The first time flowers got me a date was a completely accidental occurrence. I was walking down the street on a Friday night, looking unnecessarily glamorous for someone on their way to a sweaty club, when a man sitting at a wine bar handed me a rose.
The gift came with little explanation besides “I want you to have it”, so I gratefully accepted and went on my way. I remained attached to the rose for the rest of the night, it accompanied me to the dance floor, to the girls’ loo, and then to the bar. Though the man behind bar failed to notice me, another man did. He asked why I was holding a flower in a nightclub, and I told him all about the kind man with the roses. This intrigued my new acquaintance to the point where, after a few more drinks, he became slightly more than just an acquaintance.
Where romance is concerned, I gained very little from the man at the bar, but the memory of his fascination with my rose stuck, and it’s become a routine dating tactic ever since.
My rule is simple: always arrive at a first date carrying a flower. When the boy inevitably inquires as to why you’re holding a flower – he will at first think you’ve brought it for him – you bring out the romantic story of the kind stranger who just wanted you to have a flower from his bouquet.
Boom, he’s hooked! Suddenly you’re admirable, attractive and incredibly elusive. Why is this the case? Is it as straightforward as the flower compliments our complexion, or maybe it’s that men always want what another man already desires? Does the simple act of holding a flower trigger the chase and challenge that men seem to find so deeply impossible to resist? Whatever the true explanation, whether it be intrigue or envy, the flower does in fact wield a power to captivate and subsequently guarantee an invitation to a second date.
I also believe it somehow makes me a better date. Beyond providing an amusing conversation starter, there’s just something about carrying flowers that creates a little je ne sais quoi, a spring to your step that can’t be matched.
I’ve since perfected the art of telling this story, testing it on Hinge dates, blind set-ups, or even just going to the pub to see who I might meet, and each time I make my encounter with the stranger that much more romantic. One guy enjoyed the story so much that after finishing dinner he stopped and bought me another flower to add to my collection – it felt cringe, but I accepted the token of his affection, one because it felt romantic in a Disney movie kind of way, and two because I had another date that week and needed a new flower.
A bit of advice, if you do feel tempted to give my tactic a go. I recommend arriving with only a single flower. Yes, a bouquet might add more wow factor, but I believe it’s far more believable to say someone chose to part with a single flower than their entire bouquet. Doing this is also a lot cheaper (depending on how many dates you go on). However, if you have the confidence to pull off the “a man bought me an entire bouquet just because he felt like it” speech, then don’t let me stop you.
Nevertheless, before you run off to buy your flowers, I must confess, I am still single, so maybe I’m not the best person to take dating advice from. Saying this, I do always get a second date, which suggests it can’t be the flowers’ fault. I guess what I’m trying to say is: I’ve got you the second date, it’s up to you to get the third.
