When summer looms, it's time to take stock guys. You are going to have to go to the beach at some stage, and even worse you are going to have to take your shirt off, unless you want to look like you are concealing something. If you want to meet girls on the sand then the very first thing you must do is GO TO THE GYM. I cannot say this more clearly, sort your body out. If you begin in April, 3 months of training will lead you into a confident packed July. Certainly you will feel a great deal better about yourself anyway as I know miracles don't happen over night.

Then I have to mention body hair. Whilst amassing body hair as one gets older may be nature's way of keeping us warm, a huge mountain of hair over your shoulders and back simply will not do. Women generally don't find to attractive so lose it. Where do you lose it? Straight down to the waxing salon my friend. It may hurt, but only once every six weeks and girls have their legs waxed all the time so pull your self together. Gyms often have an area that caters for waxing and if all else fails get your mom or sister (perhaps not your father!) to do it with a home waxing kit. It will take a few minutes and make a huge difference to your desirability factor.

Okay so once your body and hair cover are in good shape also consider a tanning salon for 3 sessions if you are pale. Going on the beach and being seen from outer space is not cool and neither do you want to waste a week or two of meeting time getting a tan. Get to a tanning center and a few sessions will ready the skin pigments for more rapid tanning (so I am told so don't sue me!).

I read a report this week from a top professor in the UK that said that most successful daters were those who dated people who had similar outlooks to themselves. Those who were far less careful when selecting a companion ended up having a much worse time. In other words, date the people who are most like you in character to be successful in romance. Simple really.

The fact is, we all occasionally choose the wrong type of people to date. Maybe it is the challenge, the novelty factor, the adventure or the risk. Maybe it is just boredom that makes us do these things. There are lots of reasons why we do. We may want to act as nursemaid, psychologist, mother, protector, sugar daddy, friend and assistant. So who are the wrong types that we should try and avoid?

Here are a few that spring to mind:..

I once read the results of a survey in a leading woman's magazine that said the number 1 most attractive quality in a man was confidence. Not arrogance, confidence. It took some time to sink in as to what this really meant. Did it mean grabbing the girl in matinee idol pose and whisking her backwards whilst I kissed those luscious lips of hers? Did it mean turning into a caveman never taking no for an answer? Did it mean turning up at the door of the girl next door and whisking her off to Paris for the weekend, though we had hardly spoken? What did they mean by confidence? The quest was on it find out.

Every woman I have asked will answer in a different vein so the answer isn't all things to all men. Confidence, it appears, is in the eye of the beholder. Even worse, confidence can easily be misconstrued so one has to tread carefully. The point is not confidence itself, but it’s easier to define by its opposite, fear. Fear in men is not attractive. Fear defines a man as not knowing his own value, lacking a feeling of self worth, not being sure of his abilities, lacking in presence and determination. This I may add is very different from justifiable fear that we all face.

Do you remember what song was playing when you had your first slow dance? What was onthe car radio during that painful breakup? What song always makes you think of the one who got away? Of course you do. Music generates strong connections. 

Associating music with romantic moments and memories is a universal tendency. Have you ever noticed how many songs are about love and attraction? Love is one of the most powerful emotions, and it’s no surprise that it has inspired almost every songwriter since the birth of popular music.

When we here at TopDatingTips began compiling a list of the top 50 most romantic songs across all genres, we knew hundreds of great classics and lesser known gems undoubtedly would be left off the list. There are just too many to include! Regardless, this list – in no particular order – is a great starting place. If you haven’t heard any of these, get ready to start downloading. You’ll most likely discover at least one old favorite or a few new classics among the list that you’ll want to have at the ready for the next special romantic moment.

Happy listening!

Writing personal ads should be considered an art in its own right. For decades personal ads have appeared in magazines and newspapers all over the world, and for decades people have struggled to describe themselves in 25 words or less. It is difficult, impossible really, to fully sum up one's essence in just a few lines, including likes, dislikes, interests and goals. These days the top quality dating sites offer more sophisticated personal ads, which are usually called profiles. Unlike the older personal ads in newspapers, modern profiles are detailed and in-depth and often help the user to build his or her description by taking a test or answering a series of questions. Even though describing yourself to a virtual stranger will always be difficult, making a free profile and getting yourself in the dating scene can be done if you follow our advice.

There are some absolute essentials that are required in preparation for a date. While we all know this stuff, we're guys, and it's always worth reminding ourselves of the basics so we can get the foundation right. Here's our quick list:

Bathe

Obvious, right? The worst thing you could do when going out on a date (especially if it is your first date with her) is to turn up unshaven, looking dirty and smelling bad. Women are clean and will judge you on how hygienic you are. Plus, no offense, but you would be appalled if she turned up for the date looking like a hippie that hadn't bathed for a while. It doesn't cost anything to take a bath and make an effort. Remember, bad breath and body odor are an instant turn off, and she will assume that this is how you are all the time. Even if you are just having a bad day or didn't think you have time to clean up, she won't see beyond your appearance, so you'll never get a second chance to impress her.

Women often say that men confuse them and that they are unsure what a man is really looking for. They have tried to please them in the past and it hasn't worked so no, the man can concentrate on pleasing them or leave. If the media is to be believed, many women don't care what a man is looking for anymore because they have been empowered by their own sexuality and are comfortable in their new role as sexually liberated career woman in charge of their own destiny. In which case, as long as the man wants them, that is fine.

It doesn't matter whether that view is actually true or not. What is true is that the modern man is increasingly struggling to find his place in the world. The Armed Forces and Space programs quite rightly have very highly qualified career women working in their departments and in most aspects of industry, women excel. The old male bastions are crumbling and with them their innate self respect as well as their understanding of how they should act and what they desire.

In they walk into your office, gorgeous, presentable, sexy and in an instant the drudgery of a lifetime at your workstation has been banished. What follows is email flirting, chats over the coffee machine, a quick drink after work and before you know it, your brand new girlfriend or boyfriend is the person working opposite. You would never do that would you? Would you! The fact is, a large minority of people do meet and date through work. It is a fact of life and surprisingly natural given that we spend 8 hours or more a day with people we are paid to be with in a building that is either too cold or too hot. For many, the majority of our waking days are spent at work, not at home and as time passes it is very understandable that bonds are forged and romantic relationships develop.

Buying a gift for a date is prone to disaster so some careful thinking is involved. You meet someone, you like them, you want to please them so its only natural in our commercial world to want to get your plastic out and start spending. Wrong, stop an think about what you are doing. Gifts don't buy love so neither do you. You love someone and they love you for genuine emotional reasons. Yes buying a present or two emphasizes kindness but it doesn't play a major factor. For those who are well impressed by all gifts received, do yourself a favor and steer well clear.

To buy a dating gift well you need to know your lover first, well enough to surprise them and show some of your excellent imagination. The smallest amount of imagination shows forethought and kindness and it shows that you listen well. Which in a man's case is hugely to his advantage when dating. Listen to her and surprise her later, much later.

For some people, dating is a challenge. It is a conquest, a crusade and a sport. As you are neither a competitor or a prize, don't allow yourself to be come a victim to such players. Dating is an affair of the heart and should be treated as such. It is fun to date but it is also serious business. However, when we date, it is true that we do like a challenge, we like to get the guy, we like to get the gal. It makes us feel good about ourselves to date someone nice and so it would be unfair not to talk about challenge in dating.

We often like to go for someone just out of reach, that is a challenge. As humans with ambition, we like to reach and strive upwards. Therefore, dating someone we view as slightly out of our league (for a million reasons) is all the more attractive. This could be someone wealthy, or in a good job, or someone who is simply not usually our 'type'.