Emily Romano knows a thing or two about doling out frank lessons in love (and like). The 30-year-old Bostonian dropped out of law school to become a matchmaker and, after honing her love connection skills, founded Dateover, a dating consultation company. She’s also working with MIT on a new tech startup called Vattri, which aims to provide a vetting process to eliminate many of the question marks of online dating—in other words, to help keep you from getting catfished.
For Dateover, Romano essentially assesses every aspect of a client’s dating life, from the relatively superficial, like wardrobe choices and online profiles, to personal hang-ups and other more deep-seated issues. After a judgment-free consultation, she creates what she calls a “proposal.” I met with Romano to get one of my own. Here were her suggestions for taking my single steez to the next level. I think I’m even going to try them.
The initial assessment: “Your Dateover is really all about letting yourself be open to the possibility that a relationship can be a positive thing, and being open yourself emotionally.” [I have a problem with “feelings.”] Keeping things casual [a guy that can hang!] is one way of doing this. Another way is dating someone that we write off before we even begin. [Everyone I’ve ever “dated.”] I always say, ‘Emotionally unavailable people go after people who are physically unavailable,’ and this is true. Someone can go after someone who lives far away, someone married or someone who for whatever reason is ‘unfit’ for us to date.” [Unfit has, at times, been an understatement.]
The recommendation: “Having an objective: Go on one date a week with someone, go places with the intention of meeting men, be cognizant of body language. [I’ve been told mine says, “Please don’t come over here. I am a cyborg from Planet Awful.”] Smile… take off your jacket.” [I don’t take my coats off in bars. It is super weird.]
The Online profile tips: “Take out the fact you cannot live without alcohol…it doesn’t need to be said.” [In retrospect, this should have been obvious.]
The Wardrobe critique: “It seems to me being sexy might be a bit uncomfortable to you. [Wait, wait. Beanies and dirty old Chucks aren’t sexy?] I think you should stay true to your personal style. However, boots with a heel, a lower-cut shirt, maybe a dress and maybe some color? [I wear a lot of black is also an understatement.] Challenge yourself to embrace change for the sake of shaking things up a bit.”
Love in the Time of Tinder
A singleton braves Boston’s digital dating scene—and more—to find out what’s beyond the swipe.
By Alexandra Cavallo Dec. 19, 2014
Tough Love
Emily Romano knows a thing or two about doling out frank lessons in love (and like). The 30-year-old Bostonian dropped out of law school to become a matchmaker and, after honing her love connection skills, founded Dateover, a dating consultation company. She’s also working with MIT on a new tech startup called Vattri, which aims to provide a vetting process to eliminate many of the question marks of online dating—in other words, to help keep you from getting catfished.
For Dateover, Romano essentially assesses every aspect of a client’s dating life, from the relatively superficial, like wardrobe choices and online profiles, to personal hang-ups and other more deep-seated issues. After a judgment-free consultation, she creates what she calls a “proposal.” I met with Romano to get one of my own. Here were her suggestions for taking my single steez to the next level. I think I’m even going to try them.
The initial assessment: “Your Dateover is really all about letting yourself be open to the possibility that a relationship can be a positive thing, and being open yourself emotionally.” [I have a problem with “feelings.”] Keeping things casual [a guy that can hang!] is one way of doing this. Another way is dating someone that we write off before we even begin. [Everyone I’ve ever “dated.”] I always say, ‘Emotionally unavailable people go after people who are physically unavailable,’ and this is true. Someone can go after someone who lives far away, someone married or someone who for whatever reason is ‘unfit’ for us to date.” [Unfit has, at times, been an understatement.]
The recommendation: “Having an objective: Go on one date a week with someone, go places with the intention of meeting men, be cognizant of body language. [I’ve been told mine says, “Please don’t come over here. I am a cyborg from Planet Awful.”] Smile… take off your jacket.” [I don’t take my coats off in bars. It is super weird.]
The Online profile tips: “Take out the fact you cannot live without alcohol…it doesn’t need to be said.” [In retrospect, this should have been obvious.]
The Wardrobe critique: “It seems to me being sexy might be a bit uncomfortable to you. [Wait, wait. Beanies and dirty old Chucks aren’t sexy?] I think you should stay true to your personal style. However, boots with a heel, a lower-cut shirt, maybe a dress and maybe some color? [I wear a lot of black is also an understatement.] Challenge yourself to embrace change for the sake of shaking things up a bit.”
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