The whole concept of a chat up line is absurd.  

Within the span of a few seconds and armed with nothing more than courage and a bunch of words, a man has to somehow manage to be original, sincere and interesting, whilst proving he’s unlike all other men to previously approach you in such manner who apparently just wanted to lure you into bed.  

Pressure much?  

Let’s take a step back and think this through. Social norm dictates that when it comes to dating, a man should make the first move. I’m not here to dispute that. Even though a woman who makes the first move is nothing less than a legend. But this is neither here nor there. Probably the topic for another story. Anyway. The problem with social norm is that it doesn’t really provide men with a best practices guidebook as to what that first move should entail. You see a woman you like in a bar, a cafe, a club and all you know is that if anything is going to happen between you two, it will have to be engineered by you. Frightening, to say the least.  

But hear me out.  

There’s a low-risk, high-reward way to win the chat up game once and for all: use your eyes, not your mouth. Try and initiate eye contact with her from across the room. Once there is a connection, try and replicate it two to three more times in the next ten minutes. It will be wise to note that there is a difference between rudely staring and cheekily peeking. Don’t scare her off. Also, smile a little, it helps. If after the two-three initial looks, she surveys the room your way to check if there are more looks directed at her, you have won. If she’s not interested in locking eyes with you, no amount of words, drinks or gestures will win you her attention. As simple as that. 

Chat up lines? Nah. Chat up eyes.