photo: Oliver Rath
Fashion Week is coming up and even if you are not so involved in the whole circus you must have realized by now that there are so many things going on where you can potentially meet someone unexpected. This makes Fashion Week the perfect playground for flirting if you take care of some basic fliriting rules.
First of all you should get rid of the prejudice that fashionistas are somehow an entirely different species that is just living off designer brands and beauty products. Most nice fashionable people have a lot of other interests, can discuss politics and social inequality and spend their weekends in their sweatpants just like everybody else. It’s somehow typical for people in Berlin to believe that just because somebody likes to be well groomed and dressed up it means he or she is shallow and stupid. Having that in mind my first and most important recommendation that I also give in any of my other flirting guides: Leave your narrow minded judgements on other people at home and combine a nice dose of openess with a charming outift if you want to get laid or just have a nice flirt.
So many of my friends apparently got lucky during Fashion Week that maybe you don’t even need so many instructions to enjoy all the parties and beauty. Still I think there are some flirtation Faux Pas that could/should be avoided. Read my advice after the jump.
1. Models
First basic rule: hands off the teenage models. Even if they are two meters tall and wear smart make-up, most models are around 14-19 and should be at home doing their schoolwork after they have finished their job and not be sexually assaulted by some horny agency stallions. It’s not cool and will make you look pathetic, so just don’t!
2.Team Choice
Figuring out who is playing on which team (sexually speaking) is not quite easy, especially for girls. That doesn’t mean you have to give up, girls. Between all the nicely dressed gay men they are quite a lot of straight guys waiting to be hunted like rare prey. Most of the handsome straight guys usually hang out at the urban and street wear trade shows. My recommendation for parties: Team up with a gay guy and share opinions. Just remember: never ask directly if someone is gay or not. This is just rude and will directly lead to rejection from all guestlists.
3. Showing Off
Never brag with front row tickets, goodie bags or free samples in a potential flirt conversation (or with anyone, actually). Also, avoid to babble about your exclusive designer dress you are wearing. Fashion is about the nonchalance of beauty. Try to embrace it and you will definitely get attention.
4. Commute Together
Running from one show to another can be stressful. So why not transform it into an opportunity to meet new people. Getting a cab during Fashion Week is hard enough, so just ask the nice stranger next to you if you can share one. I think I had the nicest talks while sharing a cab. But, yet again, be open and don’t be bitchy just because the beautiful young man you are sharing a cab with is not a world-renowned photographer but just the intern responsible for the Instagram account of the KaDeWe.
5. Dresscode
Most people think during Fashion Week everybody is so dressed up and caught up in their own vanity that they have no eyes for anyone else. That is just partially true. Actually, some people know how to walk the fine line between fashionable and vain and they are the ones who are the most attractive and the most looked after. If you want to flirt, I recommend to not dress up too extravagant. This will get you photographed by some streestyle hunters but not anywhere near getting a decent flirt.
6. Undresscode
Well done! You are finally getting laid by a fashionista. But please be careful while undressing. Ripping of a silk Carven blouse or shredding a cashmere Lanvin sweater will not make you look more masculine. Just more unskilled and eventually ruin the whole night.
7. Social Media
I know that there are so many exciting things going on in the internet and that is absolutely necessary to find out how many likes your Instagram of your latest outfit achieved. But having your eyes glued to your smartphone screen will not make your sexiness improve. Actually, for me it is the most unsexy thing on earth if I talk to somebody who is constantly watching the screen of his phone. I understand urgent business matters. But if you have important stuff going on, maybe you should rather stay in the office then go to a fashion party.
I hope my semi-serious recommendations will give you some heads up for this week. Enjoy flirting with the fashionistas. Most of them are polite and pretty creatures and just a few of them actually have a narcissistic disorder. So be your most fashionable self and have fun while flirting.
All photos in this article by fabulous Oliver Rath who is always providing us with some great photographic inspiration.