Dating Tips for Men: Take Your Dating Skills To The Next Level

{Article and image are from Flirting.com}

~Body language is one of the easiest ways to gauge your success, or lack thereof, with your flirting game. Most of the time people will send physical cues to let you know whether they are interested or not. But, so many people refuse to pay attention to the small details: details that may be saying "go away," or "come a little closer." Though the science of body language covers much more than will be discussed, here are a few cues for men to watch out for when flirting with the women. The following is a list of physical actions women tend to perform to send a signals that says, "Hey dummy, ask for my number already."

Her Lips: A big smile with a full set of teeth and a relaxed face usually indicates sincere content with the situation. A more aggressive woman may bite her lips, particularly a corner of the lower lip, or occasionally wet them with her tongue to show interest. Moreover, a woman who is constantly putting her fingernail in between her teeth is sending a positive flirting cue to continue with your progress. Lastly, a woman might try to plump her lips, giving them that "pouty" look to create a more sexy appeal, another positive sign that she's interested.

Her Hair: The age old trick of playing with the hair is a way for woman to not only let a man know she's interested, but to market herself to an entire audience as a flirtatious person. The twisting, twirling, flicking motions all send signals that she's single and ready to have fun. When in a private discussion, however, pay attention if she begins to stroke her hair or pushes it off of her shoulders to expose her face; both indicate an attempt to quickly clean up her appearance.

Her Eyes: Having dilated pupils is always a positive sign: it shows sincere interest. Secondly, the eyebrows are very important. Women are very expressive through their eyebrows but most men seem oblivious to what they're trying to say. When you approach a woman, pay attention to her eyebrows. If they immediately go up (usually an indicator of surprise) but are followed by steady eye contact and a smile then you've probably been given the okay to proceed. If she makes eye contact with you and then winks, she's definitely sending flirtatious signals to beckon you closer.

Women will also tend to bat their eyelashes by blinking them more often and softening their gaze to a lovey dovey look when there are interested. If she seems "gaga-eyed" chances are you're back in the game.

Her Clothing: Pay close attention to what a woman wears, but don't let it be the main focus of your judgment. Many times younger woman who are proud of their physique will tend to wear more revealing clothing. In the long run this can potentially mean nothing for a suitor, and it is not a good indication that she is "cheap" or provocative. However, if the clothing tends to be sheer and she lacks any undergarments, she may be sending signals that she's ready to flirt with a credible suitor. Furthermore, if you are talking and you notice that her nipples have suddenly hardened then chances are she is very, very interested in you, or it could just be cold inside! What's more a woman ready to get her flirting game on will tend to wear clothing with a higher hemline, but again this isn't always the case. Instead, try to watch out for a girl who is constantly patting herself down to smooth out wrinkles or weathered clothing while talking to you, she's trying to make herself look better in your presence.

Her Legs: More often than not, if your discussion has moved from salutations to serious, likewise you have moved from the floor to a booth or barstool where the two of you can sit down. Pay attention to her body language while seated, is she facing you, or away to the crowd? The latter says you might need to work harder or move on, whereas the former says, "I'm all ears." Furthermore, if she is trying to maintain an erect posture it's likely she's trying to make a good impression. Women who tend to slouch have either lower self-esteem about their bodies, and/or, aren't comfortable with the current situation. If her legs are open or crossed and pointed in your direction she is sending you positive signals to continue with your conversation. If she has crossed her legs and they are down and away from you, perhaps she is just obliging your request for a conversation.

Her Hands: The position of a woman's hands can also tell a lot about her opinion of her suitor. If she has faced both hands palms up, she is probably interested. Moreover, is she has rested the elbow of one hand into the palm of the other, which is cocked up and facing palm out, she is sending a signal that she is engaged in the conversation. Some women will play with either their keys or any nearby instrument out of nervousness. The key to deciding whether the nervousness is positive or negative lies in observing how she plays with the item. If she tends to rub things or stroke them, like the stem of a wine glass, she is more than likely interested. If she however, is fidgeting with her keys and has paired the distraction with equally averted eyes and a fidgety posture, she is probably ready to end the conversation.

Other signs of interest may come from her actions of touching jewelry around her neck, an earring, or a watch around the wrist; these are all located around pressure points that are often highly sensitive and easily aroused. If she is constantly reverting to playing with these areas she may be subconsciously sending very aggressive signals. Lastly, a sure fire sign she isn't interested is if when you approach her, she begins to rummage through her purse or look at her watch.

Her Voice: Watch the intonation (that is, the ups and downs in both the loudness and the range of her voice). If she tends to fluctuate repeatedly in both then she is displaying a sincere interest in the topic of conversation. If however, she remains constantly speaking at a higher pitch, seems to be simultaneously stiff, and her eyebrows are raised, she may be feigning interest, but not in a bad way. More than likely she is trying to seem feminine and attractive and is reverting to a flirting technique that is the "giddy girl." It's the monotone voice coupled with the blank stare and frequent pauses before a response that indicate her mind is probably elsewhere. Also, look for full, hearty, cavalier laughs; they indicate an abandon of self-consciousness and a connection to the conversation. However, if her laughs are faint and giddy she may either be:

a) timid;

b) feigning interest; or

c) attempting to maintain a feminine persona. Another good tip is to watch for her attempts to match your voice patterns, such as speed and tone, during conversation: it shows she's listening attentively and suggests she's interested.

