Genius Online Dating Tip: Trash the shades

Welcome to Online Dating Genius: A blog series brought to you by the online dating experts at your favorite NYC Matchmaking Service, Project Soulmate! In each post, we reveal another online dating profile tip, a.k.a…the “please don’t” in online dating.

If you online date, you will relate.

Once upon a high school, I had a crush on this boy named Brendon. He was just my type; tall, athletic, and smart. A true triple threat that I couldn’t get enough of. I loved everything about him from his dirty gym sneakers to his worn out baseball cap he never took off…or so I thought. One afternoon after practice, I caught a glimpse of him as he was walking out of the locker room, as he always did – except this time without his favorite orange and blue ‘Bulldogs’ cap.

I learned a very valuable lesson that day; never trust anyone who is wearing a hat. I learned to stay away from “those kind” at a young age, however, as I grew older those kind started evolving. Hat-wearing was replaced with something even more disguising – sunglasses.

What’s so sinful about wearing sunglasses you ask? Everything.

Wearing sunglasses can make you appear unapproachable. Although many may think celebrities sport their designer shades everywhere to look cool, this isn’t really the case – having a million dollars already makes them look cool. Celebrities wear them because they actually don’t want to be approached, and that’s okay. Unfortunately, you are not famous and being approachable is a quality you’ll need when doing everyday-people things like applying for jobs – and especially when online dating.

Wearing shades can cause you to look, well, shady. What are you trying to hide? A few crows feet? Dark circles? We all have our list of imperfections, but when online dating, it is better to have full disclosure about your appearance than to try to hide insecurities. Either way, if and when the person behind the screen chooses to meet with you for coffee, they’re going to discover who you really are. Best to not waste anyone’s time, and avoid looking like an “A-hole”.

Wearing sunglasses in your profile picture is equivalent to adding too much filter in a photo:

Now, I’m not saying that you must remove sunglasses before all pics, nor that you don’t have the right to dislike how you look underneath those shades. Beach photos, barbecue pics, baseball game memories; share all of that with us. We want to know you’re a fun person that protects your eyes when necessary. Just don’t choose a shot with sunglasses on as your main profile picture. Choose one where your eyes are visible and you’re smiling, preferably. Make the first impression count.

In addition, you know that guy who has his sunglasses on in pretty much every picture posted to his online dating profile? Yeah, don’t be that guy. 

Research shows that eye blockage in a profile picture can decrease your likability by 36%. It only takes one click for anyone to move on to that next profile. Everyone knows the portal to one’s soul lies within the eyes. Covering them may be blocking true love from finding you. Free the pupils!