LONDON, 5th February 2015: As new research from match.com reveals a quarter (24 per cent) of Brits downplay their true personalities on a first date in a bid to appear ‘perfect’, Irish model and singer Nadia Forde has teamed up with match.com to encourage people to love themselves and their own imperfections, while also revealing all about her search for an ‘Imperfect Gentleman’.
The star, well-known for her recent stint on I’m A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here, openly admits she has her own imperfections – such as being impatient and a bit of a chatterbox – and is looking for a man who will embrace her flaws. But it’s not just men that need to accept her: she also has a specific list of imperfections she’s looking for in a potential partner, in particular someone who knows their own mind, is headstrong, and even a little stubborn.
Despite many wanting to play down their flaws, 85 per cent of singles say they’d find their date more attractive if they didn’t put on a ‘perfect’ front and instead were comfortable with their own imperfections, and an overwhelming 94 per cent of singles believe imperfections are charming. According to the research, the most common imperfections are:
- Shy (51 per cent)
- Insecure (40 per cent)
- Sensitive (36 per cent)
- Stubborn (30 per cent)
- Impatient (23 per cent)
- Procrastination (22 per cent)
- Falling in love too easily (22 per cent)
- Being too critical (18 per cent)
- Prone to moaning (18 per cent)
- Being jealous (17 per cent)
Nadia Forde comments: “I’m definitely on the lookout for my Imperfect Gentleman – we all try to put on a ‘perfect’ front for a new partner but actually, it’s when the walls have come down and I’ve been my true self that I’ve fallen in love.
“Everybody has their own imperfections and we should embrace these. These are the things – whether it’s a loud laugh or someone with two left feet – that are endearing, and you come to love. That’s why I love match.com’s Love Your Imperfections. Nobody’s perfect – but there is somebody out there who is perfect for you!”
Kate Taylor, relationship expert for match.com said: “In the run up to Valentine’s Day people can often put pressure on themselves to put on a ‘perfect’ front and rush to find a date. But actually, you find that potential partners often find these little traits endearing and will be far more attracted to you when you’re comfortable in your own skin and love your imperfections.”
Nadia’s top five tips for men to make an impression on a first date:
- “Stay in contact – there’s nothing worse than a guy who doesn’t stay in touch when arranging the date. A guy should always call or text to confirm the date is still going ahead the day before.”
- “Don’t be late – it’s important to always arrive before the girl and show you’re looking forward to the date.”
- “Wear good aftershave – I love it when a man smells nice, for me it can sometimes be more important than what they wear!”
- “Don’t kiss the girl on the first date – a lady never kisses on the first date, so don’t be cheeky and make sure you save it till the second date.”
- “A nice text at the end of the date – it’s always nice when you’re at home and the guy sends you a text to let you know he had a nice time – it’s thoughtful and shows they care.”
Hear Nadia talk about the do’s and don’ts of finding an Imperfect Gentleman in this exclusive video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TMib-B2x7gc&feature=youtu.be You can also share your own imperfections on Twitter and Instagram using #loveyourimperfections.
Notes to editors:
About the research – Lovegeist 2015:
The annual European reference study on singles and dating. The survey was conducted by TNS on behalf of Match.com in November 2014. Singles between 18 and 65 years in seven European countries were asked (Germany, France, Italy, Spain, Netherlands, Denmark, and the UK) 1,753 singles were interviewed in the UK. Singles were defined as persons who are not in a committed relationship, regardless of their marital status. During analysis the data have been carefully measured to reflect the composition of the number of singles per country based on age and gender. When calculating statistics at a European level, country size and population has been taken in to