How to Dress Well When Meeting Her Parents

Even though the clothes don’t make the man, we can all agree that they say a lot about his attitudes, thoughts, and beliefs. This is exactly why you need to pay extra attention to your fashion choices – especially when you need to meet your girlfriend’s parents for the first time, so keep on reading if you want to learn how to master this task with success. Here is a list of six useful tips, so check them out and enjoy!

Make sure to dress sharp

As you already know, meeting your girlfriend’s parents is a very special occasion, which means that you should do everything you can to look your best. Dressing sharp is always a good choice – especially if you’ll be having lunch or dinner with them – so be sure to dress like a gentleman and you won’t make a mistake. Of course, it doesn’t mean that you should wear a formal suit. It’ll definitely be too much, so find pieces that work well together and create a perfect balance between elegant style and casual one.

Eliminate crinkles and wrinkles

Needless to say, dressing sharp also means that you should opt for a classy button-down and match it with a tailored jacket. As the majority of button-down shirts are made from fabrics that tend to get wrinkled, you should take extra care of your top if you want to be taken seriously by your girlfriend’s parents. Of course, even the most perfectly pressed shirts will encounter a wrinkle here and there, but you have to know that it’s much different than digging out a skirt from the bottom of your laundry pile. So, master the art of ironing your button-downs and you’ll do a great job!

Show off your signature pieces

In case you didn’t know, accessorizing is as important as putting together a flawless clothing combo, which is exactly why you need to learn how to accessorize. And no, this doesn’t mean that you should wear jewelry such as necklaces, bracelets, or rings – on the contrary, you should tone it down and wear signature pieces such as a cool stainless steel watch. In fact, a quality watch is one of the must-haves for the majority of men, and that’s because it’s a timeless classic that will never go out of style. Such a piece will be more than enough to complement your outfit and take it to a whole new level, so don’t skip it and you’ll see what we were talking about!

Remember that your jacket plays a huge role

Photo by Austin Distel

As mentioned above, a nice tailored jacket is a big part of any elegant outfit, so try not to skip it if you’re going for a smart, sharp look. After all, meeting your girlfriend’s parents is a perfect chance to win them over and show them that you’re the one for their daughter, right? So, once you’ve picked a (wrinkle-free) button-down and signature accessories, you should start looking for a nice winter blazer that perfectly fits your upper body measurements. This is particularly true for your shoulders and your waist, so bear that in mind and you’ll find a good piece that can be matched with any type of pants!

Say no to casual shoes

When it comes to footwear, you must avoid the most common shoe mistakes men tend to make, which is why you should skip casual shoes such as running shoes or even worse – flip flops. Yes, we know that wearing elegant shoes is the last thing you want on a hot summer evening, but trust us when we say that no one wants to see your feet in a pair of plastic flip flops. Actually, this can be considered a crime, so forget about that and wear classic shoes instead, no matter the season. This will show her parents that you’re a young man who can be taken seriously, which is exactly what you want, right?

Skip too loud pieces

Last but certainly not least, skipping too loud pieces such as ripped jeans and shirts that have holes in them is an absolute must – at least when it comes to the first meeting with her parents. Obviously, these can easily send a wrong message and negatively affect their first impression of you, which is the last thing you want. The same goes for skinny jeans, pajama pants, the infamous tank tops, and too bright colors. No matter how much you love wearing these, you should definitely skip them at least until her parents meet you properly!

As you can see, there are so many things you should take into consideration when putting together a perfect outfit for meeting your girlfriend’s parents. However, these six tips are undoubtedly the most useful ones out there, so be sure to bear them in mind before you make a final choice. Success is guaranteed!

About Peter Minkoff

Peter is a men's lifestyle writer at The Beard Mag (http://www.thebeardmag.com/) and Men-Ual magazine (http://www.men-ual.eu/) from the UK. Besides writing he worked as a men's grooming consultant for many fashion events. Follow Peter on Twitter (https://twitter.com/MinkoffPeter) for more tips.