10 Ways To Wow A Woman

By Phineas Mollod and Jason Tesauro

Try these creative gestures, all guaranteed to impress the lady in your life and win her affections.

In the recent past, men were considered ill-mannered but handsome beasts, and since little was expected from them, an out-of-the-blue bouquet would send a lady into convulsions of delight. Nowadays, it takes a lot more than a wrapped notion to wow a woman. Etiquette, style, general knowledge, compliments, cleanliness, and a decent music collection are individually endearing, but to truly bowl a lady over requires something special. Why not astound yours with one (or more) of these 10 big, thoughtful, exciting ideas:

1. Surprise, surprise. Men are spontaneous, but advance planning is often a weakness. Pull off a surprise party with a full cast or plan a cozy weekend getaway (reservations made, bags packed, time off secretly arranged with her boss), and she’ll be in awe of your efforts. A man, a plan, a B & B…arrivederci.

2. Plucking heart strings. When the ordinary is tinged with personal touches, the results will make her blush. If you have perfect recall of the relationship’s mini-highlights (what she was wearing when you met and so forth), give voice to those memories, especially in front of her friends, and you will cause a jolly uproar. Similarly, a hardcover always makes a fine gift, but when you’ve tracked down a first edition of her favorite children’s book that she mentioned last week, so very much the better. Who knew a dusty old Babar book could earn you major points?

3. Paging Dr. Love. Attraction and a naughty imagination are never amiss, but a bedside manner is more than just kisses between the sheets. Amaze your gal by playing doctor and nurse when the flu hits. Hang around to fetch tissues, ginger ale and soup, and don’t turn squeamish during the sneezing and sniffling phase. She will not soon forget the damp washcloths for the forehead, trips to the pharmacy, or just being there after the contagious period, to watch a Hugh Grant comedy and play unlimited rounds of Yahtzee. (And let’s face it, a Hugh Grant movie IS ALWAYS a romantic comedy, right?)

4. Supersize it. A dozen tulips are nice, but what about ten dozen? A weekend getaway is lovely, but what about being whisked to Paris? Going overboard, when used quite rarely, will leave your honey utterly gob-smacked, as the British would say. For Casanovas without credit cards, get creative without the cash flow: Take scissors to construction paper for a thousand cutout hearts, gather up roadside wildflowers and strew the petals about her bed, or deliver a love note a day for one week to profess your smitten-ness.

5. Kidding around. The ultimate masterstroke in this arena of wow-ing a woman is demonstrating a knack with kids…she’ll go gaga when you goo-goo. While waiting for your Pad Thai to arrive while out for dinner, chat up the moppet at the next table; remark, “Cute baby” when strolling past the strollers at your local park with your date, and so on. This super-husbandly trait always brings down the house.

6. Knight in shining Amex. A magnanimous showing of sacrifice and support wows her and confirms your commitment to a budding relationship. Even when unsexy, mundane crises are afoot, reach in with a helping hand. For instance, a well-off chap might wordlessly supply a loan to pay off a costly brake job that threatens his lady’s commute and checkbook. The penniless can help a damsel in distress, too. When she has night school, offer to walk her pup without complaint. Taking on her temporary troubles as your own impresses mightily.

7. Ode to joy. A syrupy note on Valentine’s Day is standard, but it’s the unexpected declarations of love (no, not during the second date) that astound. During a teary moment at the next wedding ceremony you two attend, punctuate the moment with your own poetic whisper in her ear. Likewise, sweet nothings on the dance floor will make her weak in the knees. Gushing love letters or IM’d e-ffections (for no particular reason) showcase your inner romantic. You’ll know you’ve done right when she proudly recites excerpts to her sis and best girlfriend. Confessing your true feelings can make quite the indelible impression.

8. Slick moves. Hidden talents like diving-board flips, limbo flexibility, crossword-puzzle expertise, card tricks, nimble guitar-playing and athletic prowess will elicit the “I had no idea!” awestruck grin. Besides those skills touted on your professional résumé, work on a few moves that draw comparisons to 007 or the Fonz.

9. Meet the parents: Be the rare bird that charms the pants off her usually hyper-critical, nitpicking parents. Can you ace the battery of trials and the impossible scrutiny of her closest friends to earn a resounding wow? Like passing the Mensa test, your relationship IQ must include the forethought to win over her inner circle. Brush up on their likes, dislikes, favorite wines (come bearing a bottle), and most recent travel adventures before sitting down with them, and you’ll have plenty of conversational fodder.

10. Love me tenderized. How well done is your medium-rare? Preparing an extravagant multi-course meal (not ordering out pre-made gourmet and slyly transferring it into shiny serving bowls) replete with all the trappings is a wow-able moment. And, yes, you can do it: Following a recipe taps every man’s inner do-it-yourself expertise. Allow her to sit back and breathe in the romance and gourmet ambiance: laser-printed menu, chilled Champagne, fresh table linens, slender candles, snazzy presentation, followed by after-dinner liqueurs, first-rate wooing, and fiery seduction. Honorable mention for those who actually get a smooch while sporting a “Kiss the Chef” apron.