Have Pick-Up Lines Evolved or Have Men Actually Become...SMART?

I'm curious!

Pick-up lines have NEVER worked on me, not the transparent ones slurred and sprayed heartily in my face by some smelly drunk ass or, the ones perfectly rehearsed by an overly cocky wanker anyway!

Yet, recently I've found myself incredibly curious by a new breed of pick-up line, one that hides itself fabulously behind the true intent, and might just be the golden egg for men everywhere...ssshhhh!

I know, I know a pick-up line that doesn't make me want to gag, walk away or slap the brut!  Yes it's true, and with this newfound Intel, I've started to wonder if 'men' might actually be getting smarter, and rather than blurt out whatever their penis is thinking, they are simply reverting back to what women love the most, the golden era of elegance and genuine flattery (anything's possible right)?

SMOKE AND MIRRORS

The first time it (the smart pick-up line) happened, I was sitting in my relatively cute unmarried dentist's chair and very casually  he said, 'I really like your shoes...they're beautiful'.  I thanked him as he went about his work, but I couldn't stop thinking about it during the entire appointment, did he actually just like my shoes (they were expensive and beautiful) or was he dropping a very clever subtle line?  

He had to be gay right, and I know that sounds cliche, but in my head, 'Don't tap your last season's Prada's at me missy' was on constant replay...remember Elle Woods said, 'he has to be gay'!   I called my husband the moment I left the office, gave him the scoop, to which he very caveman-like responded, 'He was hitting on you'...'but, baby he's gay, remember, Prada's, tapping'.  My husband never bought into my theory...that was a year ago.

Then, very recently, while standing at the bar, a young man, looks at me, smiles and very casually says, 'What make-up are you wearing, it's lovely'...which obviously given my pause and deer in headlights look, prompted him to say 'Oh I'm not gay, you just look beautiful'.

WHAT THE HECK!  His big friendly smile attached to those words...that was a definite pick-up line if I'd ever heard one and it was brilliant!  This was one smart dude, he had combined and executed perfectly, a strong dose of flattery, a, 'I'm not a serial killer' smile, and then thrown in a 'my best gay friend possibility'  with an air of confidence that was absolutely impeccable.   Bravo 10 out of 10!

Could it really be that simple?  Honesty Flattery softened by smoke and mirrors with a dash of confidence?   I personally don't know any woman out there who wouldn't feel flattered if a man told her she looked beautiful,  I certainly did, unless of course the dude was a slurring sweaty mess attempting to paw my ass.

Yet, although, while this dude was smart, there are many that will never follow in his footsteps.  Many that will continue to pull from The Worst Pick-Up Lines Ever, never understanding why 'Have you got a mirror in your pocket...cause I can see myself in your pants' didn't cut it with the ladies!

WOO THE GIRL

Pick-up or chat-up lines have meandered their clever way through the decades, and while their style and delivery may have transitioned with the increasing tolerance of smut, their final outcome..to get the girl has not.

Remember, in Casablanca, when a handsome Rick and breathtakingly beautiful Ilsa locked smolderingly perfect eyes (and eyebrows), she was delighted to hear that he remembered their first meeting, and as he responded, in his confident sexy voice... 'The Germans wore grey, you wore blue', she blushed and the deal was done. 

Then, as the romantic era began to slowly fade into the 1960's flirtatiously unconventional "Pillow Talk", the lines became more 'cheeky', the subtlety became the obvious and then, well, by the time the 80's & 90's arrived there was enough cheese to take down Wisconsin.  No longer did men, and I say men, cause lets face, 90% of pick-up lines are delivered by men, they are the original hunter of food and women, have to don their best dinner jacket, and woo the girl with their impeccable charm and elegant words.  

Instead, arrogance engulfed confidence and the genuineness of wooing the girl through flattery was swept away by hit movies with smokin' hot and cocky leading men, including the infamous ultimate pick-up line...'You've Lost That Lovin' Feeling'.  What woman didn't want a sexy group of men serenading her ‘right’?  Arrogance became the desired fast track approach to getting into those skin tight pants, be them hot pink lycra or waist high stonewash denim!

SO…

Have men possibly become a little smarter (don't laugh) in their understanding of what actually strikes the core of a woman (flattery and charm?) or were these two incidences a perplexing rarity like hair on a billiard ball? 

I’m really curious now to read how YOU have been the target of a ‘pick-up’ line or act, and if flattery and charm were at play and, most importantly…did it work?

Crikey!