From my years of working as a celebrity makeup artist and spending hours on photoshoots and private members bars across the globe, what to wear on every occasion is something that is second nature to me.

Below are my tips on the best outfits to wear to boost your confidence on those ever important first dates:

1. The after work special. If you have a date planned during the workweek and you know you will not have time to change in between, fear not! There are plenty of ways to upgrade your outfit, so you are ready for that swanky bar in the city. Take it from power dressing to smoldering by removing the court heel and replacing with a strappy heel or patent heel (Zara and Reiss are your classic go to here for this look). Add some sparkle by accessorising with a gorgeous clutch bag and pair of earrings. Switch the jumper for a classic blazer, revamp your makeup and you are ready to date the night away! These subtle changes make all the difference, not only to how you feel but the impression you make on your date.
2. The classic formula = Jeans and a nice top! –It is important to feel like yourself and be comfortable on a first date, so if your go-to staple is jeans, pair it with a pretty blouse or lace camisole that add a pop of colour. Team the outfit up with a classic black or white blazer like this one from  Zara.
3. The little black dress – The absolute ultimate classic. You cannot go wrong with an LBD. You are sure to steal the spotlight and your date’s attention when you turn up in the LBD made for you. Keep accessories simple here, let the dress do the talking. The LBD is a look to keep simple, sophisticated, and sleek. Heels, bag, hair, and makeup should all be perfectly simple and beautiful. Maybe even add a red lip and clean eye makeup to really polish the look. Check out the selection at Coast there is plenty of variety for every style that suits!
4. The sexy blazer dress– Balance out any flash of skin with a structured cut. It is super-hot, but polished at the same time. It takes it from power dressing to a power dress. Something like this one from SANDRO at Selfridges, teamed with an elegant black heel – you will be the showstopper of the night.
5. The pretty midi-dress – The iconic silhouette of a midi dress hugs and accentuates in all the right places – and trust me, the guy will take notice. Style it by layering a few necklaces and a more strappy heel and voila, you are good to go! Ted Baker have a fantastic selection to choose from when it comes to midi-dresses.
6. The all-important heels – swap the flats for heels. My ultimate tip is to always finish the outfit with a heel, you will be surprised how even just a kitten heel (for those of you afraid of the stiletto) will completely change the way you stand, walk, and hold yourself.

Once you have put together your perfect outfit, remember to wear it with a smile. Be confident, be comfortable and be ready to have some fun!

By Frances B Shillito

The post What outfits to wear on a first date – women’s edition appeared first on Project 143.

1. Never wear red lipstick on the first date – a soft and natural pout is more attractive. I always advise to go with your favourite nude colour and optionally use a bit of gloss in the middle of the lower lips. Don’t put your lip gloss all over your lips, that’s never a good look. The right shade of red crimson always looks amazing on Asian skin but please don’t wear it on your first date!
2. Don’t wear too much blush – you may feel a bit nervous and warm on that first matchmaking experience so you are more likely to have some natural blush coming through. Use just a little bit to define your cheeks and to add a three-dimensional appearance to your look.
3. Use illuminator – it always looks great and gives you a fresh, youthful appearance. That’s what you want on your date! Just put a bit on the top of your cheeks and on the bridge of your nose. You can always add a tiny bit to the top ridge of your upper lip to make it more prominent. If you want to have a more glowing appearance, use a primer like ‘Wonderglow’ from Charlotte Tilbury, I love using it on Asian skin.
4. Go heavy on mascara – please magnify your lashes as much as you can without making them look cakey. Your eyes are the window to your soul and heart so they are very important for your first Asian dating experience. I really like putting a few individual lashes – just in the corners of your eyes – to make them extra long and mesmerizing!
5. Watch your eyeliner – never be too heavy with it on the first date. Too dramatic a look is not advisable! Keep it soft and light.
6. Use the right concealer – I know how difficult it can be covering dark circles, especially for Asian ladies. Please remember to use at least a couple of different colours. A peachy one to diminish grayness and an illuminating one – my favourite is Yves Saint Laurent ‘Touche Éclat’ – to bring light to the area under the eyes.
7. Pick a good powder – one that works well with your skin tone and looks natural. I love the ‘Hourglass’ range, which you can buy in Space NK. Press into your skin instead of placing it on the surface. Remember, you want your powder to be part of your skin not a separate layer!

Ladies, good luck on your first date, I hope these tips will help you to look absolutely fabulous! If you want to learn more about other make-up or beauty tips please go to http://anitawarszawska.com/the-blog/. I am always really happy to answer individual questions or to see you in person in my studio in Little Venice.

By Anita Warszawska

The post 7 Make-up Tips for Your First Date! appeared first on Project 143.

