Formal is just around the corner, but there’s still plenty of time for you ladies to find the perfect date. Asking is always the hardest part of finding a formal escort, but all you need is a little confidence and a few clever ideas.

First, stop and take a moment to remember these vital qualities in asking an individual to formal. An excellent formal request will always have three distinct characteristics: Bold, Affecting, and Different. This scientifically proved method is called BAD formal asking.

Part one: Bold

Being bold is everything. If the way you ask is dull and unoriginal, your potential date may assume that you are a dry person all around. Keep this in mind: you’re not dealing with regular people. You’re dealing with men. Men are biologically wired to like extreme things, like motocross and spicy food. Appeal to his inner man. Try serving him up a big slab of meat, putting it on a plate, and carving “Formal?” into it. Don’t forget the A1!  

Part two: Affecting

You don’t want your formal asking method to be overshadowed by anyone else’s. Try this exercise: imagine your date in 30 years. Will he remember the precise way you asked back in high school, or will he think, “Was that her who filled my Honda with baby rats during fourth period, or was it Sally?” Be better than Sally. For that matter, be more creative than Sally. If everyone writes “Formal?” on cars or brings in balloons to school, try instead carving “Formal?” into his car, or bringing to school, say, a hot-air balloon.

Part three: Different

Make sure you leave a lasting impression on your desired date in the way you’ve asked him. No one wants to be forgettable. Take your formal asking up a notch above the rest! For instance, try carving the word “Formal?” into his forearm. The scars will stay with him forever, like a keepsake of that wonderful moment. Remember, men love a woman who’s not afraid of a little blood. Once you have him emotionally/physically tied down, there’s no way he can deny you.

Now that you’re a certified BAD formal asker, get yourself out into the world. You are ready: the question is…is your date?