How to Be a Great Wingwoman for Your Female Friend

Make sure your have different tastes in men. If you help your friend hook up with the guy you like, there are two possible outcomes you won't like. Either she and the guy hit it off and you end up heartbroken or at least very pissed, or you and the guy hit it off and your friend ends up heartbroken and pissed at you. If both of you are noble and self-sacrificing, neither of you will get the guy because you will be too busy deciding who will give up in favor of another.

Let her know how awesome she is. May be all she needs to feel confident enough to approach a guy is a little pep talk. Your friend is cool and awesome, otherwise she wouldn't be your friend, right? So make sure that she knows it. Compliments are great confidence boosters, so use them to cheer your friend up.

Be selective. Don't try to set your friend up with just any guy. You know her type, so use this knowledge for your friend's benefit. Make sure the guy isn't a jerk. Of course, you can't interrogate each potential candidate, but you can observe their interactions with other people to get at least basic information about the guys.

Help her start and maintain the conversation. Most shy people have troubles initiating a conversation, so your help will be appreciated. If your friend suddenly turns shy in the middle of a conversation, help her out. Just make sure you don't overshadow her. Tonight it is she who is in the spotlight, and you need to know when to help and when to blend into the background.

Make it about her. Don't forget what you came here for. We've already said that tonight your friend is in the spotlight, and you need to be that spotlight. Present her in the best possible light. You might also have to sacrifice yourself and distract the guy's annoying friend to give your friend the opportunity to talk to the guy one-on-one.

Provide her with an escape route. When your friend is stuck in a boring or uncomfortable conversation or is cornered by a creep, it is your job as a wingwoman to interfere and give her an out. It's a good idea to come up with a subtle signal or a code word she can use to let you know that she needs your help.

Know when to disappear. As soon as you see that your job is done and your friend doesn't need you anymore, bow out. You need to be absolutely clear that you are going to head home alone, so your friend won't think she needs to leave with you out of solidarity.

Don't leave her if you are not sure she is safe. If the guy gives off a creepy vibe or if your friend has had too much to drink, don't leave her alone. You need to look out for your friend and make sure she doesn't make bad choices.

Let her gush over the guy the next day. If everything went well, your friend will probably want to discuss the entire thing. Don't brush her off, she still needs you. Besides, aren't you dying to know how things went?