Dating Apps: What to Wear in My Profile Picture?

Tinder, Match, Okcupid, Badoo, Grindr, Hitch, Zoosk, Let's Date, Scruff, Hunters, Hinge and many more! Dating apps are a dime a dozen, but will they bring you true love, or at least a fun Friday night? We’ve got you covered.

It's a question as old as dating itself; what should I wear to maximize my scoring potential? Whether you're after one night of great sex or countless years of nuptial bliss, one thing remains true: garms equal charms.

Take a look at our handy guide and see how this can work to your advantage. Our four easy tips will help you choose the ideal outfit for your online dating profile picture.

Color Code

Maybe you hadn't given it much thought up to now, but color is an incredibly powerful psychological tool. By selecting the right one, you are sending the correct message. If you are aiming for one passionate night of lovemaking with a not-so-significant other, you need to be choosing hues like reds and blacks. Red invokes feelings of energy and passion, while black implies glamor and sophistication, and both exude sex appeal. On the other hand, more neutral colors like blues, greens and greys give the impression of someone more on the lookout for a long term commitment. Blue says 'intellectual', green implies 'balanced', while grey tells prospective partners that you have hidden depths they have yet to discover.

Keep it Simple...

So you've chosen a color, but don't go reaching for your favorite football jersey just yet. Simplicity is the key here; don't go overboard, don't mix and match too many different colors and if you want to go patterned, choose a small pattern.

What's wrong with big patterns? I hear you ask. Nothing at all... if you're at a bar, club, movie night, pizza session, chess afternoon, or any other social gathering. This, on the other hand, is an online dating profile picture, and big patterns can be an unnecessary distraction. You also want to focus on the cut. A stylish shirt in a slim fit is great for showing off a trim waist or a toned physique, but beware; go too tight and it's just going to look tacky. The key is to strike a balance.

...But Dress to Impress

Keeping it simple doesn't mean wearing your treasured but beer-stained "YBOR CREW 2008" t-shirt. You can still keep it low-key and look subtly smart. Don't try too hard, though. For example, wear a nice casual blazer by all means, but wear it with a fitted tee underneath to give a more relaxed feel. Smart, button-down shirts are fine, but ditch the tie and button it up to the neck to achieve a classic but timeless look. Layering with neat cardigans and jumpers is a great way to add a touch of class to a relaxed look, as is sharpening up your silhouette by trading in the slouched jeans for some straight cut denim, which brings us neatly onto our next point...

Show It All Off

Your prospective date, who are they going to be dating? You, or just your head and neck? Research has shown that profiles with pictures that display the full length of your body are more likely to be successful than profiles that simply rock headshots. This is great news, as it gives you an opportunity to flash some more of your threads and impress that little bit more, but it also means that you need to maintain your eye for detail across your whole body, not simply your torso. We've already mentioned the form-fitting denim (French Connection denim, also check The Hot Child Junk Jeans with the rounded gusset under the crotch) trousers are too... well...; chinos make you look like a preppy dad), so now we need to focus on footwear.

Again, it is all about striking a balance between smart and casual. With footwear, it is best to lean slightly further towards casual. A clean, designer sneaker, a freshly buffed boat shoe, a neat looking espadrille; all these are ideal choices to add the perfect finishing touch to your outfit. So... did you take our advice? How did it go? Let us know in the comments!