How to dress for meeting HER parents

No matter what kind of a person you are, meeting the in-laws is always going to be daunting and we all know that first impressions are important. So what exactly are you supposed to wear to such an occasion?

The best way to make sure you won’t end up wearing a suit to dinner with a family who enjoy Adidas a little too much is to ask your girlfriend what kind of clothes her dad or brothers usually wear. This gives you an idea of the dress-code so not to be feeling too over/underdressed on the night. However, don’t try too hard to look like her dad. Turning up in chino’s and a sweater-vest will probably be just as embarrassing and won’t be easy to phase out for the second meeting.

Secondly, ask a few of your friends what they wore to meet their girlfriend’s parents. If there seems to be a trend and their relationships are still going strong, you have your answer.

If all else fails, turn to the ever-so popular smart/casual code. A smart pair of jeans or coloured chinos with a shirt or polo is probably the safest option as it is always better to be a little overdressed than underdressed in this scenario.

It’s important to remember that your girlfriend will want her parents to like you so if she thinks your look isn’t quite right; she will probably let you know. Ask her in advance what she is wearing and see if you can plan something based on her choice as she will know their preferred attire and should be able to help you.

If you want to be sure to impress, be the best version of yourself and don’t arrive empty handed. You probably know by now that women never complain when it comes to unexpected gifts so a bunch of flowers for her mum will distract away from what you are wearing for a little while. Ask your girlfriend what her dads favourite drink is and bring him a bottle so he doesn’t feel left out.

With the outfit decided and the gifts given, all you need to worry about is making it through the evening without offending or insulting either of them. Throw in compliments as often as necessary, especially about how beautiful their home is and her mum’s cooking (if you’re there for dinner) but try not to over-do it so her dad thinks you are hitting on his wife. Swearing is a complete no-go, even if they use it and the rest is down to you.

What Twitter thinks

We asked the males of Twitter to give their opinions on what’s acceptable and not-so acceptable when meeting the in-laws for the first time:

“@colinroweuk: view it like a job interview, better to be overdressed than underdressed.”

“@rcurtin6: always wear socks! Some people get weird about feet and they could be 'shoes off in the house' people.”

“@matt_hght: something smart but casual and comfortable at the same time.”