Red Hot

I’ve always said single women should wear red on a date and on their online dating profile primary photos.

It’s not just because red is my favorite color, but research from the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology at the University of Rochester also proved that women who wore red on their online dating profiles received more emails from men, went on more dates, and the men actually spent more money on women wearing red.

We know that red is the color of love, passion, and the stop sign. But red is that winning color both in the boardroom and the bedroom.

To add to that theory, our  friends at Match partnered with Finery and polled 2500 singles to determine the best date outfits and the worst date outfits.

BEST DATE OUTFITS AS SELECTED BY MEN

The winner by both was clearly a simple sophisticated and casual mid-length red dress, paired with a classic clutch, heels, and fun earrings. The look was called “Red Hot,” and I have to agree on the choice. So for those who think you should wear a mini-dress, or plunging cleavage, think again. 

The second pick by the guys was called “Sweet and Flirty,” which is a good summer look. Off the shoulder tops are all the rage now, and wearing hot pink is as close to wearing red as you can find.

Sweet and Flirty

When it comes to first date outfits, or any date for that matter, where what makes you feel comfortable, flirty, and happy. Dressing in grunge, sweats, or uggs, are good for hanging out at home, but they’re a turn-off for a guy. Dressing for women who will notice the brands will just bleed  your wallet. A guy wants to see you wearing something feminine and form fitting.

WORST DATE OUTFITS AS SELECTED BY MEN

As far as the worst date outfits, the men gave a thumbs down to outfits with minimal effort, ones that were too trendy, mis-matched, Woodstock glam, and striped with a pop of color.

Here were the top 2 losers according to the Match and Finery poll

Minimal Effort

Trend Overload

Former E! News Correspondent, blogger and stylist, Alicia Quarles, commented on the fashion survey and said,

“Our poll results don’t exactly prove that men are from Mars and women are from Venus, we actually found that both genders agreed on the best date look, and that men don’t care about the latest trends or high fashion.” Quarles continues to say, “They want to see a woman’s figure—and less women dressing for other women on a first date (i.e., in very fashionable outfits which are on trend, but that don’t necessarily show off everything). Through this, we’ve realized that men just want to determine all lines of attraction on a first date, including physical attraction, so outfits that don’t show a woman’s shape can potentially complicate things.”

So does it matter what you wear on a date? Absolutely. You have that split second to make a first impression and I think the choices selected by men and women are feminine and memorable, both online and IRL.

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She was an early adopter of Internet dating and has been coaching singles on finding love online for over 23 years. Find out how our Irresistible Profiles will help you find your dream date.

FOLLOW @JulieSpira on Twitter and SIGN UP for the FREE Weekly Flirt Newsletter

Pucker up! It’s National Kissing Day, so if you’re still on a high from Fourth of July fireworks, there’s no need to let the flame sizzle.

Every year on July 6th, singles and couples will have a good excuse to become more romantic and flirty for this annual holiday. It’s time to get creative, both on the lips and in the desired location of that memorable kiss.

In honor of International Kissing Day, our friends at online dating site Match have partnered up with Colour Pop with a “Kiss + Tell” Survey, which showed that 84% of singles really enjoy kissing, with most experiencing their first kiss between the age of 13 – 16.

Other kissing survey results include:

Ideal Kiss

The TOP 3 spots to be kissed?

• At sunset (48%)
• Moonlight stroll (46%)
• The beach (37%)

How long is the perfect kiss?

• 20 % of singles agreed that 10 seconds is the amount of time for the ideal kiss.
• 70% of singles say BAD BREATH has definitely ruined a kiss.
• 70% of singles say a bad first kiss is NOT a deal breaker.
• 75% of single women and 53% of single men say they CLOSE their eyes during a kiss.
• The second most romantic place to be kissed is on the neck.

Lipstick Rules!

• Nearly 1/3 (30%) of single women say they’ve actually had more success landing a first kiss while wearing lipstick!
• Nearly 1/3 (30%) of single men say a great make out is when they have a woman’s lipstick on their face.

