to really grasp a small percentage of them “It is natural for chemistry and attraction to occur without us really knowing, which is why we often end up wondering why we are drawn to certain people.” Accepting the fact that you really can’t figure out why you may be attracted to someone, will save you hours of over-analyzing.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Don't Ever Try to Change the Person Your Dating

You know what’s phenomenal? Someone who is real to themselves and to the person across the table from them during a date. Perhaps, your idea of perfection isn’t what you see before you, but do yourself a favor and don’t ever try to change the person you’re dating. In fact, this should extend into every corner of your life. It’s not your job to change people; it’s your job to accept them for who they are.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

Dating Advice: Knowledge is Key

Read. Some people are avid readers and some just aren’t. But if you want to be able to have an intelligent conversation, be aware of the world around you. If your date brings up something Mitt Romney said during the last GOP debate and you stare blankly back, then you’ve already started to limit your conversation and the future of it. Knowledge is key, and the key to knowledge is reading, reading, reading.

Monday, January 9, 2012

Dating Advice for Pet Lovers

For some daters, potential mates who own pets can be a dealbreaker. While hamsters appear to be the pet least likely to stand in the way of a potential love connection with only 10% of those surveyed choosing to pass on a hamster, dog and cat owners didn't do as well. 28% of daters would not date someone who owns a dog, and 25% wouldn't date a cat owner.

With these percentages being what they are, it might be a good idea to drop somewhere in your first, or second date at the latest, that yes, you do own a pet and yes, he sleeps in your bed every night. It's better to let them know early on in case you happen to find that person in the minority who's not pet crazy.

-Estelle
Get daily dating tips from Estelle in your email in box - Subscribe
Estelle is the president/owner of Estelle Matchmaking, LLC a boutique matchmaking service for selective singles in the NYC area (including Westchester and Fairfield Counties) and South Florida

Sunday, January 8, 2012

Dating Advice: Don't Be Too Available

Be available, but not too available. This, in no way, shape or form, means you should play that cat and mouse game that you may have mastered back in the day. It simply means that there’s something very attractive about people who have their own lives and their own pursuits. No one likes someone who’s always around and vying for every second of their attention.

Saturday, January 7, 2012

Avoid This Common Dating Mistake

You may think you’re a really funny person. Friends, even strangers in the elevator, are always laughing at your jokes, but a date isn’t the best place to showcase or practice your comedy routine. Why? Because people’s level of sensitivity and what they regard offensive varies. You may think you’re being wildly hysterical with your joke about the one-legged man, but your date’s father might only have one leg. To be safe, keep your jokes to yourself for a bit.

Friday, January 6, 2012

Don't Scare Off Your Date: Here's Something to Avoid

Let’s say you’re an amazing cook and you want to share this part of you with your date—hold off! Cooking for someone too early in a relationship can scare someone away. Everything is about timing, and if you pull out your culinary skills within the first couple dates it can be perceived as a display of devotion—but devotion too early in the game can backfire. Take it slow; you’ll have plenty of time to cook for them later on.

Thursday, January 5, 2012

Successful Dating Strategies: Be Charming to Friends

What happens if you run into your friends or your date’s friends while you’re out? Play it cool. Turn on the charm, but not too much. Sometimes winning over your date means winning over their friends in the process. Granted, it may just be a first meeting, but if this relationship gets rolling, you’re probably going to be seeing a lot more of them, so start off on the right foot in that area.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Dating Advice: Don't be A Complainer

Don’t complain about the food or atmosphere of the restaurant. Whereas we’ve already covered being kind and polite to the wait staff, also be sure not to talk badly about where you’ve gone to dinner. Perhaps, your filet mignon isn’t exactly up to par—well, you win some and you lose some. Complaining is just going to make you come off as high-maintenance and hard to please.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Dating Advice: Don't Be Afraid to Be Different

Be unique. You like long walks on the beach? Congratulations! So do most people. Don’t throw out cliché “likes” when you’re clearly more than that. You’re one of a kind, so don’t be afraid to be the original person you are.

-Estelle

Get daily dating tips from Estelle in your email in box - Subscribe
Estelle is the president/owner of Estelle Matchmaking, LLC a boutique matchmaking service for selective singles in the NYC area (including Westchester and Fairfield Counties) and South Florida

Monday, January 2, 2012

Make Yourself A Catch by Living a Healthy Lifestyle

It’s no secret that living a healthy lifestyle helps in keeping you fit and your mind sharp, but it’s also an attractive quality. When was the last time you found someone downing Coke or hotdogs attractive? Oh, wait… never? There’s a reason for that.

If you’re trying to make yourself a “catch,” you may want to re-evaluate how are you eat and exercise. This isn’t to say that indulging occasionally in something naughty is off the table, it just means that you should be wary of what you put in your body because it says a lot about you.

Sunday, January 1, 2012

Dating Advice: The Color of Seduction

As city dwellers, we tend to lean toward dark colors, but scientists think we need to shelf this habit stat. Not only is red the color of seduction but, whether or not we’re aware of it, both men and women are drawn to the color on the opposite sex. So maybe the next time you get dressed for a date, you may want to consider wearing a bit of red.

Of course, we’re not suggesting you deck yourself out entirely in the color of lust, but perhaps add it as an accent to your outfit.

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