Not Dressed Up, With Someplace to Go

So, I have something of a blind date tonight. Well, sorta blind. Partially blind. A "poor vision" date. It's a first date, let's just say that.

Probably only on morbid curiosity on her part have I not already scared her away. Talking on the phone earlier this week to decide where to go, I suddenly got this dreading feeling I'd be underdressed and would be spending an awkward evening in a state of pitiful self-consciousness. This scenario happens quite frequently, actually.

Thus, I began an embarrassingly unsubtle push to go someplace casual to eat, because #1 I'm as always broke, #2 she made it sound as though she's been through a string of guys lasting 1-3 dates maximum and so I see little need to make a large investment in this girl (again, see #1), #3 a casual setting would make for a more comfortable environment to just talk and get to know someone, which would be the point of tonight, and #4, especially, I am really trying to force her to dress down to "in the vicinity" of the level I will be. It's summer and I consider khaki shorts part of my Sunday's Best. She asked "will you be wearing tennis shoes?" and I wanted to say "that's all I have!!!"

I'm in this catch-22 where I have no nice clothes so I don't go out...and because I don't go out, I feel I have little need to acquire nice clothes.

Well, I do have *nice* clothes, though...the problem is they're too nice...what I'm really lacking is "casual nice", something between the jacket-and-tie look and my standard mesh shorts uniform. I keep thinking I should get to the mall to go shopping for the next night on the town, but I have little motivation to do so, because after tonight, I don't have any plans for a time when I would need them...