Celebrity Kisses
Women:

• Kanye vs. Drake: DRAKE (86%)
• President Trump vs. Former President Obama: OBAMA (82%)
• Prince William vs. Prince Harry: HARRY (64%)
• Chris Hemsworth vs. Liam Hemsworth: LIAM (58%)
• Dev Patel vs. Aziz Ansari: DEV (58%)
• Ryan Reynolds vs. Ryan Gosling: REYNOLDS (52%)
• Brad Pitt vs. George Clooney: BRAD (51%)

Men:

• Taylor Swift vs. Miley Cyrus: TAYLOR (82%)
• Gigi Hadid vs. Bella Hadid: GIGI (60%)
• Jessica Alba vs. Jessica Biel: ALBA (60%)
• Kim Kardashian vs. Khloe Kardashian: KHLOE (55%)
• Beyonce vs. Rihanna: RIHANNA (55%)
• Emma Watson vs. Emma Stone: STONE (51%)

Top 3 TV show hosts singles would want to kiss:

Women:

1. Jimmy Fallon (28%)
2.  Ryan Seacrest (22%)
3. Trevor Noah (18%)

Men:

1. Megyn Kelly (35%)
2. Kelly Ripa (28%)
3. Savannah Guthrie (11%)

In honor of National Kissing Day, Match and Colour Pop created limited edition lipstick, Mwah, a raspberry red ultra-matte lipstick, plus $1 of each lipstick purchased will be donated to GLAM4GOOD Foundation, for only $6.

Check out these special lipsticks here: ColourPop.com/mwah

If you’re away from your sweetheart, remember to send a few digital hugs and kisses XOXO’s via text on your mobile phone to celebrate International Kissing Day. Remember that a goodbye kiss can be more important than the hello kiss and leave a wonderful memory to the end of your date.

What’s your kissing style? Do you have your own kissing dos and don’ts? A dream spot for that first kiss?

Follow @JulieSpira on Twitter and Instagram

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She was an early adopter of online dating and creates Irresistible Profiles for singles on the dating scene. For more dating advice, sign up for the free Weekly Flirt newsletter

Ladies: Are you wondering how to shine online to attract more men? Are you spending time at the makeup counter before going on a date? Do you want to look like a celebrity on the Red Carpet or go with the natural look on a date?

Before you grab that lip plumper, know that online and offline attraction does vary according to the men.

In a recent survey by online dating site Zoosk, 1850 male daters were asked to compare photos of Kim Kardashian, Beyonce, Jessica Simpson, and Jennifer Lawrence, with and without makeup. Then they were asked how they felt about the women they date, with or without the glam. The results and disconnect between their online and offline behaviors will surprise you.

Kim Kardashian and Jessica Alba

Surprisingly so, the majority of the guys stated that they preferred Jessica Alba, makeup free (77%) as compared to giving the thumbs up for Kim Kardashian, all glammed up. (23%).

Jennifer Lawrence

While viewing photos of Jennifer Lawrence made up in “American Hustle” as compared to a natural look, Zooskers voted in favor of the natural look (54%) as compared to the American Hustle photo with bright red lipstick (46%).

Jessica Simpson

When asked if Jessica Simpson looked better with or without makeup on, 57% of the men preferred her natural look.

So how does this relate to real life dating and mens thoughts on hair and makeup?

The survey shows that men prefer a natural look with the women they are dating. Fifty-seven percent of men gave the thumbs down to red lipstick and 67% weren’t fond of dark eye shadow.

When it comes to hairstyle, 81% voted for a relaxed and natural look, with only 9% preferring pin-straight hair. Does this mean it’s time to toss out the flat iron?

Now let’s take a digital look at how men select women while viewing thousands of online dating profiles.

Zoosk’s data shows the complete opposite viewpoint to hair and makeup, where men were dramatically selecting women wearing more makeup, more eye shadow, and more lipstick in their photos.

