If getting back in the saddle is one of your 2024 resolutions, we can help. The dating landscape saw lots of changes in 2023 – we saw plenty of people taking a dating hiatus, singles opting for sober dates (dry dating), and Gen Zs dating differently altogether (hello, dawn dating).
Looking ahead to what’s next for dating trends, experts say that 2024 is set to be the year of self with more singles looking to stand on business (date more intentionally), be willing to put themselves out there and wait until they find that one person (or couple) who aligns with their goals and values.
In short, people are continuing to redefine and reinvent the dating scene – because if there’s one thing Gen Z loves, it’s rewriting the rule book.
So below, ECT unpacks the relationship and dating trends we’re likely to see over the next 322 days of date nights, DMs, and TikTok. All we can say for now is that 2024 looks to be the pièce de résistance of dating experiences in the 21ST Century.
Ready to join the adventure? Let’s dive in!
Vision Board Dating Is In
If you’ve been wondering what it’d be like to move to a new town and make new friends/connections, you’re not alone, sis.
In fact, according to Bumble, many singles have been adjusting their dating app locations to the city or town they’re considering moving to – a move that Plenty Of Fish has dubbed ‘Vision Board Dating.’
The term, which has now taken a life of its own on TikTok, simply means working to bring your vision board to life via dating experiences.
So, for instance, if relocating to a new city for your career or a fresh start is on your vision board for 2024, ensure that you adjust your dating apps’ location to see the single in the areas you’re considering moving to. If you match with a potential through the app, take that opportunity to plan a trip, explore your potential home, and meet a few people/potential friends IRL.
And if those dates don’t pan out, don’t fret. You’ll still be able to get a good idea of the place you’re considering to relocate to and even end up with some new friends along the way.
It’s one of the riskiest dating trends (especially for introverts), but the thing with risks is that 60% of the time, they end up being worth it. So, who knows, maybe vision board dating is what will help you find the partner you’ve always been looking for.
Type Dating Is Out
Word on the street is that dating someone who isn’t your type might be the key to developing a meaningful and fulfilling relationship. And hey, if it’s good enough for Tay-Tay, it’s practically good enough for us.
Late last year, the award-winning pop sensation parted ways with her typical dating types by getting into a relationship with NFL tight end Travis Kelce. And Taylor Swift isn’t the only girlie breaking the mold. More and more singles are practicing open-cast dating – dating outside of what you consider your ‘type’ to be.
‘While types, particularly those rooted in physical attributes, may offer a convenient filter, there’s a risk of reducing people to superficial categories,’ psychosexual and relationship therapist Genevieve Collister Brown told Cosmopolitan UK in a recent interview.
Dating preferences (types) are inherently problematic because they’re mostly focused on obsessive qualities, which leads to objectification, thus impeding genuine connections.
Not to say that you should start dating whomever – striking a balance between physical attraction and personal connection is crucial. Also, what a partner has to offer should be less about their age and physical attributes and more about their values, alignment, standards, and future goals!
So before you go putting all your faith in matching love languages or someone’s birth chart (yeah, no more isolating Scorpios ☹), try giving potential matches the benefit of the doubt in 2024, and you might just find you hit it off.
No More Rose-Colored It’s All ‘Rizz’-Colored Glasses Now
For the boomers and millennials in the chat, ‘rizz’ refers to charisma and charm. It’s basically someone’s suave seduction skills and their ability to attract a romantic or sexual partner.
In 2024, Gen Z singles are on the prowl for people with rizz – which, according to Plenty Of Fish, 53% of singles consider an attractive quality, while 43% admit to falling for someone because of it.
So, maybe, just maybe, you need to take this as a sign to step outside your comfort. Unclutch yourself from the shackles of shyness and show off your personality. Don’t hold back that dark sense of humor and laugh it off when you make a fool of yourself, and you might just find a like-minded person or someone who is deeply attracted to your kind of rizz.
Apps? No, That’s So Millennial. Gen Zs Are All About Meet-Cutes
Hand up if you’re tired of dating apps. Same, girl, same.
And with the number of catfishing and Tinder Swindler stories on the rise, more and more singles are moving away from dating apps and opting for the vintage way of meeting potential love interests – aka dating organically or having IRL meet-cutes.
