The Etiquette of Casual Sex

One Night StandThe reality is that most girls like sex and while we may prefer sex with long-term partners, that's not always an option. What's the best way to navigate one-night stands and early-dating "sleep-overs"? Seriously, I've watched enough Sex & the City to know that Carrie had more than enough  experience with the opposite sex, but still couldn't politely extricate herself from the premises after a sleep-over gone wrong.

Is it worth it to get yourself all "gussied up" before a big night out on the town? It might increase your chances of taking home Mr. Right-for-one-night, but is taking your spray-on panty-hose out for a night, using your fine hair products in the night to keep your hair not feeling so soft but looking delicately placed, and making yourself up to look like a perfect ten really worth it considering how you might look in the morning? And before you go out, what goes in your purse? Is it necessary to bring a toothbrush, condoms, your favorite lubricant (I like Pink) and a gentle cleanser for your skin or is that a tad bit presumptuous?

Which leads us directly into the next question, if you stay at the guy's house, when do you leave in the morning? Do you go for the march of shame as depicted in this College Humor video?  Do you stay and wait around in hopes that he might have something interesting to say to you? Do you let him see you in the light of day when you are not looking so fresh or do you quietly slip out before dawn while leaving your not-so-secret digits for the guy in question?  How much does it depend on the sex (if there was anyway) and how much does it depend on your own sense of embarrassment?

Or even worse, what do you do when it is someone you know? Do you automatically assume that you are f*ck buddies and have "The Talk" about how to slide into the relationship style from just friends into friends who occasionally see each other naked?  Do you cook him breakfast in the hopes that he will be so impressed with your culinary skills that he calls you time and time again? It's an awkward situation for sure. What seems like such a fan-fuckingtastic idea after a few cocktails might not seem so great in the light of day. After seeing his living situation, you might not want to pursue it further, but if you like his place and his room is not crawling with cockroaches and his socks are not crawling around on the floor, what can you do?