Here are some numbers worth blinking a digital eye to:

• Women who wear eye makeup receive 139% more first messages than women who don’t.

• Men are 65% more likely to want to meet a woman if she wears eye makeup in her profile picture.

• Women who wear lipstick in their profile photo get 119% more first messages than those who don’t.

• Men are 38% more likely to want to meet a woman if she’s wearing lipstick in her profile photo.

• Woman wearing blush receive 24% more first messages than those who don’t.

• Men are 19% more likely to want to meet a woman if she’s wearing blush than if she’s not.

All in all, women who wore some form of makeup received more than three times as many messages as those who didn’t.

It may not be time to dig out your prom or glamour shots, but taking the extra time to look your best in your photos instead of posting the ‘selfie’ from last night’s party might be a wise idea.

After all, you’re auditioning for the job of a lifetime; possible girlfriend or wife.

Ladies, do you prefer a more natural look sans makeup? Do you need help to look your best on a date? I’m here to help you. Find out more here.

Your thoughts and comments are welcome.

Julie Spira is America’s Top Online Dating Expert and Digital Matchmaker. She was an early adopter of Internet dating and coaches singles on the dating scene to help them find love online and IRL. For more dating advice follow @JulieSpira on Twitter and sign up for the free Weekly Flirt Newsletter.

Busy online daters can’t be without their Smartphones, for fear that the next text or email might be from that hunky guy you’ve been flirting with online.

Here’s a sneak peek of one of our favorite items that will be in this year’s Cyber-Dating Expert Holiday Gift Guide.

To add some spice to your iPhone’s look, we’re delighted to introduce the PurseCase. It looks like a purse on one side, and snuggly will fit your iPhone 4 or 5.? We love this accessory because you’ll look fun and flirty with your favorite color PurseCase, priced at only $29.99.

On one side, it opens up to reveal a mirror to check your lipstick and hair, with a pocket to store your drivers license, a credit card, a few calling cards and some cash. The other side will show your mobile phone safely protected in a rubber coating casing with your favorite color.

While speaking at Digital Hollywood recently, I spotted a friend sporting a pretty pink PurseCase and immediately ordered one of my own in pink. Ok, I’m hooked and my friends will be receiving one this holiday season.

Extra bonus: Our friends at PurseCase are offering Cyber-Dating Expert readers a sweet discount. Enter the promo code of cyberdating at check out to receive 20% off the full retail price of your purchase. This will make a terrific stocking stuffer, or you just might one in every color.

Visit PurseCase.com

Post your photos on Instagram #stylinanddialin

If you’re still on a high from Fourth of July fireworks, there’s no need to let the flame sizzle. On the same holiday weekend, the world will be celebrating International Kissing Day.

Every year on July 6th, singles and couples will have a good excuse to become more romantic and flirty for this annual holiday. As it falls on a Saturday this year, it’s time to get creative, both on the lips and in the desired location of that memorable kiss.

In honor of International Kissing Day, our friends at online dating site Zoosk conducted a survey of 3500 singles in the United States to find out everything you need to know about kissing. From air kisses to French kisses, find out the most popular styles of kissing and the biggest turn-offs for a bad kiss.

Related: Kissable Lips

According to the survey, most singles have dated a bad kisser. With 73% of the singles polled claiming they’ve been stuck in a bad kissing situation, know that you’re not alone when you meet a kisser with the slobbering tongue, bad breath, or the one who kisses with his or her mouth closed.

Speaking of closed, the Zoosk survey showed that 83% of singles do prefer to kiss with their eyes closed as compared to wide-open.

Music and romance do go hand-in-hand, so it’s natural that those surveyed had some favorite make-out songs. The top selections included “Could I Have This Kiss Forever?” by Whitney Houston & Enrique Iglesias, as well as “A Kiss From a Rose” by Seal and “Blow Me One Last Kiss” by Pink.

