What to wear for first date with a young Russian Girl!

[Vinnvinny]

BTW, last summer while in Kharkiv (which is closer to Russia than Donetsk) I wore a pink long sleeve shirt with sleeves rolled, dark brown shorts and Columbia boat shoes. Of course, I had to have my St Thomas V.I. basebal hat with the inscription "Bad to the bone" under the Jolly Roger. My nephew and his friends all agreed: Cool Dude 

How much did you win? 

[Ward_Cleaver]

If you can't find local girls around the age of 24 to date ... well ... maybe you should be dating them in Russia.

Ooops, this is what I meant to say:

If you can't find local girls around the age of 24 to date ... well ... maybe you should NOT be dating them in Russia.

[Wild Orchid]

Jeans always were popular in Russia. In the 80-s it was a status statement. We went through a phase of ugly jeans that were made in China, now there are so many of them... it is hard to choose. I'm surprised that some 24 yo girls don't like them because they are definitely big part of clothing in Russia for all generations. My 71 yo mother has some.

If we are talking about first dates and first impressions then don't wear jeans. Pack them with you in case you will need them later on for some relaxing strolls on the street.

I don't like my husband in jeans, they just are not for him, he hasn't got a pair that looks good on him, but he wears them any way, because he feels comfortable in them.

[AvHdB]

Hoi Rouzbeh,

Welkom hier!

AvHdB

[AvHdB]

Thanks for the all responses.
This is how I usually wear and the type of Jean I usually have.
So I am mostly with a T-shirt and a Shirt on it with a Jean. With a Timberland shoe or similar hiking boots/shoes.

I am almost confident with my clothes here in Netherlands, but I am abit nervous about Russian ladies and particularly this girl.
So what do you think? Should I wear more formal?

I heard that light pink shirts are a sign of fashion in Russia !! Is it true?!

I think I will take David's advice for "business-casual" look. I should try to fit it somehow nicely in my backpack!

Rouzbeh

Rouzbeh,

It is quite simple, to impress the girl that you understand simple instructions - do not wear jeans.

Simple darkish clothing works best in Russia. Avoid American khaki pants or shorts and the so-called Preppy look. i.e. Ralph Lauren style. On the other side formal clothing is also not advisable. (gebruikelijk)

An urban style might be a simply way to explain the fashion that is common 3+ hours away from Moscow. As for the hair style neat and trimmed works. For what it is worth most Russian and Ukraine men have much shorter cuts than in Amsterdam or New York, a sort of Lonsdale look is typical to Moscow and Kiev.

AvHdB

[Norwegian]

I wore jeans on my first visit, and she still likes me.

[dbneeley]

I wore jeans on my first visit, and she still likes me.

But did she say in advance she doesn't like jeans and never wears them herself? 

[Norwegian]

No, she didn´t...  The horror , the horror....imagine never being able to see your babe wearing those tight jeans. What a shame.

[Muzh_1]

Simple darkish clothing works best in Russia. Avoid American khaki pants or shorts and the so-called Preppy look. i.e. Ralph Lauren style. On the other side formal clothing is also not advisable. (gebruikelijk)

This is for the FWIW dept.

During my last few trips to Kharkiv I noticed that people are walking billboards. All their clothing, and I mean all, was labeled. I can guarantee you that a Polo (Ralph Lauren) shirt/pants will definitely impress. Also, why avoid American Khaki pants? My wife is curious.

Bottom line, what will NOT impress is dirty, wrinkly clothes.

[AvHdB]

Dirty & wrinkled clothes are for any woman in any country a red flag.

From what I have observed Ralph Lauren and Polo have little market recognition in Ukraine. Tommy Hilfiger some, but there are other reasons (personal) that I do not wear that label. If you need or want to impress go with Italian design.

As for the khaki - well I have not seen it worn on my last trip and with Ksenia, I asked her what I should wear and she shook her head in the negative when I showed her the khaki pants. Thus I stayed in blue 501's for the entire trip. Except shorts for the horse & riding picnic. Miss Y. and Maria from Kiev considers khaki very ordinary, they are though fashion snobs.

Usually I wear what I feel comfortable in - but do not forget this thread is about a first meeting in person. The woman clearly expressed her dislike of blue jeans.

