How to Dress When Meeting the Girlfriend's Parents Comments

deleted5215690

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 22:32:03 +0000

As a mother of meeting-the-parents-age-daughters, I agree that this is a nice piece. I guess my only criticism is that the first look would turn my husband and I off of a guy, as it's way too preppy-looking. (Sorry. Barf.) Also, some of the tailoring is a bit too much for my midwestern-ness--the clothes look like they're too small on the guy, and that he's wearing something he has grown out of. It may work in a more cosmopolitan-area, but you would get some funny looks showing up looking like a 60's-era Ken doll in these parts.

Cunning_Linguist

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 21:01:41 +0000

Lovely. I agree with it all! In fact, can I have a man that dresses like this all the time? I love a neat and clean look. (And mesh shorts can burn in hell.)

TheEmbiggening

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 20:30:05 +0000

Most excellent advice Forty, but I second those who are asking about shoes. Yes, that should be an entire post. Perhaps several posts, wherein you discuss the Finer Points of Sneakery For The Non Hip Hop Gentleman, and If You're Wearing Dress Shoes Without Laces You Must Be Going To The Opera. Men need help with shoes. Actually, I'm a pretty girl and I need help with shoes, too, and no, it's not cause I don't have enough.

deleted9933073

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 19:27:54 +0000

Oh, please do! The Men of the world need it.

FortyVirginHarem

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 19:00:58 +0000

Very good point! I mentioned shoes in my first draft and it got WAY long. I'm thinking about turning that into it's own post.

deleted2368887

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 18:31:08 +0000

David/40, do you have the number of the man in the grey suit? Which, reminds me, I should really get a suit because the only "dress" blazer I have is covered in burn marks because I'm a dirty hipster. Also, I love that you're posting under your first name instead of 40_of_fun now. It seems way legit and I'm totally following suit (get it? suit!) Also, also. Is it just me or does that polo model look a lot like Michael Lucas?

Delta Sierra

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 18:12:51 +0000

Good article, David. I don't actually happen to have a daughter, but if I did, any guy wanting to date her better look like he put some effort into his appearance. I will be watching him like a hawk for any and all signs of, well, let me sum it up by saying disrespect. This would be my precious girl we'd be talking about. Doesn't matter if she's still living at home or out on her own. You and she are dating, that's fine, I'll take it as a fact, since she picked you out and I have to respect that. But I don't have to respect you until you've shown you're worthy of it. And her. <img src="http://lh5.ggpht.com/_YlJAcOaNqXU/SvF_ns9RJ6I/AAAAAAAAAok/OcR-FOXQHls/Kenia%20Safari%20(216).jpg" "height=350">

Fingies!

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 17:23:24 +0000

Barring jeans-for-all-occasions...wear things that you like and make you feel comfortable. You really can't go wrong with sweaters, blazers, dress pants, loafers, or respectable polo shirts...the main thing though, is to be comfortable wearing them. All the show will be for not if you're pulling or tugging on the clothes, if you look stuffy, if you're afraid to move your arms, or if your uncomfortableness at "dressing for the folks" shows on your face and your body language. It's best to be you...(or whatever bit of you is the reigned in crazy) than trying to be Ritchie Cunningham from Happy Days. Not saying to wear a skull-head belt or a weird bolo tie, but find clothes that make you feel good about how you look.

Thunderclees

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 16:44:14 +0000

I just keep the word "non-threatening" in my head at all times. It's worked so far: my girlfriends' parents have all loved me, mostly because I think they have a hard time imagining v-neck-sweater-wearing me ravishing their daughters.

deleted4165898

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 16:32:24 +0000

And what of decorative muumuus? Are we to assume they are ok for all occasions, cause I was expecting more on muumuus.

Madfall

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 15:59:02 +0000

I will fry in hell before I wear a sweater under a blazer, that is such a vilely preppy look.

deleted7247276

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 15:43:47 +0000

Shave or groom the beard and maybe get your hair trimmed. Please do not show up for dinner at her aunt and uncle's house, with most of her family in attendance, looking like you JUST got off the mountain. That guy (and my willingness to date such a person) is STILL mocked at family parties.

MyNameIsChris

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 15:33:43 +0000

I usually used to try to dress even more like a fuck up than I do on a day to day basis. I think it sets a nice baseline upon which I could only improve on.

rina421

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 15:23:16 +0000

Hey Guys: If you're meeting my parents, just bring some kind bud and good bottle of red. You'll be in like Flynn. Bring hash and they'll probably even give you a dowry.

Biz Monkie

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 15:19:16 +0000

I think your dinner date selection may be a bit overboard. If it's a nice restaurant, yes, a sweater and jacket are good choices. However, if you have nice jeans (clean, unwrinkled, no rips, stains, or tears), those are acceptable too with a collared shirt.

Capt_Badass

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 14:57:38 +0000

I was pretty upset with my current longterm girlfriend when she showed up at my apartment with her parents in tow while I was in college. I was laying around in sweatpants and a crappy t-shirt that probably had bar-b-que stains on it. No call, no text, nothing, just a surprise after we had been dating for about a month. I felt like the biggest asshole in the world meeting her mom and dad when I had some crappy old video game on the TV and some ratty old grey sweatpants on my legs.

allgoodpeople

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 14:53:32 +0000

Y'know, I can't even remember the last time I had to meet the parents. I've either started dating older women or the relationships have been sufficiently slutty that meeting the parents was never on the menu.

bigbabyweezus

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 14:52:36 +0000

Well done. I did have a moment of panic when I misread "pop of color" as "pop of collar," though. Ah, Friday.

deleted9933073

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 14:48:28 +0000

Very well done - though I do wish you would have spent a little bit of time discussing SHOES. This is the one thing many men forget to think about / don't care about ... nothing is worse than seeing your guy show up somewhere (anywhere!) looking fab everywhere but below the ankles and you just know Mom will notice. Moms notice everything. Shoes matter, boys!

deleted5993187

Fri, 3 Jun 2011 14:40:41 +0000

Good article, although I have to disagree about the outfit for the dinner date. I always go conservative when meeting the parent(s).