Knights and princes of golden ages past had the right idea; woo a lady with chivalrous acts and she’ll be swooning at your feet in no time. Although times have moved on, chivalry is not just the stuff of legends in fact these days it’s still an essential part of any budding romance. Most women still agree that they are looking for a chivalrous man, but modern manners are evolving so fast that it can be hard for men to keep up. So what exactly counts as “chivalrous,” and what comes across as “too much” when it comes to dating?
1: Ladies first?
It’s an old fashioned adage, but it still makes for excellent dating advice. Allowing your date to go first, whether it’s through a doorway into a restaurant, or ordering food from the menu – this is one way of demonstrating chivalry. Whether they care to admit it or not, even the most modern of damsels want to feel like princesses and letting your date go first is the a vital step on the way to successful chivalry.
2: Don’t let her pay the bill
On the first date, show you’re a true prince charming and offer to pay the bill. If she wants to split it, put up a fight; she’ll be impressed with your assertiveness and will be left wanting more. Offering to pay during the initial stages of dating is a great way of showing your date how interested you are in getting to know them better and will help you make a great first impression.
3: Commit random acts of kindness
Let’s face it, most girls are going to go gooey over any guy who offers their seat to an old lady on the bus, or who makes random gestures of goodwill for the benefit of others. It shows manners, class and consideration. Our dating advice is this: offering to help someone with a heavy suitcase up some steps or to lift a pram off the train is going to show off your manliness to its full effect and make you look irresistible.
4: Adapt to the modern woman
These days, dating isn’t about carrying a lady home safely on the back of your horse. To adapt to modern chivalry, you should also consider the following dating advice:
5: Always text when you say you will
This includes sending a text after your date to say how much you enjoyed it and that you’d like to do it again. There’s nothing gentlemanly about leaving a lady to wonder if she’ll hear from you again.
6: Call her instead so she can hear your voice
A word of advice – if you want to demonstrate your courageousness and awesome manliness, it’s always better to talk in person. You can tell a lot about a person through the telephone and the sound of their voice, and relying on text messages and emails alone to organise your future dates could mean that you’re missing out on a chance to cement your connection. If the first few dates have gone well, why not ring her to arrange the next one? If you catch her at home in the evening, she’s bound to be more relaxed and happy to prolong the conversation.
7: Remember your manners online
Dating online? Remember that every profile you like the look and sound of has potential to be a great first date. . Being polite, courteous, and interested in everything she has to say will get you ahead of the competition and win you that all important first date.
8: Dress and act appropriately
Wearing your favourite Homer Simpson t-shirt to a Michelin starred restaurant or being rude to the waiter who’s late with your starter won’t get you ahead in the chivalry stakes. Our dating advice for dining novices is to think and behave like a gentleman. This doesn’t have to mean going all out, but simple things like pulling her chair out for her, saying please and thank you and complimenting the choice of venue can all go a long way to helping you climb to the top of the chivalry stakes. Take our advice and act with charm, attentiveness, sensitivity and style, and you’ll have all the makings of a successful dater.