Patti was interviewed by Men's Health Magazine on dating tips
for short guys. Please see Patti's tips highlighted in yellow below. At the end of the article is the link to the actual article in
Men's Health.
The 5 Best Dating Tips for Short Guys
Don’t let your height hold you back. Use these simple strategies
to impress every woman you meet
IMAGES BY THINKSTOCK
Coming up short in the dating world? Ladies prefer men who
are a whopping 8 inches taller than they are, according to a recent Dutch
study. With the average American female standing at 5’5”, that puts the bar at
6’1”.
Why does she prefer a Blake Griffin over a Tom Cruise? Blame evolution—not her, says Tracy Thomas, Ph.D., a San Francisco-based relationship therapist. Taller men would have made better protectors back in caveman days, so women evolved a taste for them, Thomas says. (Primal attraction works both ways: It’s Why You’re an Ass Man, too.)
But don’t fret: Not only are there some major Scientific, but you also can get a leg up with these smart dating tips.
Why does she prefer a Blake Griffin over a Tom Cruise? Blame evolution—not her, says Tracy Thomas, Ph.D., a San Francisco-based relationship therapist. Taller men would have made better protectors back in caveman days, so women evolved a taste for them, Thomas says. (Primal attraction works both ways: It’s Why You’re an Ass Man, too.)
But don’t fret: Not only are there some major Scientific, but you also can get a leg up with these smart dating tips.
Add inches—in the right
places—with your wardrobe.
The wrong clothing can
make you look pint-sized, but the right rags can lengthen your look, says Brock
McGoff of short-guy style blog The Modest Man. The first rule: Get your
pants hemmed and your sleeves shortened, McGoff says. Bunched fabric around
your wrists and ankles will only draw attention to your smaller stature.
Next, avoid wearing anything that breaks up your frame visually. A streamlined look from top to bottom can help elongate your body, says McGoff. If your pants will stay put, lose the belt—or wear a slim one that’s the same color as your pants. Go for monochromatic color schemes like dark jeans and a dark shirt instead of dark jeans and a white shirt.
Next, avoid wearing anything that breaks up your frame visually. A streamlined look from top to bottom can help elongate your body, says McGoff. If your pants will stay put, lose the belt—or wear a slim one that’s the same color as your pants. Go for monochromatic color schemes like dark jeans and a dark shirt instead of dark jeans and a white shirt.
Don’t let your insecurity
get the best of you.
Confidence is key to
making a good first impression, says Beverly Hills-based psychiatrist Carole
Lieberman, M.D. If you assume right off the bat that she won’t like you because
of your height, she probably will be turned
off—by your insecurity, Dr. Lieberman says. To feel more confident,
remember the qualities that make you a catch and draw her focus to them,
advises Dr. Lieberman. Are you a graphic artist who designs his own T-shirts?
Wear your creation. Caring family man? Tie on that friendship bracelet your
niece made you. MVP of your softball league? Don your team cap.
Flirt without saying a
word.
Too much eye contact can scare off women—it’s usually a
menacing gesture, says Patti Wood, author of SNAP: Making the Most of First
Impressions, Body Language, and Charisma. But shorter guys can get
away with it because their height makes them less threatening, Wood says.
Holding her gaze for longer than 3 seconds—without towering over her—reads as pure attraction, Wood says. “She’ll think, ‘Wow, this guy is really into me,’” she says. It can be intense to stare right into someone’s eyes, so you may want to practice in non-romantic situations like with waiters or cashiers, Wood suggests. But remember: The goal is to show your interest—not creep her out. Don’t pry your eyes open wide like an owl. Keep it natural.
Holding her gaze for longer than 3 seconds—without towering over her—reads as pure attraction, Wood says. “She’ll think, ‘Wow, this guy is really into me,’” she says. It can be intense to stare right into someone’s eyes, so you may want to practice in non-romantic situations like with waiters or cashiers, Wood suggests. But remember: The goal is to show your interest—not creep her out. Don’t pry your eyes open wide like an owl. Keep it natural.
You get an extra
half-inch, but that’s it.
As tempting as it may
be, don’t fudge your height in your online dating profile, says Julie Spira,
author of The Perils of Cyber-Dating: Confessions of a
Hopeful Romantic Looking for Love Online. Think about it: You
wouldn’t want her to blatantly lie about her weight, would you? It’s okay
to ditch decimals and round up to the nearest inch, Spira says, but don’t fib
more than that. Your ultimate mission is to meet your match in person, and you
don’t want her looking for the 5’9” guy you claimed to be on your profile if
you’re only 5’5”. She’ll notice. And your dishonesty will make you seem
insecure, Spira says.
Speak her body language.
Men tend to stand side by side when getting to know each
other. That’s because when a guy faces you head-on, it’s intimidating, Wood
says. But women bond face to face because they don’t have to worry about
seeming like a threat. Here’s where your less imposing stature comes in
handy: Wood says shorter guys can get away with addressing women head-on and
not intimidate them like taller men would. Next time you flirt, stand
face to face. It’s a subtle change, but it’ll make her more comfortable opening
up because that’s how she’s used to bonding, Wood says.
.
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Patti Wood, MA, Certified Speaking Professional - The Body Language Expert. For more body language insights go to her website at www.PattiWood.net. Check out Patti's website for her new book "SNAP, Making the Most of First Impressions, Body Language and Charisma" at www.snapfirstimpressions.com. Also check out Patti's YouTube channel at http://youtube.com/user/bodylanguageexpert.