If you need inspiration for things to do on date other than dinner by candlelight, check out 10 unusual suggestions for unusual dates in London from the capital’s new, expert matchmaker:-

1. Watch a Sunrise together.

 The London skyline at dawn is breath-taking, so watch the magic of the sunrise together.

2. Serenade your date!

Head to Sarastro restaurant in Covent Garden and have an opera singing waiter serenade your date!

3. Go horse riding in Hyde Park.

 Whether you are an experienced horse rider or not, head to Hyde Park stables and giddy-up for a private or group riding lesson in the park.

4. Watch one of Shakespeare’s romantic plays at the Globe Theatre.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream is on until 11 September.

5. Sail from Little Venice to Camden on a traditional canal boat.

Cruise though Regents Park and maybe sneak a peek at London zoo on the way.

6. Get lost – and then find each other in Hampton Court maze.

7. Book a private box at the theatre

The theatre is always romantic but it’s even more so with a private box, trust me!

8. Enjoy outdoor opera in Holland Park

Opera buffs and novices will find something that appeals to every taste.

9. Cross the glass floor at Tower Bridge

The glass floor at Tower Bridge allows visitors to watch the bridge lifting from above.

10. Make ice cream together!

Ice cream parlour Blu Top runs ice cream making classes from just £38.50pp. Delish!

[Asian dating | Asian matchmaking UK – Project 143]

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If you are the type of person who loves to-see-and-be-seen in London’s latest, new hot spots, here is our list for this week’s places to go with your date that really tick all the boxes.

We’d love to see pictures of any places you go this week so please feel free to Tweet them to us or send us your posts on FB!:-

1. Shochu Lounge

Do you love cocktails and are you always on the hunt for the latest and best places to go for them? You may want to head for the Shochu Lounge in the ROKA restaurant chain.

You will be able to enjoy incredible  modern Japanese cocktails blends like Lipstick Rose Petal –  that’s vodka, raspberry & violet, peychaud’s bitters, champagne – or Shochu on the Beach – cherry shochu, pineapple & cranberry, peach liqueur, passionfruit, lime. After cocktails. take your date upstairs for sushi and sashimi. It’s delicious and the chain is located across London so just pick the best location in the capital that works for you and your date.

2. Texture

Awarded a Michelin Star in 2010 for its food and exquisite wines, Texture Restaurant and Champagne Bar is located in a beautiful Georgian building on Portman Square in the heart of Mayfair and just a few minutes from Oxford Street.

3. Sushisamba, on the 39th floor of the City’s Heron Tower, is offering a special themed menu until August 21! Inspired by Brazilian street food, the menu features the likes of pao de queijo with mango, chorizo and paprika – and, of course, caipirinhas will be available for diners. I have always liked Sushisamba and I love the fact they have a menu that’s perfectly times for Rio 2016!

4. Samarkand on Charlotte Street, Fitzrovia will be offering visitors 50% off the bill from August 12 to September 3 as part of its opening. Please put the date in your diary! This restaurant serves cuisine from Uzbekistan, a real melting pot of tastes from this the east like jizbiz (lamb chops with sautéed potatoes), fatinon (a flaky, buttery bread), somsa (pastry parcel filled with lamb or sweet potato), and the signature plov – a classic Uzbekistan dish of fried rice served with lamb and vegetables. Have your pre-dinner drink in the mezzanine lounge bar and choose from a selection of vodkas which can be paired with dishes, enjoyed alone or with bar snacks of pickled vegetables and aubergine caviar. Delish!

5. Cartizze, Mayfair

Now this place is sexy little hideaway in Mayfair with really unique Italian-inspired cocktails like the Truffled Liquorice Sour, a traditional whisky sour with the addition of liquorice and truffle oil. Alternatively, try the Olive Oil Gin Fizz has olive oil administered through a pipette – we love that! You can enjoy a great selection of snacks and nibbles served in a trio of paper cones, or there a selection of small plates like scallops served in mini brioche buns with a thin slice of apple and chilli jam, perfect for first dates.

Visit www.project143.co.uk to for more dating and matchmaking news and tips.

[Asian dating | Indian dating |Pakistani dating | Matchmaking UK – Project 143]

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Do you need to take someone you like on a date tonight or maybe this weekend? You’ve maybe suggested grabbing a bite to eat for lunch or dinner, but where can you go that will make a really great impression, be buzzy but not too noisy so you can hear what they are saying? We’ve all been there!

The first thing you should ALWAYS do is to ask the other person what kind of food they really like, or the restaurants they have either really liked or would like to check out. And by the same token, places they really don’t like!

