Flirting Can be Fun

So you’ve mastered the complex game of making good eye-contact and you can attract a cute prospect with a just few coy glances…, men. Do you really know all there is to know about the fine art of the magnetic come-hither?

1. Flirting is good fun and it's good for your health. Recent studies show that people who flirt have higher white blood-cell counts, which boost their immunity systems and keep them more healthy.

2. If you think it ends with a little eye batting, then think again. The 'flirting' scientists say that there are at least 52 “signals” used by humans, to show their intentions. Of these, the hair flip is the most common and most easily recognised. Sorry, you guys with the hair loss and high foreheads can sit out of this one.

3. In some places, flirting is so dangerous that it's illegal. In Little Rock in the US an antiquated law is still on the books warning perps that engaging in playful banter may result in a 30-day jail term.

In New York City, another outdated law mandates that men may be fined $25 for gazing lasciviously at a female (best leave your credit card at the desk); a second conviction stipulates the offender wear a pair of blinders whenever he goes out for a walk (have you seen the new Christian Dior shades?). Luckily in the UK there are no such laws, yet.

4. Why wait for the alcohol to kick in during the Happy Hour? Lots of people get their flirt on during their morning commute, assuming they are on public transport. A full 62 percent of drivers have flirted with someone in a different vehicle while on the go, and 31 percent of those flirtations, it turns out, resulted in a date (and they say texting is dangerous).

5. Flirting need not occur face to face but it is more difficult. According to Phew! Research, 40 percent of people who looked for love online say that they can easily flirt with someone via email or IM. I think it's called 'nerd' or 'geek' flirting.

6. In Victorian times (not from personal knowledge), hand held ornate fans were the ultimate playful accesory that could communicate all sorts of messages.

• A fan placed near the heart meant, You have won my love.
  
• A half-opened fan pressed to the lips suggested, You may kiss me.
  
• Hiding the eyes behind an open fan meant, I love you,
  
• Opening and closing the fan several times warned, You are cruel.
  

Given how much a fan can say, it’s a shame they ever went out of fashion. Perhaps we could use our iPhones in a similar manner. Flapping them in front of our faces for best effect or just text the freak a message!

7. These days, mobile phones (iPhones are best) do the flirting. In one survey, half of all mobile phone users have texted suggestive messages to keep things interesting while away from their amour or their partners, or both.

8. Watch out, in case you overdo it. According to the Social Issues Centre (SIC!), the most common mistake people make when flirting is maintaining too much eye contact. Sometimes called staring or gawping. It can also appear to be a prelude to stalking.

9. Beware sometimes, flirty gestures aren’t what they seem. So use them carefully. Research has shown that men tend to routinely mistake friendly behaviour for flirting. Some people would get on better using semaphor or Morse code. Less able to be mis-understood.

10. Flirting is apparently universal, but not more than that. A woman living in London and one in rural Cambodia may not appear to have much in common, but when it comes to attracting a little attention, they both employ the very same moves: smiling, arching their eyebrows, then averting their gaze and giggling.

Animals also flirt (kinda): Birds, reptiles, and even fish have their own way of strutting their stuff. Moral of the story: If the simple sea bass can act cute to enhance a romantic agenda, you can, too, so give it a go but not lie a sea bass, please!