Mum creates dating site to brings back ‘old style romance’

A mum has turned Cupid and set up her own dating site, aimed at bringing back old traditions and romance for people on the search for love.

As online dating sites and apps continue to grow in popularity, British woman Dennie Smith, 56, has called for a return to old-fashioned love – vowing to match anyone over the age of 25 with a “gentleman” or “lady”.

Her new site, Old Style Dating, invites “genuine” people to sign up and get chatting, with a focus on chivalry and nostalgia. All they have to do is upload an image of themselves in modest dress, (no beachwear or undergarments), preferably taken in the last month. They must also specify they are looking for long-term love.

The idea is that in a world where love letters are replaced by emails and texts, and meeting people face-to-face is replaced by dating sites and hook-up apps, people will be able to embrace the chivalry and good manners of the past. 

Denise explained: “When I met my husband in the 80s the dating scene was very different than it is today. Yes, we live in modern times but people are always saying to me they miss that old style dating. Social media dating services have greatly changed the dating scene.

“This is all about old-fashioned courting, not old-fashioned views, and definitely not for a bit of fun. People have feelings so we are looking for people with impeccable manners. My goal is that genuine people will meet and marry.”

Read more: From love letters to online profiles – the ways dating has changed

Moving away from dating apps and computer-generated sites, she has said there will be no “computer matching”, with users instead given the opportunity to “see who catches your eye.”

Once you’ve matched, Dennie suggests either a walk or drive in the country, a night of dancing, or a day “at the seaside”.

Speaking in an introductory video, she said: “Old style dating it all about nostalgia, when men were gentlemen and women were ladies. I love everything vintage, and that’s what inspired me to come up with this idea.”

She said it’s different to “all the other sites”, as she’s focused solely on finding “love”, with respectable and single people joining up. She added: “It’s not a hook-up site.”

To sign up, there’s a fee of £29.99 ($55) for six months, and Dennie believes that will be a test in itself to single out the more genuine users. To give it a go, visit the website here.

Do you think old-style dating should make a return? Did you prefer it to dating apps and sites now?