Well, remember that London really is your oyster! There are fantastic restaurants popping up all the time all over London and I’ve selected 5 cool-sounding, new eateries for you to consider. The team at Project 143 is armed with information about all the great, new places to go on dates so our members can simply go and enjoy their dates there. It couldn’t be easier!

1. Palomar

In a nutshell: Ideal for dining à deux – you can really get up close and personal at the counter with your date.

Where is it? 34 Rupert Street, London, W1D 6DN

Why should you care? Fantastic modern-Israeli food, great dance music and a warm family atmosphere at the West End’s most unlikely bar-restaurant of the moment.

1. Poppies

In a nutshell: Fish and chips in Soho

Where is it? 55-59 Old Compton Street, London W1T 1DB

Why should you care? Best known for their Spitalfields restaurant. Poppies are making the leap into Soho. Expect a traditional fish and chips restaurant and maybe the odd jellied eel too

1. Squirrel

In a nutshell: Healthy food in Kensington

Where is it? 11 Harrington Road, South Kensington, London SW7 3ES

Why should you care? This latest healthy food restaurant is a big departure from the people who also run Bunga Bunga and Mr Foggs. Expect plenty of healthy food in bowls – and you’ll be eating it in a treehouse too, I’m serious. This is a super casual place but you are less than a 10 minute walk to galleries like the V&A and the Natural History Museum or you can pop over to Harvey Nicks and Harrods, so plenty at your disposal.

1. Bao Fitzrovia

In a nutshell: Bao v2

Where is it? 31 Windmill St London W1T 2JN

Why should you care? This is the second restaurant from the people behind the hugely successful Bao in Soho. Expect the usual bao buns but with many small and sharing dishes that are new to this branch. Remember, there are no reservations at this place you just drop in and enjoy THE craze of 2016, bao buns. The soft, firm Taiwanese steamed sensations show no signs of losing pace in the capital. Experience them with your date and see what the fuss is all about!

1. Switch House Restaurant at Tate Modern

In a nutshell: Gallery restaurant with a view- super romantic and you can always check out the art before or after you’ve eaten lunch or dinner.

Where is it? Tate Modern, Bankside, London SE1 9TG

Why should you care? There’s a big new gallery building attached to Tate Modern, the 10 storey Switch House, and this brings a brand new bar and restaurant to the South Bank. The Tate will continue to champion small producers, something it’s well known for doing. So Rare Breed Beef and Swaledale Lamb comes from the Yorskhire Dales, Emmetts of Suffolk is producing home-cured hams, fish comes from day boats in Cornwall from the Stevens & Sons fisheries, and there are free-range Yorkshire Wold chickens have been sourced for the rotisserie. Yummy! And there really is something for everyone on the menu selections.

Happy dating!

The post Want to take your date to one of London’s new eateries? appeared first on Project 143.

So with this in mind, take a look at 5 of my favourite first date ideas which you may well want to consider:-

1. Go for a walk in a London park or green space

This is such a simple first date idea but most shy away from it because they feel like they must do something complex in order for their date to be impressed. Wrong! The only ideas you need to impress your date with are the ones that you speak and share as your conversation progresses. If you are an interesting person and have found a fun person to spend time with, rest assured that a walk about town will be just fine. Remember, the idea is to leave your date wanting more. Simply enjoy any number of the capital’s beautiful parks and outdoor spaces and make the most of the summer weather.

1. Watch an outdoor movie

Going to a movie is always a winning number when it comes to a first date. However, why not give it an added edge by going to see a movie outdoors. There are so many outdoor super cool movie venues around the capital, so Londoners really are spoiled for choice.

1. Enjoy al fresco dining by creating  your own picnic

Pick a nice spot near where you’re meeting up and swing by a supermarket or delicatessen for some quick eats before setting up camp for food and conversation with your new favourite person. There’s no need to spend a lot of money. Picnics are supposed to be simple and you want it to be about getting to know your date, not truffles wrapped in gold foil!

1. Try boating

The idea of sailing on a first date seems like a recipe for disaster but something milder, like canoeing, row boating, or taking a paddle boat out on a sunny afternoon would work well. There’s a lot to be said for drifting on a lake aboard a giant plastic swan and London’s parks and boating lakes are the perfect place for messing about on the water. There are some amazing places dotted right across the capital to do this, such as, Hyde Park and Greenwich Park or Richmond and Regent’s Park. It’s fun and it won’t cost you a great deal to enjoy.

1. Tee Up!

Just because you live in the City doesn’t mean you can’t experience the pleasure of the golf course. Did you know that there are a number of great driving ranges across London and all you pay for is a basket of balls; lessons are also available for groups and individuals. It’s certainly something different and whether you are a seasoned professional golfer or a novice, will certainly be something to talk about afterwards.

Visit our blog page for more weekly dating stories and Top Tips!

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