How to Ask a Guy Out

Passively waiting for a hottie to make a move is simply not acceptable behavior for a fearless Cosmo chick like yourself. Sure, it can be a little intimidating to approach a dude, but it puts you in control of your dating destiny, and besides — guys really like it. “Men find it refreshing when a female asks them out,” Says Rhonda Findling, psychotherapist and author of The Dating Cure. “Beyond that, it’s empowering for the woman.” Some tips for taking this bold step.

Buy Him a Drink
If a guy catches your eye while you’re out with friends, send over a beer. Since it forces him to make the next move and say thank you, it’s a stealth way of letting him know you’re interested.

Suggest a Super Guy-Friendly Outing
Try to gauge what the guy you’ve set your sights on is into. Here’s how: As you’re chatting him up, ask him what he did over the weekend. Then, casually suggest something similar — whether it be going out for wings or to the batting cages — for the following Friday.

Invite Him on a Group Date
If you can’t quite bring yourself to suggest solo time together, try inviting him out with a bunch of your friends which will make you feel more at ease. One caveat: Avoid having your Giselle look-a-like pal tag along — you want to make sure his eyes stay glued to you.

If You Lose Your Nerve…
Really can’t bring yourself to invite a dude out? Then give him the green light to ask you. After flirting for a bit say something like, “Have you heard about this new movie? I’ve been dying to see it.” It will give him the perfect opportunity to suggest you see it together — and because you’ve hinted at what you want to do, it takes some of the planning pressure off him. Perfect!