French kissing, surprisingly enough is more popular in the United States than in France. According to the survey, 46% of Americans prefer the French kiss as compared to 21% of those kissing in France.

Where do couples want to memorialize their kiss? The beach came in as the top choice with 30% of the votes, followed by kissing in the car, by a roaring fireplace, and on a carriage ride in Central Park in New York City.

If you’re away from your sweetheart, remember to send a few digital hugs and kisses XOXO’s via text on your mobile phone to celebrate International Kissing Day. Remember that a goodbye kiss can be more important than the hello kiss and leave a wonderful memory to the end of your date.

What’s your kissing style? Do you have your own kissing dos and don’ts? A dream spot for that first kiss?

Follow @JulieSpira on Twitter for online dating advice and sign up for the Cyber-Dating Expert Weekly Flirt.

Casual or dressy? What do you wear on a date? Sometimes I believe a dress shows your femininity. Other times, jeans can show a carefree happy look on a date.

My friend Jennifer, who just launched Dress for the Date has some great suggestions on how to wear jeans on your next date.

I have two girlfriends who, at different points in my adult life, said they ?would never wear jeans on a date?. Honestly, I never really understood that thinking, but figured they had their own fashion-faithful reasons.

Last year I was a cocktail party where one of these women, who happened to be with a handsome jean-clad date, was now wearing jeans. But, they were definitely not a date-appropriate pair.

The jeans were way too acid washed, over-the-top too tight, and had more manufactured holes than a wheel of Swiss cheese. That being said, let’s get down and dirty, and go over the best ways for men and women to wear jeans on a date.

At Dress for the Date think it’s always safe to go with a pair of dark blue or black denim jeans. Darker denim is continuously flattering, regardless of your size. Pair the jeans with a simple white or black shirt, which, depending on the date, is easy to dress up or down with accessories.

Ladies – Dressier Night Out

For a dressier night out, channel your inner J-Lo by glamming up your jeans outfit with some tasteful sparkly bangles and a great pair of sparkly hoops. Don’t forget to rock a pair of smoking hot black heels and a great hand clutch purse.

Ladies – Casual Date

Let’s say you’re hitting happy hour at the local dive bar with a man you’ve just met on Match.com. You’ll want to keep your outfit street-stylish and rock n roll chic to balance a flirty look with some edge. Black jeans tucked into some well-worn boots and a scoop neck tank (another fashion staple) with a motorcycle jacket will get your date?s engine revving.

For men, we here at Dress for the Date say step, not, RUN — far, far away from any embellished denim. Ed Hardy sword and skull, or Dragon Vs. Mermaid embroidered jeans will send your date fleeing for higher ground.

We do suggest that you stick with the basics. Jeans by Ernest Sewn or the good ole? Levis 501’s will never fail you. Stick with darker washes and no manmade holes.

Men – Dressier Night Out

For cocktail parties, the darker the jeans, the better. Pair them a solid basic-fit dress shirt, a loose tie, and a vest. Don’t forget the shoes! Us gals always notice a great pair of shoes. We suggest trying a pair of leather lace-up oxfords.

Men – Casual Date

Much to your surprise, the person you’ve been eyeing at the local Starbucks has asked you out for a coffee date over the weekend! Keep your outfit low-key for this type of date. Think Levi’s 501’s and a black V-neck T-shirt ala Simon Cowell. Match it with a great stainless steel watch and a pair of stylish high top sneakers. Your date will be glad that they made the first move.

About DressfortheDate.com
People eat with their eyes first, and first impressions are ultra-important when you go on a date. DressfortheDate.com provides fashion advice for daters, both men and women. From brief online consultations to lengthy in-person shopping trips and consultations, a DressfortheDate.comn stylist helps you discover a better-looking you, so you can step out the door with confidence. Founded by dating guru Jennifer Kelton, DressfortheDate.com provides dating fashion advice for as little as $20, so anyone can afford to look their best. Review the options at DressfortheDate.com, including a free dating fashion advice blog.

