Cuffing season is real, and it’s here – so try our fall dating survival guide

Our new members’ survey of 1500 singles¹ has revealed once and for all that cuffing season is real – so we’ve put together a guide to help you make the most of it. From how to find a partner, to the top-five fall date ideas, to tips on planning cute fall outfits and cozy nights in, we’ve got romance covered this fall season!

First things first: what is cuffing season?

Along with words like ‘ghosting’, ‘cushioning’, and ‘breadcrumbing’, ‘cuffing season’ is one of a hot new breed of dating terms that started as slang but are quickly becoming standard – you can find references to cuffing season on Twitter, in Vogue,² even in the likes of The Guardian³. As dating lingo popularity goes, cuffing season’s star is on the rise. But what exactly is it?

Unlike many of the other modern dating terms (looking at you, cushioning), cuffing season can actually have quite a sweet definition. It refers to that time of year around October-November when the winds turn chilly, the leaves change color, the air starts to smell a little like wood smoke – and singles’ fancies strongly turn to thoughts of love.

The theory goes that, while the happy-go-lucky summer months are built for fun, the severe colder months are better with a steady partner (aka someone you’re ‘cuffed’ to) by your side. Of course, if you want to be cuffed in time for winter, you really have to start looking in fall. So, as the first frosts appear and everything becomes pumpkin-spice-flavoured, cuffing season begins.

Does cuffing season really exist?

Cuffing season’s existence seems plausible: who wouldn’t want to brighten cold-weather dreariness with the glow of love? But is it really something that has a life outside of Twitter hashtags? According to our latest survey of 1500 members, the answer is a categorical yes!

In fact, 70% of those surveyed said they think people are most inclined to look for a serious relationship in the colder months. Getting more specific, 38% said that they’re personally more motivated to look for love in the fall – making it a more popular season to seek romance than spring (32%), summer (17%), and winter (13%).

Further cementing fall’s amorous status, nearly half of people – 46% – say that fall is the most romantic season of them all. That’s more than double the percentage of any other season (21% choose spring, 19% champion summer, and 14% opt for winter). That also means a huge 60% of those surveyed find the cooler months more romantic than the warmer ones.

Finally, the top three words respondents used to describe fall were ‘romantic’, ‘cuddly,’ and ‘relaxing.’ It seems that, for most, fall is truly the season of love. Let cuffing season commence!

The cuffing season survival guide

With our survey revealing that the majority of singles think the coming months are the ideal time to look for love, there’s no time like the cuffing season to get dating. But what’s the best way to make the most of dating in the fall? We’ve put together a handy cuffing season survival guide to help you find the perfect fall outfit, the perfect fall date idea, the perfect cozy fall night in and, hopefully, the perfect not-just-for-fall partner!

1. Cute fall outfits for women (and men!)

First up: the cute fall outfit. For those who spend the summer dreaming of thick socks and cozy sweaters, the moment when you can put away the flip-flops and dig out the winter boots is a magical one. But is such an outfit date appropriate?

Thankfully for fall fanatics, the answer is yes! From adorable dresses to flattering flannels, here are the cute fall outfits that make American singles swoon:

For women
More than a third of American singles (32%) say that the most attractive fall date outfit for women is a cute dress with thick tights. Warmth is also attractive: 15% would favor a cozy sweater while 16% would opt for a tailored coat. Very close behind is a flannel shirt (13%), while those after a truly cute fall outfit should round it off with a warm scarf (8%).

For men
Men wanting to impress should base their fall outfit around a really great coat or jacket: 40% of singles say this is the single most attractive item of fall clothing a man can wear. Next up is a flannel shirt, a hot favorite of 20% of singles. Men should complete the look with a cozy sweater (the #1 choice of 19%), and a warm scarf (9%).