The Little Things: In addition to the aforementioned, it is also important to always take into consideration a few additional tips. Does she seem like she is trying to mirror your body position and posture? This is a positive indicator she is attracted to you in some way. If she becomes flushed in the skin, namely in her face but sometimes a flushed blotchiness will spread across a woman's chest, this is a physical indicator that there is definitely either a physical connection, or you have just embarrassed her in some way. If she seems to take lengths to keep herself in eye's view for extended periods of time, she's probably done so on purpose, which in your case is a good thing. Lastly, look for incidental body contact, as in light hand touches, shoulder brushing, etc. Anything that looks like an excuse to physically catch your attention probably is one. What's more, unless she has accidentally bumped into you one time, her repeated interjections are a sure sign that she's looking for you to take notice.

Although it may seem like a lot of information, and it is, just take your time and slowly try analyzing one or two of the key points the next time you're practicing your latest flirting technique. In time you will learn that most signals are interconnected, be they positive or negative. So be on the lookout for something obvious; generally more frequent, subtle hints will ensue.

Whoever said the art of dating wasn't a game obviously wasn't the one doing the dating. But, that doesn't mean you have to be devious and deceptive. Think of it as honing a trademark: once you've mastered one or two tricks of the trade, you've simply increased your odds for success the next time you're looking to book a Saturday night.

{Article is from About.com}

You'll probably run into many people throughout the course of your dating preparations that could be The One, but you'll never know for sure unless you talk to them. Starting a conversation with a stranger can be daunting, but it doesn't have to be impossible.

Every conversation runs its course within a similar outline: making first contact, introductions, speaking with each other, and then ending the conversation - hopefully with plans to meet again. To navigate these sometimes scary but usually rewarding waters, read on.

The purpose of breaking the ice with someone new isn't to show off your amazing conversational skills. Instead, think of your initial contact as a way to show a potential date that you'd like to talk to them. Some conversation starter ideas to get the words flowing:

Comment on an item that you both share in your immediate surroundings, such as the long lineup you're both waiting in or the wobbly chair next to you. By focusing an item you can both experience, you're removing any potential awkwardness with a canned comment.

Sometimes a look is all that's needed to break the ice. When faced with a person you find attractive, why not give them a genuine, 3 second smile? You may be surprised when the object of your happiness starts a conversation with you, instead.

If there is something the person is or has that truly intrigues you, simply use that as a conversation starter. This could be as simple as admiring a piece of clothing or asking them about the item they ordered.

A genuine hello coupled with a smile can be equally as effective. A quick, "How are you today?" works too for a straightforward follow up.

You've made first contact - now what? Conversation starters that seem witty or interesting can be a challenge in the spur of the moment. That's why spending a little bit of time at home pondering the 'now what' will pay, later. You don't need to invest hours into these conversation starters though. Some quick ideas that can work in a pinch:

Current event topics of interest to you;

The last movie you watched;

A comment about the event you're attending, with a follow-up question asking how they heard about it.
The point of this exercise is to create a backup of topics that you can draw upon on a moment's notice to start a conversation that would also be of interest to someone else.

Once the back and forth exchange has begun, it is your responsibility to keep the flow moving - which entails listening, responding and moving seamlessly between topics to create a connection.

For example: say the object of your affections intimated that they came to this particular coffee shop because a friend told them there was free WiFi access and they were excited to try the service out. A great segue to keep this conversation moving forward would be to ask where else they've found a good WiFi connection in town. For those not familiar with WiFi, you could ask what WiFi is and how it works.

In a nutshell, listen to what the person responds with and then think to yourself, "What do I know about those particular subjects?" Using the example again, you could easily discuss a myriad of things, such as where electrical plug-ins are located, the best place to sit while working on a laptop, or further inquiries about what kind of work they perform on their laptop.

Focus on taking your own experiences and weaving them in with the other person's responses. By doing so you'll be forging a connection with the person, creating hooks of information with which to start a conversation at a later date. To ensure that you are actually conversing, and not just bantering back and forth in a quick succession of questions and answers, try to remember these key points:

Keep whatever stories or experiences you are sharing to less than a two minute retelling. You can always expand more if the person asks;
Turn the conversation back to the other person where you can, such as, "What do you think?" or, "How about you?";
Try to let your conversation partner do half of the talking, with a natural blend of questions and answers;
Don't focus on one topic for too long, and if your talk gravitates to another subject - let it.

Every fantastic conversation must eventually finish, so let the conversation you started go gracefully and with style. Don't provide too much information or go on for half an hour about your common interests. You may feel obligated to continue forward, but why not leave on a great note with your companion wanting more?

Thank the other person for their time and let them know you've got something else to do, but you'd like to continue the conversation another time when it's convenient for the both of you. Using the WiFi situation as an example, you could say, "I'm going to be late for a meeting, but I'd really like to check out the restaurant you mentioned. Perhaps we could continue this conversation there together later on in the week? What do you think?"

After you've exchanged contact information, smile and go off to do whatever it is that you've moved on to. Make sure to look back just as you are leaving to smile again, acknowledging your newfound acquaintance and allowing them to feel just as special as you do for having met someone new.