Gentlemen: when it comes to meeting women, we have lost our way. Convenience over conversation. Surface over depth. Swipes over drinks. Time for us to reconsider the art of the pickup.
For that, we’ve enlisted the guidance of the sexiest woman we know: Michelle L’amour, international burlesque starlet and new Grand Dame at the Drifter in Chicago.
Miss L’amour is no stranger to the middling come-on. She knows what works and what doesn’t. For starters, “Go to bars. They are the original social network.”
Here are five more real-world tips for real-world romance, courtesy of “The Most Naked Woman”:
1. Observe. “Be prepared to engage. What’s she drinking? Wearing? Eventually, she’ll catch your glance. Watch how she reacts. Read the situation.”
2. Talk with her — not at her. “Compliments are conversation-enders. Open up with situational observations. The atmosphere. The quality of drinks. Something besides her. This is a better conversation starter than ‘What’s your name?’”
3. Charm to disarm. “I enjoy talking to people for as long as possible without knowing what they do and what their name is. It’s a little game I play. Eventually, you will get to those important details, but for now, you are more than ‘what you do.’ Make her laugh. Keep the conversation going and the interest will build.”
4. Do not brag. “It is boring and insincere. She wants to know what you have to offer, not what your wallet has to offer. And remember: she owes you nothing if you buy her a drink. We all know who’s in charge here. This is not a transaction. It is a conversation.”
5. Keep talking. “Don’t go to her with expectations. Go to her for a conversation. On parting ways, I find email less committal than a phone number. She’ll feel less exposed. And if she’s not interested, that’s okay. Consider it a lesson earned in the art of conversation.”
Photo credits: La Photographie Nashville and DarkWater
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