The only concern? Er, how do you do this in a digital-obsessed world? There are numerous ways:
• Instead of spending your entire time scrolling through the Netflix gallery, dress up and go for that event your friends have been pushing you to attend. You might meet someone interesting.
• Find a hobby and join a group with shared interests – a tennis club, tango class, Swahili-speaking group, parents who day drink. Think of the type of partner you want and where he’d hang out.
• Go to Walmart—or even Home Depot. Rock your favorite dress. Heels for extra points. Ask that cute guy for help (be a damsel of distress for once in your life. It works miracles. Just ask Shera Seven, the ‘sprinkle sprinkle’ Queen).
• Dating events. If there’s a singles night somewhere, plan to attend it. If there’s a speed-dating event, try and check it out. And if you have no idea where to find these events, Eventbrite is the leading platform for dating events across the globe. They even held a Muslim speed dating event last year, and the response was out-of-this-world.
We Are Bringing ‘Ghosts’ Back To Life ?
The girlies are putting their foot down on ghosting, and we couldn’t be prouder! And to do that, people are ‘bringing the ghosts back to life.’
But don’t get it twisted. This doesn’t mean literally resurrecting them because you care about dating them anymore. No, it just means putting an end to their impersonal and lazy attempt at ending things.
Rather than waiting for someone to ghost them, singles are arming themselves with responses actually to end things in a more mature and personal way. So, if you suspect you’re about to get ghosted (because you’ll know), don’t let it linger. Put the power back in your hand and end things maturely and amicably.
The Girlies Are Going All NATO When Dating
NATO dating – not getting attached to the outcome but enjoying the journey – has come to the fore, according to 2024 dating trends reports.
Rather than rushing into the happily ever after, more and more people are choosing to focus on their dating journey, accumulating a roster of new experiences and memories that boost their personal stories.
Bad date, dreamy date, getting breadcrumbed or ghosted, it’s all fodder for singles memoir in 2024.
Getting all worked up about relationship definition binaries is also out, and embracing the ambiguity is in. So rather than stressing over whether you and Jim are boyfriend/girlfriend or just friends with benefits, people are going with the flow, enjoying the ambiguity, and spending more time loving on themselves.
The Future Is All About ‘Cash Candidness
In 2024, there’s an overall focus on ‘clarity and honesty’ regarding dating and relationships, says Shan Boodram, sex educator, intimacy expert, and Lovers & Friends Podcast host.
Part of that’s ‘cash candidness,’ a growing movement where more and more people are becoming open about their financial expectations for dates, whether they prefer something extravagant or more low-key.
People are having healthy conversations about where they draw the line between being frugal and not allowing someone to enjoy themselves. Making a big, expensive gesture that costs you more than you have and one the other person didn’t realize was a huge splurge? Not happening in this economy!
With the current economic climate and higher prices for everyday needs, more people (especially singles) will be more concerned with who and where they plan to spend their time and money. People will lean towards ‘the joy economy, seeking experiences that bring them happiness in the face of an uncertain future.’
Think themed movie marathon dates, throwing game nights with other couples, going apple picking, taking ‘hot couple walks’ etc.
Slow Dating? It Doesn’t Sound So Bad, Right?
As we mentioned earlier, 2024 is the year of self. More singles are being open about their mental health. They’re prioritizing self-care and making a concerted effort to slow down. People view dating in 2024 as an extension of their mental health and wellness practices.
So, rather than scrolling the apps every night to pass the time and find someone to go on a date with, singles are being more intentional about how they fill their time.
They’re planning meetups with friends, intentionally making time for self-care time, and worrying less about who’ll be their plus one to their sister’s wedding or bestie’s party.
This doesn’t mean that the girlies are opposed to meeting new people. They’re just not getting consumed by it as they were before. This not only allows for quality over quantity, but it lessens the let-down that comes with yet another date gone wrong.
It also means that more people are likely to extend grace to someone who reschedules a date because they’re having a bad day – it’s not just about acknowledging one’s needs but also extending that to others.
As you approach dating in 2024, consider how you experienced dating and relationships in 2023 and do whatever you need to improve your dating life moving forward. If that means practicing slow dating or going all NATO dating, you do you! And remember, love will always find you. There’s no rush to find your perfect person.
