INPUT ARTICLE: Article: There's no "one first date outfit fits all" unfortunately. You'll need to consider what you're doing for the first date. What you might wear for dinner at a fancy restaurant is going to be quite different from what you might wear for a hike and picnic.  For men, if it's a more casual date (going for coffee, or something) you might wear clean jeans that are in good repair (no holes) and a nice button-down or sweater. For a more formal occasion, you might wear dress slacks in black or charcoal and a dress shirt. You could also add a tie or vest. For women, good casual date apparel would be your nicest pair of jeans and a nice shirt, or a skirt and nice sweater. For a more formal date you might wear a nice black dress, with nice shoes, and some jewelry. It's good to check the more formal place to see what their dress code is so that you don't over or under dress. No, this doesn't mean, wear your rattiest t-shirt and sweatpants. You are trying to impress your date. What it means is that you wear things that you feel comfortable in, because if you don't your uncomfortableness will translate to your date.  Avoid wearing something you've never worn before, especially if it's a new trend you're trying. You might end up fixing your dress the entire night, or really wishing you hadn't worn those new shoes. It's a good idea to wear something that you'd normally wear (even if it is a little dressier than usual) so your date doesn't expect you to keep wearing something that isn't you if you date for a while. This may seem like a no-brainer, but it's very important. You want to make sure that your date sees the best parts of you. Your clothes should hide and enhance. If you need to, get help from a friend.  Your best features could be your eyes, in which case you would want to wear something to bring them out. For example: if you have beautiful green eyes, wear a sweater in the same shade to make them more obvious. It's a good idea to stick to one thing, rather than trying to show off all your assets. For example: you might wear a skirt that shows off your lovely legs while wearing a sweater on top to cover up your chest. It's important that you don't completely change your style when you're going on a date and looking to impress. You're going to create expectations that it's going to be hard to fulfill, which will disappoint the other person and could ultimately hurt you.  For example: if you're typical outfit is jeans and a t-shirt, you're going to want to wear something along those lines. Opt for a long-sleeved shirt, or a button down and sweater and make sure that the trousers you pick (even if they're jeans) are hole-free and fit well. Obviously, this doesn't apply to more formal occasions since most people don't typically dress who they dress for a formal occasion. Still, even then you want to preserve your natural style (so don't wear heels if you never wear heels, for example). There are some things you just shouldn't do when you're trying to impress someone in a date. Avoiding these things will go a long ways towards impressing your date.  Khakis are a big no. They're perfectly fine for day-to-day use, but they simply don't appear dressy enough for impressing your date. Flipflops are too casual for a date and they won't impress. Sandals are fine if it's hot, or if you're having a date at the beach, but ditch the flipflops. Overloading on scent is not going to win you any favors, whether it's perfume, cologne, or body spray. A couple spritzes are really all you need. You're not trying to overwhelm your date with scent.

SUMMARY: Dress for the occasion. Wear something you feel comfortable in. Flatter your best features. Enhance your normal style. Avoid some outfit blunders.


INPUT ARTICLE: Article: They will reflect light and scenery.  You don't have to wire them if you don't want to; just hang them so that no wires are exposed, or hang candle sconces. You can get 2 curtain panels and drape them over a rod and let them hang loosely on either side of the window frame. You can use a curtain rod or a piece of copper tubing and attach the curtains with clips. Tie the curtains back on windy days or rearrange them throughout the day to filter the sun. They don't have to necessarily be Christmas light; think of how outdoor restaurants use mood lighting in the evening to create a warm glow outdoors. You can do the same on your porch.

SUMMARY:
Use the outside wall of your porch to hang mirrors. Look for attractive, affordable artwork at flea markets to hang on your porch wall. Add a wall sconce on either side of your entry door. Drape curtains over the top of a porch window. Hang flowing curtains in the front or on 1 or more sides of your porch. Hang twinkling lights on your porch.