Louanne Ward asks singles to weigh in on first impressions and whether they judge someone’s outfit

The outfit you wear on a first date can say a lot more about you than you think, Australian singles say. 

Relationship coach Louanne Ward, from Perth, has asked singles to weigh in on the importance of first impressions – and whether or not they judge a date straight away based on their outfit choice.

‘Have you ever been “turned off, or on” by the way someone dresses? ‘Can clothing change the way you think or feel about a person? Can you read a person by what they wear?’ she wrote in a Facebook thread in her group She Said He Said.

Her question divided singles, with many saying they always form an opinion about what a man or woman wears – and why a date’s choice of clothing can make or break them.

‘I look at shoes, they say a lot about a man’s style and personality. I’ve helped male friends attract more women just by changing their shoes and tweaking their outfits,’ one woman explained.

‘Crocs, sandals, slides, socks and slides – there’s no chance. It’s not about money or brands either – just knowing your body type, not wearing dad jeans and taking pride in your appearance. It’s a huge component of dating and attraction.’

Another woman agreed, saying: ‘I’ve always thought the same of shoes. Something a bit different to the run of the mill will always catch my eye.’

One man shared his own take on outfits, saying women who wear clothes that don’t suit their body type can be a ‘turn off’.

‘Tight fitting clothes on a large person is unattractive. I find that a woman wearing a pair of jeans with heels and a white shirt or blouse is a turn on and looks rather sexy, but she needs the figure to pull it off,’ he said.

Sharing a recent encounter, the man said he noticed a woman getting out of a taxi, dressed ‘very elegantly’ and he could tell she had spent a lot of time doing her hair and makeup for her date.

‘Then the guy hopped out of the back seat, wearing a pair of black jeans and a T-shirt that looked like it had just come out of the laundry basket and runners. His hair looked like it had never seen a brush or a comb, so it was quite obvious that he had spent around 10 minutes getting ready and didn’t care,’ he said.

‘So in my opinion, if she makes the effort then so should you, and vice versa.’

Another man agreed that what a woman wears on a first date can really say a lot about them – but he pointed out ‘first impressions can also be deceiving’ so the second and third dates are important because that’s when you can determine whether it’s a ‘deal maker or breaker’.

‘Obviously the type of clothes vary with the setting and occasion. But you can learn a great deal about someone,’ he explained.

Besides clothing, he said other signs can also help you form an understanding of someone such as ‘how they speak, stand, drink or eat, interact… and their manners.

‘Moral of the story? Don’t over do it. Especially if it’s a first date. P.S. Ladies.. White shirt, denim jeans and a clutch is a perfect outfit for such a catch up. Men: Pluck those nostrils, and make sure you smell good,’ he added.

Meanwhile others revealed why they never judge anyone based on their outfit, with many explaining their opinion on someone comes down to their personality.

‘As long as they’re clean. Yes, it’s nice seeing a woman dressed up or not. If you’re attracted to them, it doesn’t matter,’ one man said.

Another said: ‘What they wear doesn’t tell you about their personality. To me, it’s a woman who dresses comfortable and shows confidence. You don’t need to be dressed up sexy to be sexy – it’s all about the way you carry yourself that is sexy.’

And one man added: ‘No rarely am I turned off. Women are beautiful in all shapes, forms, dresses or no dresses. I feel privileged – nice to seduce or be seduced.’

After conducting the survey on social media, Ms Ward noticed a pattern on how clothing can be a form of ‘communication’.

‘It is amazing how many people don’t understand the importance of non-verbal communication. Only seven per cent of the way we communicate is through words, 38 per cent is through tonality of voice and 55 per cent is what people see,’ she told FEMAIL.

‘How we convey a message of who we are and what we want to say isn’t only a consideration of what happens when we are in a conversation. It starts well before that. 

‘What you wear can change your world, how you communicate can change your world and your posture can change your world.

‘Whilst these are three subjects they are all related, many people have no clue of their power or importance.’