Secrets To Being A Gentleman In The Modern Dating World

As a single young woman, I find myself in the dating arena fairly often and despite all the calls to arms for equality, I’m always most struck by the men who retain that oh-so-desirable and yet oh-so-elusive quality of gentlemanliness.

Here are 5 ways to be a gentleman on a date without being labeled a Neanderthal;

1. Pick Her Up. Whether you’re on your bike, walking, taking the subway, riding in a cab or being chauffeured in a limousine ? pick her up. It’s a nice thing to do. If she’d rather meet you and is fairly insistent on it, then it may be, like with a blind date, that she’s not yet at a comfort level where she’d like you at her home. You should respect that wish.
2. Have a Plan Beforehand. Nothing is worse than sitting around trying to decide what to do. If you’re having trouble, flip through the paper’s restaurant reviews, pick one and make a reservation. Simple as that.
3. Tell Her How Nice She Looks. The words ?you look lovely? or anything along those lines should be out of your mouth within the first five minutes of a date. No excuses.
4. Open Doors. Open her car door and the restaurant door, but don’t pull her chair out unless she is clearly standing by it and waiting for you to do so. Otherwise, if she’s not expecting it, you could wind up in an awkward chair struggle.
5. Pay, or At Least Try to Pay. Most women will admire and respect your offer to pay. If she offers to help pay, insist again but do not get into a struggle over the bill. If your date is very insistent on paying her share then let her do so, but at least try first. Also, if you were the one that asked her out, you should never expect her to pay.