“How do I dress to show myself off best for a date? Easy… Wear something you can imagine getting yourself kissed in!” When I read this cheeky comment on Twitter I knew it could only be from the one and only Gok Wan.
I met Gok in New Zealand a while back (with his Specsavers tour). Here’s us below. He liked my necklace.
I’m watching Gok’s Style Secrets which is currently on Igloo TV, where basically he helps some of Britain’s 15 million singles (or singletons as Bridget Jones would say) to gain the confidence to get out there in the world of Tindr.
In the first ever episode, we hear Gok set up the premise for the series, and meet his first woman, Zoe. In each episode Gok wears many figurative hats (his hair is too perfect to require one.) He is a personal stylist, flirt teacher, counsellor, friend, wingman, and online dating matchmaker.
When we first saw 33-year-old Zoe Burgess from Sunbury-on-Thames, a nursery school nurse who still lives at home with her mum, I actually loved her individual style. She had fantastic tattoos and was really into sci-fi. But Gok completely opened her eyes to how she was dressing up rather than being herself, and hiding behind these theatrical fantasy outfits.
I have to admit, I was a bit anxious that her individuality might be lost in the makeover. Sometimes stylists turn out people in cookie-cutter mediocrity that all look the same in current shopping mall and High Street fashions.
But I had nothing to worry about.
He dressed Zoe in Rockabilly, 1950s-style glamour outfits that showed off her hourglass figure.
I really liked that Gok wanted to retain all of her personality and chose a rebellious outfit – the polkadot dress that purposefully showed off her tattoos – with a thin leopard belt to accentuate her waist. It’s very fiftes, very retro, and had an unexpected clash of patterns.
For her second outfit he wanted to show her underwear as outwear. Since Sarah Jessica Parker in Sex and the City we’ve been allowed to show off our underwear” Gok said.
“Of all the prints, leopard print is my favourite. It sends out the message I am sassy, I am sexy, and we get to see your lovely ink” he says as he rolls the sleeves up above her tattoos. “I feel like Catwoman when she goes out!” said Zoe.
Before
After
Later in episode 1, he flew Zoe to Italy for a blind date and dressed her in the most stunning one-shouldered gown.
He didn’t stop with a makeover though, he offered behavioural advice. His first Golden Rule is; “It’s good to open up on a date, but remember, it’s not all about you.”
“Dating is about finding a lot about each other and common ground.”
As advice for those watching at home, Gok says “take a look at your bodies and make the best of what you’ve got.”
Here are 3 failsafe things to get you noticed.
An alternative to a plunging neckline is a sophisticated sheer shirt over a delicate contrast bra.
Get your legs out with patterned tights.
A sultry alternative to the mini is a long chiffon maxi worn over a shorter skirt.
Gok’s Triple A to Dating: (it’s not in fact ‘access all areas!)
Assess, Attract, and Action.
1. assess – do a figure 8 walk around the bar
2. attract – see who interested you and do a drive by and see if they look at you or not.
3. action – go up to them and strike up a conversation.
Here are some local New Zealand looks that I think Gok Wan would love.
This Ruby ‘Sloan dress’ is perfect for a date because it’s sexy yet sophisticated with a nice long sleeve so you don’t have TOO much flesh on display.
It’s nice to wear chic cropped pants on a date. I like this combo by Trelise Cooper
This next dress, the Service Shift with Tie by Karen Walker, is the perfect lunch date dress. Just don’t order red wine and spaghetti.
Above all remember- wear something you can imagine getting kissed in.
Megan Robinson
3 July 2014
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