Sophie, 25, from Milton Keynes has been on a few dates during lockdown — once it was acceptable to meet other households, of course. Most of them have been outdoors with easy social distancing and thus, she felt, no real need for a mask. Particularly interesting though, is the age gap, with people under 30 three times more likely to mask up for a date than those over But this poses an interesting new set of anxieties when it comes to dating in However, my inner people pleaser found it basically impossible to say anything to him and every time I tried to shuffle away from him subtly, he would edge nearer again.
It was awful. And when you really think about it, it could turn out a good thing. But what if you are both on the same page? Going on a date both wearing masks might make you both feel safer, but the romance itself then might need work. I asked him whether he felt comfortable wearing one and he said he understood and wore a mask on the date.
From the way he was fiddling with his mask and a sarcastic comment he made about it, I could tell that he didn't really want to wear it and it took a lot of the usual fun and excitement of meeting someone for the first time out of the date. But is there a way to flirt with body language instead of facial cues?
Sure, we can all master the Tyra Banks 'smize' - that is, smiling with your eyes - but can we actually flirt with our bodies alone? Life coach Rebecca Lockwood certainly thinks so. Keep yourself centred by paying attention to the space just under your belly button, this will help ground you if you are feeling nervous.
To keep the energy alive and give off some passionate energy, use your imagination to think about being close to the other person in a sensual way that feels good to you. Do we go heavy on the eye-makeup? Focus on a statement hair-do? First of all, you'll be happy to know that many fashion brands are selling masks to match an outfit, meaning you can find a flattering one that brings your whole outfit together if you really want to just check out this handy guide.
