As our generation gets a little older, a surprising number of us are putting on our dancing shoes and getting back in the senior dating game. After all, more women over 60 are single than ever before, whether that’s due to divorce or widowhood or just never having been married in the first place.

Here is what older men want when dating older women:

1. Take Pride in Your Appearance – Wear clothes that make you feel good.
2. Take Good Care of Yourself – A healthy body is key.
3. Smile – Smiling makes people more approachable.
4. Make Him Feel Like a Man – He’s not your best girlfriend in pants.
5. Don’t Play Games – No one has time for drama.
6. Don’t Be Too Serious – A good sense of humor is sexy.
7. Be Yourself – Be yourself, everyone else is taken. 
8. Leave Your Baggage Behind – No one likes to be compared.
9. Know What You Want – Make yourself a “deal-breaker” list.

As part of this singleton trend, more women over 60 are looking to meet men in their age group – but dating is different after 60 than it was in our younger years. Many single women over 50 are simply asking, “Where are all the older single men?”

See also: our list of the 5 best senior dating websites.

When It Comes to Senior Dating, Are the Odds Against Us?

It is a sad fact of life that men tend not to live as long as women, and as a result, many countries have significantly more women than men above the age of 65.

“On average, women live longer than men – this is true for every country in the world. This fact plays an important role in how the sex ratio changes with age through adulthood. But as we move through adulthood, we see that this ratio is lower and lower. For 50-year-olds the ratio is close to 1-to-1; for 70-year-olds there are only 89 males per 100 females; and in the very oldest age bracket (100-year-olds) there are only 25 men per 100 women.” —Our World in Data

Are Our Emotional Scars Keeping Us Single?

Many women have been hurt or disappointed by relationships in their lives and are a little afraid to actively participate in looking for love. However, if you really want to find someone special, you have to make an effort – you really have to want to find a quality relationship!

Therapy can be useful for you if you have been hurt in past relationships and want to learn (or unlearn) patterns that keep you from finding love. Online therapy sessions, like Better Help and Talk Space, can help you navigate your feelings and thoughts.

Check out the interview above I did for the Sixty and Me Show with dating coach Lisa Copeland. We discuss what is different about dating after 60 and how men and women our age often want different things from life, having different emotional needs and in many ways speaking a “different language.”

You might need to re-learn how to flirt with men, how to make a man feel good about himself, and how to present your most confident and alluring self in the dating world.

Lisa reinforces that dating is a numbers game. You really cannot give up after just a few dates, that you have to relax, meet lots of guys, and enjoy the process. It is meant to be fun!

This doesn’t mean you have to feel pressure! Senior dating should be fun, not stressful. The stakes of dating are not as high at this part of our life.

We’re not necessarily trying to find someone to marry and live with for decades. Many of us are looking for a companion or a friend or even a no-strings-attached lover.

Fortunately, in some ways, there has never been a better time for women over 60 to be in the dating world. The rise of divorce among “silver splitters” means there are more single older men – and there might be more great guys out there than you might expect at first glance, especially if you give them a chance.

Read THE PROS AND CONS OF DATING AS A BOOMER WOMAN.

And also, SENIOR DATING TIPS: WHY YOU SHOULDN’T GIVE UP UNTIL THE 6TH DATE.

What Do Older Men Really Want When It Comes to Dating?

It might help to know what men say they are looking for in a woman. Both dating coaches I have interviewed agree with this assessment. As we get older, the things we want out of life often change, and we have less time to play games and be superficial – this is a good thing!

But it still helps to know about the emotional languages and occasional disconnects that come up between older men and women. Here is some advice on what you can do to be interesting to older men:

Take Pride in Your Appearance

This doesn’t mean you need to look “20 years old.” It just means that men should find something alluring about you.

Try to “dress-up” a little when going on a first date, but make sure that you are comfortable in your outfit and footwear. Wear something that portrays your personality and style.

Read WHAT YOUR CLOTHING COLORS SAY ABOUT YOUR PERSONALITY to make the best first impression possible.

Take Good Care of Yourself

Of course, you might not be the same size and weight that you were when you were 30 years younger, but if you eat well and get regular exercise, it shows. Unsure where to start with exercise? Why not try Pilates.

Read 10 SIMPLE HEALTHY EATING NUDGES TO HELP YOU GET MORE FROM LIFE.

Smile

Women who make themselves approachable by smiling and appearing to have a friendly and enthusiastic personality are much more attractive to older men.

Take care of your pearly whites. Whitening products can help take stains and yellow tint from your smile and make you feel and look years younger. It’s a good idea to talk to your dentist about your intention to use whitening products before you decide to use them.

Make Him Feel Like a Man

Don’t expect older men to be “women in men’s clothing.” Men our age often have a preoccupation with their own interests and masculinity.

Show some interest in his activities and observe if he also reciprocates by asking you about your ideas and activities. Discussions should be mutually nurturing and feel equal and not overpowered by one partner.

Don’t Play Games

Honesty and respect are important, with no drama and no games. Being honest and not “fluffing up” your stories will ensure that you won’t get caught up in a lie later on which will make him lose his trust in you. Also, being honest and respectful will attract similar behavior.

Don’t Be Too Serious

Try to relax and seek out companionship based on shared values and common interests. Older men tend to prefer women with a good sense of humor. If you’ve got one, use it.

Why not go to a comedy show with your date? You can get a good taste of his sense of humor as well.

Be Yourself

Trying to fit a mold or to fit the standards of what men want in a woman can get exhausting. Men will sense that you are not being true to yourself when you go on a date. They may get a sense of falseness about you and that can be a turn off.

Don’t boast and try to sell yourself on a first date either – it isn’t an interview. Let your natural personality shine because that is when we are the most beautiful… when we are being true to ourselves and to the world.

Leave Your Baggage Behind

We know everyone’s got baggage at our age. We all have exes (maybe a few), possibly some children, and lots of experiences that shape our views.

Bringing up your ex and your past relationships too much can make you look resentful. Speaking badly about your previous partners can backfire and make you seem like you are the problem. 

This being said, don’t hide anything or keep your past a mystery either. Also, men may feel like they are being compared to your ex. Find the balance between sharing too much and sharing just the right amount of information. 

Read SURVIVING A DIVORCE AFTER 50 TEACHES SOME SURPRISINGLY POSITIVE LESSONS.

Know What You Want

If you’re getting ready to start dating after 50, be sure you know what you want from a man – what makes him “special”?

Also, give some thought to your non-negotiable “deal breakers” – the things that absolutely make you not want to date a man – but ask yourself how many of these things are truly non-negotiable, and which things are really not that important.

Equally, be sure of what type of relationship you are looking for and be honest with yourself and your date. There is no use going on a date with a man who only wants casual dating (with several women) when you are seeking a committed relationship. Don’t try to convince or change someone. Stay true to yourself and go on dates with men that have compatible relationship goals.

Try not to set too many conditions on a new relationship and be open-minded about what you might consider the “ideal” man or perfect relationship.

Read 4 ONLINE DATING TIPS FOR SENIORS.

10 BEST ONLINE DATING TIPS FROM A TOP DATING CONSULTANT

DATING TIPS FOR MATURE WOMEN: 7 SIGNS HE’S BAD FOR YOU (AND 7 HE’S GOT IT BAD FOR YOU!)

Let’s Have a Conversation:

What are your thoughts on senior dating? Have you had any luck with dating after 50? What tips would you like to share with the other women in our community? Please add your thoughts in the comments section below.