[Wild Orchid]

During my last few trips to Kharkiv I noticed that people are walking billboards. All their clothing, and I mean all, was labeled.

and bought at the local markets...  I don't understand their obsession with labels. If you can't afford "real" thing why wear cheap "screaming" imitation?

[dbneeley]

Simple darkish clothing works best in Russia. Avoid American khaki pants or shorts and the so-called Preppy look. i.e. Ralph Lauren style. On the other side formal clothing is also not advisable. (gebruikelijk)

This is for the FWIW dept.

During my last few trips to Kharkiv I noticed that people are walking billboards. All their clothing, and I mean all, was labeled. I can guarantee you that a Polo (Ralph Lauren) shirt/pants will definitely impress. Also, why avoid American Khaki pants? My wife is curious.

Bottom line, what will NOT impress is dirty, wrinkly clothes.

I think deciding that khaki pants are a negative must be a personal thing with that one lady. I have several pairs of khakis I had not worn since I have been in Donetsk, and my wife asked me not long ago why I would wear jeans instead of the khakis--and she is by no means a "fashion snob" nor, obviously, do we live in Kyiv.

Light-colored clothing is fairly common now that it is warm weather. My wife found some white pants for my stepson that he likes very much and wears often--and I have seen other men in similar ones, although dark colors still predominate. I am told, though, that white pants this time of year are very common in beach communities.

I have also seen men in shorts more frequently than in years past, by the way--this, too, seems to be changing.

However, for a first meeting, I would suggest keeping things on the somewhat conservative side. A primary emphasis should be on having everything neat, clean, and in good repair--plus shoes polished, hair cut, clean shaven--you know the drill.

I think part of the label obsession lies with the history of shoddy consumer merchandise for so many decades. Designer labels came to be regarded as of better quality long before so many knock-offs became available. These days, though, in most cases particular labels are less important. When clothes shopping, people usually look for labels from the West.

As for color--dark clothing became favored, I believe, mostly because it is practical in that it does not show dirt or stains as readily as light colors. Now that so many people have washing machines, that is becoming less important than when everything was pretty much done by hand.

David

[Wild Orchid]

Now that so many people have washing machines, that is becoming less important than when everything was pretty much done by hand.

David

We get comments like that about Ukraine all the time.... Even my grandmother who passed away more than 20 years ago and lived in a village house without plumbing had a washing machine. I'm 44 and I don't remember a life without a  washing machine. I don't remember a life without TV  but I remember how my parents bought it and I loved to get in the box. I was 4 yo probably, so I don't know if it was a first TV set for them or not.

[dbneeley]

Now that so many people have washing machines, that is becoming less important than when everything was pretty much done by hand.

David

We get comments like that about Ukraine all the time.... Even my grandmother who passed away more than 20 years ago and lived in a village house without plumbing had a washing machine. I'm 44 and I don't remember a life without a  washing machine. I don't remember a life without TV  but I remember how my parents bought it and I loved to get in the box. I was 4 yo probably, so I don't know if it was a first TV set for them or not.

When I first visited Ukraine in 2000, it was quite common for people not to have washing machines. True enough, some did--but many did not. The lady I went to see in Kyiv, for example, had bought her first one just that year. Many of her friends did not have them then, but already it was becoming clear that more would get them.

For one thing, many flats had no space for washing machines. That was a primary reason for slow adoption, I think, in many urban apartments--and, as you know, far more people live in urban-style flats in Ukraine than otherwise.

Today, the situation has changed rather dramatically. Being without a washing machine is far less common. That said, few have mechanical dryers--most still hang the laundry. In that regard, we are typical--we have a washing machine (about fifteen years old and probably on borrowed time by now) but no dryer.

David

[Herrie]

Now that so many people have washing machines, that is becoming less important than when everything was pretty much done by hand.

David

We get comments like that about Ukraine all the time.... Even my grandmother who passed away more than 20 years ago and lived in a village house without plumbing had a washing machine. I'm 44 and I don't remember a life without a  washing machine. I don't remember a life without TV  but I remember how my parents bought it and I loved to get in the box. I was 4 yo probably, so I don't know if it was a first TV set for them or not.

There are different kinds of washing machines as well. Not sure you had a fully automatic one 40 years ago already? My g/f used to have a semi-automatic one which in fact meant that it still required quite some manual work and it was often quicker to just wash by hand.