crazyhaircut94 said:
Any tips on how to pick up girls? I'm horrible at flirting. Don't have any problems talking to girls in common, just don't have any good lines and stuff.
EDIT: If it helps to know what I look like, I've got the same look as the singer from Hellacopters. Long hair, cool hat, and leather jacket.
http://www.infoblogg.no/wp-content/uploads/THellacopters-promo-MJ-0202.jpg (guy in the middle)
Sorry, I don't go for that hat, the leather jacket is too small and looks cheap. The badges are a complete no-no. Otherwise attractive.
Ok. Flirting...
Don't use any chat up lines ever. You'll just come across as a wannabe sex-pest. You will find that the following will suffice depending on your particular region:
"Hi" - if you are American.
"Hello" - if you are English (Note: this is a winner if you are talking to most American women... cue: "Gee, I lurve yer kewl aks-cent!!"
"Hey" - if you are Australian or are genuinely a surfer dude... don't bother using it if in reality you are just a stoner except on another stoner.
First get yourself into their non-immediate personal space. This is about double the distance you would feel comfortable having a burly gay man standing next to you. In other words respect her personal space. Unfortunately it is hard to give a precise distance because people accept reduced personal space depending on circumstances - i.e. a wood > a street > a beach > a bar > a party > a disco > a rave > a mosh-pit > a carriage on the Tokyo underground railway during rush-hour (by the way it is probably better to not try to get off with a girl in such a circumstance as everyone is really just concentrating hard on tolerating each others body odor). Don't get close like you are on a mission, but don't leave it too long before you speak as you will just come off as a weirdo.
Second, let her get a good look at you, 20-30 seconds should be enough. Use your peripheral vision to see if she is aware you are there before you speak (there is nothing worse than having some strange disembodied voice say something close behind you, unless it is "Excuse me" and you simply want to get close to the bar and nothing more), note that girls are better at this than men (i.e. are more social) and will not 'tip their hand' at all by making eye-contact with you. Oh, how much simpler life would be if girls mentally undressed men, but that is not the case (at least with the girls you should try to date).
Third, make a point of looking at her face for a few seconds whilst angling your body towards her. If done correctly she will pick up on this with her highly-developed peripheral vision. Convey a sense of relaxation about yourself along with good posture, leave grinning to the experts as this can be misinterpreted as you finding something funny about her appearance, or foreshadowing some stupid pick-up line.
Rarely, she will reciprocate, even smile (demure is good) and at this point it is fantastic if she speaks first - although, this is not a green light to sex (as some men assume); merely a constructive step along a road of mutually respectful, romantic, friendship... then sex, alright?
The next time she looks your way, or turns in your direction (her eyes may still be avoiding contact... this is a classic "mixed signal") you may say Hi/Hello/Hey (take your pick, or localize for your country's language if you are not an English speaker) and then wait for her to respond.
Now. I can't outline all the various choices and counter-responses to cover everything she may say to you, what you may then say back, what that response says about your intentions and what her next response may be (if any...) as the "dialogue tree" is just to large and I'm not going on this impromptu 'date', you are (hopefully). Just keep your cool (i.e. don't show anxiety, naivety, or over-compensate for shyness by being brash), understand that people who try to be 'cool' aren't (see: "man in the hat" in your picture - he's made the wrong hat choice there and it looks too small... what is he in anyway? A ska band? There is a language of clothes, at least present a coherent message), appreciate it is up to other people to confer 'labels' on you like 'cool', 'l33t', or 'hacker'. However, don't be in a massive rush to "buy her a drink", talk first, that way it won't look (so much) like a pre-meditated "mission" to get her drunk, insensible and open to freaky sex.