Gimmicks

Just wanted to add a quick notes about gimmicks men use.  Over the weekend, I saw a guy with a toy low rider that he'd put down on a table and have bounce.  This is obviously an extreme example, but people seem to think they need some hook to go out and meet people.

There are lots of different things people try to use as a gimmick-- small things like a witty T-shirt or unconventional style accessory.  Some go for radically different hair or jewelry.  Some will go as far as choosing a car, house, or job in order to "catch" women.

At the very best, a gimmick allows a woman who is interested to approach you.  You've given her something easy to start conversation with.  But it's never going to cause the interest.  No one ever sits at a bar, sees a guy with steampunk goggles around his neck, and decides she'd like to get to know him better.  More often, the gimmick's going to put them off or make it difficult for them to express interest without embarrassing themselves in front of their friends.

This isn't the real downside of a gimmick, though.  The major problem is going back to the whole honesty thing-- you're doing something you wouldn't typically do in order to trick someone into having more interest in you than they normally would.  You're starting out portraying someone you're not, and it will often be difficult to transition into a comfortable situation.

This, of course, is assuming your gimmick is something unnatural to you that you're using to try to increase your odds.  If it's part of who you are-- something you're comfortable with and would do regardless of your motives-- it's not really a gimmick.  Go for it.  The bottom line is just that you should be comfortable.