Rule 2 of 17 · Chapter I — Before the Date: Being a Person Worth Meeting
Unleash the ancient secret of the shower
Why this rule exists
Prepare yourself, for I am about to reveal a tactic passed down through the ages and guarded jealously by the truly desirable: cleanliness. That's right. Wash. Wear clothes that fit and that you did not retrieve from the floor with a hopeful sniff. Trim the things that want trimming. I know this reads as scandalously obvious, and yet a startling number of daters treat basic presentation as optional, then wonder why the spark refuses to ignite over a cloud of yesterday. Looking after yourself is not vanity; it is a quiet message that says I took the evening seriously and I think you are worth the effort of a clean shirt. It is also, conveniently, the lowest-effort, highest-return thing you will ever do.
In practice
The night before, decide what you are wearing so you are not panic-ironing in the dark. Shower, mind your teeth, and pick an outfit that fits your actual body and looks like you on a good day rather than a costume of someone else. Aim for clean and comfortable over flashy and rented; you want to feel like yourself, not like a man auditioning for a cologne advert. A little care with grooming and a scent you do not marinate in signals respect without saying a word. If in doubt, choose the version of you that you would be glad to run into, not the one apologising for the state of things.
When it doesn't apply
This is not a decree to spend a fortune or to sand yourself down into someone unrecognisable. The right person will fancy the real you, tidied up rather than replaced. And if your genuine style is scruffy-but-clean, wear it with confidence; the rule is about care and hygiene, not conformity to anyone's idea of polish.