On Huffington Post Live, we spent time talking about online dating profile photos and how men respond more frequently to women wearing the color red.

The conversation was based on Adam Alter’s book, Red Tank Pink. Alter, a professor of marketing and psychology at NYU’s Stern School of Business insists that the color red or having a red border around your online dating profile is an absolute must.

Joining us was Gabe Zichermann, Gamification expert, who met his boyfriend on mobile dating app, Scruff.com.

Sharing one of my favorite quotes from the late fashion designer Bill Blass, “When in doubt, wear red,” I concurred with Alter’s findings that red does indeed have an impact on the response to dates.

You can watch the video below.

Are you wearing red in your dating profiles?

Julie Spira is a top online dating expert and author of The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online. She creates irresistible profiles for singles on the dating scene. For more dating advice, sign up for the Weekly Flirt and follow @JulieSpira on Twitter.

Did you know that before every date a woman typically has a pre-date with her closet?

It’s true that women often dress for women instead of men, but our fashion and shoe expert, Hillary Gadsby tells us that despite having hangers filled with clothes, there’s truly nothing to wear out.

“I’m a big believer in the shoes make the girl, and possibly even the date.”

While agonizing over the right top or finding a dress that’s not too short, it’s easy to spend more time with the clothes and less on the shoes and wind up settling on a pair of simple flats instead of high heels. (oops we better toss out the ballet flats on date night).

When it comes to getting dressed, Hillary firmly believes that the look starts at your feet first pick the shoes, then the rest of the outfit will follow. First dates should always include a pair of showstopping stilettos and never flats (save those for a beach date instead.) Whether you?re planning on wearing boots, wedges, or stilettos, here are her tips on how to wear each shoe while still looking fun, fab, and flirty!

If you’re wearing stilettos? aim for a pop of color.

Wearing a classic little black dress to a dinner date? Pair ruby red or metallic gold stilettos with the dress to make it truly stand out! Everyone (including your date, most likely) will be expecting to see conservative shoes that match the dress and it?s always fun to shake it up and include a dash of bold, sexy color with your look.

If you’re wearing wedges? pair ’em with dark wash denim.

Sometimes the first date involves a lot of walking around, like heading to a theme park or music festival, and you’ll want to be able to walk the distance without developing 101 blisters along the way. Sleek wedges are your best bet because the heel is often stacked instead of skinny and can range in size as well. Dark wash denim jeans, a nice blouse, blazer, and a statement necklace when paired with wedges make even the most casual first date also one of the most fashionable.

If you’re wearing boots? include a short skirt.

Find a pair of stiletto thigh-high boots and pair ?em with a short skirt. The boots elongate your legs, giving you an extra boost of confidence. If you still feel self conscious, add a pair of tights which are also super sexy to wear with any of the shoes on my list!

Click here for more first date fashion tips.

Hillary Gadsby is the founder of Stilettogal.com, where she blogs about what a day in the life of a woman entrepreneur is like as told by her shoes. Find out more about Hillary and her signature pair of bright yellow python pumps at Stiletto Gal’s Facebook page and follow her on Twitter!

Julie Spira is America’s top online dating expert and founder of CyberDatingExpert.com. She creates irresistible profiles for singles on the dating scene. For more online dating advice follow @JulieSpira on Twitter and at Facebook.com/CyberDatingExpert.

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, facialist-extraordinnaire Gia, from Gia Skin Care, shares her Red Velvet Mask. It looks and smells so good, you may find yourself nibbling on it while applying it to your face.

How do you enjoy this do-it-yourself process at home?

All you’ll need is a food processor or blender and the following ingredients:

1/4 Cup of Fresh Organic Raspberries
1 Tablespoon Manuka or Raw Local Honey
1 Teaspoon of powdered Cocoa
1-2 Tablespoons Organic Almond Milk

Blend all the ingredients until it becomes a smooth velvety consistency.

