Can a Man in His 30s Who Has Never Dated Get Married? - Appearance Edition
If you're a man in your 30s who has never dated, then before you take an introduction from a friend, go to a social gathering, or sign up with a matchmaking agency,
read this first. It's the only way to minimize the waste of money, time, and energy.
Life got busy, time flew by, and suddenly you're in your 30s.
All that hustle bought you a certain degree of stability, but you've never once been in a relationship,
so lots of you are rushing to sign up with a matchmaking agency or trying dating apps.
But does simply signing up, simply getting introductions, really mean everything will fall into place and lead all the way to marriage?
If it did, everyone who signed up with an agency would have a 100% marriage rate.
Reality isn't that kind.
So here is the bar that makes women think "okay, he's decent enough", the things you can do before you go,
from an expert who has done countless relationship-recovery counseling sessions, and from the perspective of a woman in her 20s.
1. Keep yourself clean
You might think, "Of course I'm going to be clean for a blind date, obviously,"
but this is genuinely missing far more often than you'd expect, which is why it's the most basic and yet the most important part.
A surprising number of men give off unpleasant odors, like body odor, that stale-apartment smell, or musty clothes,
and when you live alone you get used to your own smell, so these things often go unnoticed.
1) In the shower, pay special attention to the back of your neck, behind your ears, and your belly button
2) Brushing thoroughly, tongue included, is the baseline; carry breath spray or mints too
3) Air out your home often so the smell doesn't soak into your clothes, and be careful with laundry (no musty smell)
4) Trim your nose hair and stray eyebrow hairs
5) Shave cleanly
Even if you don't smell good, simply not smelling bad gets you a pass.
For men who don't own cologne or deodorant, just slipping a small piece of soap into your pocket
gives off a subtle soapy scent all day and covers any unpleasant smell.
On the other hand, drenching yourself in a cologne you never normally wear can be off-putting, so be careful.
The key is: no unpleasant smells!
Don't try to look cool. Looking clean is best.
2. The one procedure I recommend most
For men, I think the single best cosmetic procedure is 'laser hair removal'.
You know how some guys shave perfectly clean and still have a five o'clock shadow by the afternoon?
Those dark traces of stubble can make you look older and give a scruffy impression.
The men I know who've had laser hair removal genuinely look at least 5 years younger, and their overall impression is so much cleaner,
so if you're bothered by stubble shadow, you absolutely won't regret this.
I sincerely, strongly recommend it. No regrets.
3. Check your hair and clothing style
Hairstyle recommendations vary a bit depending on your look.
If you have a masculine look or you're on the heavier side, going for a clean, masculine style at a barbershop
and leaning into a distinctive look may actually work better for you.
If your look is more average, skip the neighborhood salon you always go to for a trim and book an appointment at a well-known salon downtown.
These days they'll recommend a style that suits your personal look,
so I recommend spending a bit more and making the change.
There's a reason people say a man is made by his hair. Your hairstyle has a huge impact on your overall impression.
As for clothes: please, no big lettering, no character prints.
Safe choices are a neutral pastel-toned knit, a shirt, or a cardigan.
I hope you'll use this Appearance Edition for men in their 30s who have never dated to check each item off before your blind date and make it all the way to a second date.
Next time I'll bring you a column for men in their 30s who have never dated and find talking to women difficult.
