It is true, times have changed and so has the dating etiquette for men. It used to be pretty straight forward, the man would ask his date out, he would pick her up, he would pay for the date, etc. Today, things are a little more complicated but at the end of the day, everyone wants to feel like they are respected and being treated well.
As a woman, I know that all women are different. It is difficult to know what your date likes in regards to the dating etiquette for men, until you get to know her better. That is one of the reasons that first dates can be so scary.
To take some of the fear out of the first few dates, I would recommend that a man err on the side of caution. It will rarely be a problem if you treat your date too well.
As you get to know her better, you may learn that she would like to pay for the date on occasion or that she enjoys calling you up and asking you out. If so, and if you are ok with those "role reversals" let her do it.
If you aren’t comfortable with it the two of you probably aren’t really compatible anyway and it may not work out.
Here are some common things that men can do to make their lady feel appreciated. But, as I said above, if you find that one or more of these things turn her off, stop doing them. Listening to what she is telling you is the ultimate rule of thumb.
1. It’s ok to open the door for her, though don’t be surprised if she opens it for you if she happens to get there first. I used to appreciate it when a man would hold the door for me, but I wasn’t going to stand there like an invalid waiting for him. If I got there first I would open it for him.
Either way it is just common courtesy.
2. No matter how independent the woman is I don’t know of any one who would appreciate their date sitting in the car honking the horn. Get out of the car and go up to the door. That is the courteous thing to do with your date.
Again, as you get to know her and if she tells you that she doesn’t mind you staying in the car, then fine, do that.
But at the beginning of the relationship show her courtesy and get your rear end out of the car and go to the door.
3. Never presume to order for her. For many women this is a huge turnoff. If she asks your advice or she asks you to do it, then fine, but other than that don’t treat her like a child. Few women will consider that appropriate.
Also, when it is time to order, turn to her and allow her to go first. This is just a courteous thing to do.
There are many more dating etiquette for men tips that I could share but at the end of the day it is simply about you treating her with respect and like an equal. She is not a child and she is not your subordinate. If you want to be successful treat her like the unique individual she is.