Top 8 Dating Trends for 2023

 

The last couple of years of COVID has been tough for single people. I am sure you have asked yourself if 2023 be any better.

I have good news for you with the top 8 dating trends for 2023. 

The top 8 dating trends for 2023 are based on an annual survey Bumble conducted of over 10,000 users around the world. The survey was conducted to find out what singles think, what they can expect in 2023 and how to get ready for the new year.  

Here are the Top 8 Dating Trends for 2023

I love that most of the top dating trends for 2022 are positive! Here’s what you can expect.

1. Dating Trends for 2023 – Looks aren’t so Important

The good news is looks aren’t as important as they have been in the past. What singles are looking for in a match will literally be different to what they were looking for in 2022.

• 38% are open to dating outside their usual physical type/look.
• 28% are less worried about dating the type of person other people expect them to date.
• 63% are looking for emotional maturity before looks!

This is one of my favourite dating trends for 2023!

2. Dating Trends for 2023 – Boundaries Setting

Single people are getting clear about what does and doesn’t work for them. There is even a new word for this trend – Guardrailing! Guardrailing is setting boundaries and protecting your energy.

• 52% of singles have set boundaries over the past year.
• For 63% those boundaries were related to their emotional needs.
• For 59% the boundaries allowed them to be more intentional about how they put themselves out there.
• For 53% the boundaries protected them from overcommitting socially.

3. Dating Trends for 2023 – Balance

Work life balance is one of the big dating trends for 2023. Balance will be much more important  Think about the balance between work, life and relationships. It’s dubbed ‘love-life balance’ and is that people want work-life balance for themselves and their partner too.

In 2023 people will care less about a career as a “status symbol” and prioritise rest and leisure time in their relationships.

• 49% are prioritizing their own work/life balance.
• 13% will no longer date someone who has a very demanding job. That might be because 52% are actively creating more space for breaks and rest in their lives.
• 54% care more about their partner’s work/life balance than they do their partner’s career status.

4. Long Distance is Back

Post-COVID lockdowns, people are prioritizing travelling and exploring the world again.  As a result, long-distance relationships are back and people will consider relationships that span countries. This has also become a lot easier as companies allow employees to work remotely. This freedom to work from anywhere has allowed single people to more seriously consider longer distance or international relationships.

• 14% have looked at the idea of becoming a digital nomad!
• 33% are now more open to relationships with people who are not in their city.

5.  Men Reject Stereotypes Too

Men are also examine their own gender roles in 2023.

• Almost 3 in 4 (74%) of men on Bumble say that they’ve examined their own behaviour more over the past year.
• 52% are actively challenging the stereotype that men should not show emotions
• 38% now speak more openly about how they’re feeling with their male friends.
• Men’s self-reflection is carrying over into their dating lives, with 49% of men agreeing that breaking gender roles in dating and relationships is beneficial for them too.

6.  More Recently Single People will be on the Market

This is the saddest of the dating trends for 2023. COVID was tough for many and caused a wave of marriage breakups.  Those people are now on the dating scene for the first time.

• 39%of people on Bumble have ended a marriage or a serious relationship in the past two years.
• 36% of those people are using dating apps for the first time. This means that more people are learning to navigate what dating looks like now. 

7. Dating Trends for 2023 – Daters Speak more Openly about Sex 

Another one of the dating trends for 2023 is that singles want to talk more openly about sex. They believe it is important o explore what they want sexually and to be able to freely talk about that. 

• 40% are approaching sex and intimacy in an open and exploratory way.
• 53% believe talking about sexual wants and needs early in a relationship is important.
• 20% say that they’ve explored their sexuality more in the past year.
• Knowing what you want from your sex life didn’t mean singles were having sex. As 34% of people weren’t having sex and were okay with that. 

8. Money will Become less of a Taboo Date Topic 

In 2023 there will be more honest conversations about money on dates.

• 28% are setting financial boundaries in their dating lives. As a result, they’re having conversations about what they are comfortable spending.
• Dates are also getting less elaborate: 32% of people are less impressed by over-the-top first dates.
• 57% of people are more interested in casual dates than something fancy. 

Conclusion – Dating Trends for 2023

There are many positive dating trends for 2023 that you can get excited about. The research was conducted by Bumble by using internal polling between 12th October and 1st November 2022 – the sample size was 14,300 worldwide users. If you would like to compare with 2022 results you can – Interesting Dating Predictions from Bumbles Worldwide Data.

If you are new to dating and want help navigating the dating work, why not book a free discovery call?

Debbie, Relationship Coach