2. The five best fall date ideas

Now you have the cute fall outfit all planned, where are you going to go? Picking a great activity is essential, so our survey asked people to choose their three favorite romantic things to do when it’s cold and in the process revealed America’s top five fall date ideas:

• Watching a movie by the fire with a bottle of wine
  Of course, not all fall days have that crisp, clear quality that makes hiking so romantic. When the wind is howling and the rain is pouring, there’s nothing better than the second-most popular date idea – curling up by the fire with a romantic movie, a bottle of wine, and your sweetie. It’s a top-three fall date idea for 64% of Americans.
• Taking a walk to see the leaves changing colors
  Taking a walk to see the beautiful fall colors was also runaway hit of the fall date ideas. 63% would pick it as one of their top romantic things to do. Grab your date, grab your coziest sweater, and find a park or hiking trail that will let you make the most of the glorious American fall in all its riotous color.
• Going to a cookout/bonfire together
  However, you can’t keep American couples inside for long! The third top-three date idea was attending a bonfire or cookout together, with 40% of people looking forward to snuggling up together – ideally with the ingredients for some s’mores.
• Attending a football game together
  Just under a third of singles (30%) would pick going to a football game together as one of their top three date ideas. This made football a more romantic choice than some of the classic fall date ideas like going on a hayride (20%), visiting a pumpkin patch (14%), and tasting seasonal drinks together (like apple cider and pumpkin spice latte) (18%).
• Co-hosting a Thanksgiving dinner
  If your idea of romantic cuisine is more intricate than marshmallows on sticks, you’ll love the next fall date on the list. 21% of people would choose to host a Thanksgiving meal together as one of their top-three date ideas. Of course they’d better start planning soon as Thanksgiving is just a few months away (at least in this part of the world!).

3. Staying and cuddling up: the reason for cuffing season

Along with cute fall outfits and great fall date ideas, our survey looked at what makes fall dating so special. The answers were very much in line with the cuffing season theory: people want a steady partner in the fall because they love having someone to cuddle up to.

Indeed, for 61% of people, the best thing about having a steady partner in the fall is having someone to stay in with on stormy nights. Next up is having someone to plan sunny mini-vacations with – the highlight of fall dating for 16%. Finally, for 10% of singles, the absolute best thing about cuffing season is getting to try all the cute, cheesy fall date ideas.

So, if you’re planning to make the most of fall dating, a cozy night in should definitely be on the cards. Here are 10 great indoor fall date ideas to get you started:

• Spend an evening snuggled on the sofa devouring your favourite books
• Try the romantic movie night idea above (bonus points for the wine and fire!)
• Host another couple for a board game night
• Play each other your favourite romantic music and make a playlist
• Have an indoor picnic (storm, what storm?)
• Make each other your favourite childhood comfort food and hold a tasting session
• Find an old Bob Ross episode and get painting. You have to love those happy (fall) trees!
• Have a baking afternoon: apple cider donuts, cookies, and pumpkin pie = love sweet love
• Take a bubble bath for two (perfect after a crisp walk through crunchy fall leaves)
• Start binging a new TV series together. But remember: no watching without your partner!

4. Finding your cuffing season sweetie

Of course, the most essential part of a cuffing season survival guide is the insight on how to find that partner in the first place. EliteSingles’ in-house relationship psychologist, Zoe Coetzee, has the following tips for kick-starting your dating life this fall:

Embrace a fall-friendly hobby
As the temperatures drop, people tend to seek comfort indoors. In fall, a good way to still get out there and meet people is to take up a new indoor hobby. Creativity boosts your energy and is a magnet for like-minded singles. Why not take up painting, pottery or even knitting – whatever gets your creativity flowing.

Love to learn and learn to love
Learning a new skill together forms a bond in the beginning stages of a relationship. As the sunlight hours diminish, discover a new skill to keep your days bright. For example, challenge yourself and take a language class or go on a cooking course. Learning boosts your confidence and puts you in a positive space to meet someone new.

Be proactive
In fall it can be tempting to stay in rather than go out. The danger of this is that your confidence can slump as you feel you aren’t attracting the right kind of person. The reality is that you need to be proactive and put yourself out there. As summer winds down you have more free time to proactively take the steps and meet your match. Today, around one-in-three marriages start online⁴ so why not join a dating site, and begin your adventure today?

About the author: Sophie Watson

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