Apply your mask from a bowl with either an applicator or facial brush making sure you avoid the eye area.

Leave on 10 minutes and simply Breathe and Relax.

With the amazing power of antioxidants from the raspberries and the medicinal antibacterial healing qualities from the honey, this is the ideal indulging mask without any calories!

It’s a nice way to pamper yourself, while getting ready for your next cyber-date.

For more beauty ideas, visit GiaSkinCare.com and CyberDatingExpert.com/beauty

Julie Spira is leading online dating expert and founder of Cyber-Dating Expert. She creates irresistible profiles for singles on the dating scene and is the author of the bestseller, The Perils of Cyber-Dating. For online dating advice, sign up for the free Weekly Flirt, follow @JulieSpira on Twitter and at Facebook.com/CyberDatingExpert.

For those of you who know me, you?ll know that more often-than-not, I?ll be wearing a red dress or sweater when out in public. Red is a signature color that defines both passion and love and is my favorite color for first date outfits and online dating profile photos. It also helps you stand out from the other women who can?t part with their signature little black dress, who don?t realize they?re blending in with the crowd, both online and offline.

This holiday season, you?ll have the chance to shine, both online and IRL, as I?ll go on record saying, ?Let them wear red!?? Even the late Fashion designer Bill Blass has a famous quote, ?When in doubt, wear red.?

Need more expert fashion advice for the holidays?

In a recent article on Fashionista.com,? Single All the Way? Expert Fashion Tips for Online Dating, I shared some of my holiday fashion, beauty, and hair tips for those looking for love online.

After all, your online profile photo is your love-life resume.? The men you?ll be meeting will be delighted when you resemble the irresistible photos they?ve viewed.

CLOTHES

Remember, that women spend too much time dressing for women. Men don?t care about the labels, and it?s rare that I?ll hear a guy ask, ?Is that Chanel or Prada?? If you look good in an outfit that fits well and is appealing, they?ll like the package, regardless of the price tag of the item. If red isn?t your color, try pink or fuchsia, as men equate this with femininity. Both red and pink will help your profile stand out instead of wearing black, white, grey, or complicated patterns.

Remember that men undress you with your eyes, so avoid the extra-low cut tops and dresses, and please stay away from bathing suits. It?s no different than lingerie with a different fabric. You?re looking for a soul-mate, not an instant bed-mate.

Remember to wear a few different outfits to show that you?re diverse. This helps you avoid writing the clich? of saying you go from jeans to black-tie. Let the guys see that look instead.

HAIR

If you?re getting ready for a hot online date or are prepping for your online dating photo shoot, invest $35 and go to a blow-dry bar to get your hair blown out nice and silky. However, don?t become a ?hair chameleon,? as having too many different hair colors and styles could be off-putting to men who view your profile. Most men are simple and want truth-in-advertising, so they hope you?ll look like your online dating profile photos. Avoid the desire to have glamour shots taken. Guys will think everything about your profile is photo shopped, from your age to your laugh lines.

MAKEUP

Decide which features you want to focus on for your online dating photo shoot. If you have luscious lips, add a bit of color and gloss to accentuate them. A guy will think about what it?s like to kiss you, but if you?re wearing bright red lipstick, he may not want it on his collar just yet. If your eyes are the most flattering, apply eyeliner, fabulous lengthening mascara, and a simple light colored lip-gloss. If you overdo it on the make-up, men will think you?re too high-maintenance and it will actually make you look older. Something we all dread when it comes to posting our age.

At the end of the digital day, a natural look is something most men would enjoy seeing. They won?t know all the effort you put in to creating your irresistible online dating profile. It’s our little secret.

Full article at Fashionista.com

Julie Spira is an online dating expert and Editor-in-Chief at CyberDatingExpert.com. She creates irresistible profiles for singles on the dating scene. For more dating advice sign up for the Weekly Flirt newsletter, follow @JulieSpira on Twitter and at Facebook.com/CyberDatingExpert.