Good Compliments for a First Date

You are going out with someone new, and you really want to leave your date with a good first impression. Compliments may be key. Compliments are mood boosting for the receiver as well as the giver, according to the Psychology Today article "5 Ways to Give a Compliment" by psychologist Alice Boyes. Impress your date with sincere compliments that will hopefully lead to a second date.

Let your date know you have taken notice of her great sense of style because she probably put a sufficient amount of effort into looking her best for your date. Find an article of clothing or accessory she is wearing that you genuinely like and compliment her. Perhaps her dress caught your eyes; you could say "You really look pretty in that dress" or "That color really looks good on you." Maybe you are mesmerized by her sparkly earrings. You could say "You look so lovely in those earrings."

Your date may mention some of his favorite pastimes in your first date conversation. Appear to hold an interest in the things he likes to do with a compliment and a follow-up question. Maybe he says he has a black belt in karate; you could say "Wow, you must be really good. How long did it take you to achieve that?" Or maybe he says he is an avid guitarist. If you are interested in learning yourself, you could say "You must rock! Can you give me a few pointers?"

Your date can appreciate an original compliment that you would not just give anyone. Celebrate her uniqueness. Put the spotlight on subtler traits to make your compliment memorable, according to the Match website article "10 Ways to Compliment Your Date" by Phineas Mollod and Jason Tesauro, the authors of "The Modern Gentleman: A Guide to Essential Manners, Savvy and Vice." Instead of simply saying "You're pretty," you can select a specific feature that stands out to you. You could say "Your beautiful blue eyes make me feel like I'm looking into heaven."

Conclude your date with positivity, especially if you look forward to going on a second date. Perhaps you can compliment your date on aspects of his personality that you liked. If your date showed off his comical side, you could say "You really have a good sense of humor and kept me laughing the whole night with all your funny jokes." Alternatively, point out something you enjoyed about the date itself. Maybe you could say "I really had fun playing miniature golf with you." A simple "I had a nice time being with you" is another option.