Though Daniele has been in a relationship for eight years — "the dating app world is like this whole other universe," she says — the model knows a thing or two about guys trying to impress women on the internet. With 161,000 Instagram followers, the Bronx native gets her fair share of, well, interesting messages from fans.
Want to know how not to make a woman swoon on social media? We hopped on the phone with Nina Daniele to get the Playmate of the Year's best tips for dating in the digital age. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.
How do you feel about sexting?
In a relationship, or getting sexts from strangers?
Uh, let's start with getting sexts from strangers.
I find it kind of funny ... I'm not really shocked by it. At times it feels intrusive, but you become numb to it all after a while. It's sort of comical to think that a person will actually send you dick pics. I get the weirdest [messages], like "I wanna touch your bobs and vagine" or "take your bra off, let me suck your titties." You realise this is a picture, and I'm not an interactive social experience, right? I’m not webcamming live!
If guys do this enough times, is there someone who might respond? I think the answer is yes. You do this 100 times, there's gotta be one or two people who say, "Let me show you my bobs and vagine!"
Are guys sending unsolicited dick pics?
To be honest, I used to get them a lot more — and by a lot, I mean, like, maybe 10? I've only ever gotten 10 dicks. I feel like that's not a lot. I'm like, why haven't I gotten more? I don't know if it's as much of a thing as it used to be.
Do you get a lot of eggplant emojis?
I think I use the eggplant emoji more than people send it to me. If you make fun of yourself first, then people can't use it against you. The other day I had Playboy stickers on my tits and was dancing in my bathroom with them as pasties on, and I put that on my Instagram, too. So I feel like you just kind of can't really take yourself too seriously.
Speaking of eggplants, what are the sexiest emojis?
Definitely the raindrops. I like the peach, and the cherries are my favourite. I don't really like the phallic emojis as much. I like all of the plump, juicier-looking emojis. I don't look at the eggplant and think, "Oooh, that's so sexy." I’m like, "Ew, no thank you."
What makes a good selfie for a guy, and what makes for a bad one?
A bad one is definitely that weird frown they do with their forehead — chin down, eye up, and brow furrowed. It's like, oh my god, please stop.
Something good? It has to be more — at least put a cat in the picture. There has to be something else going on. It can't be about you all the time.
How do you feel about gym selfies, specifically?
I'm not into guys getting together, taking their shirts off, and taking group gym selfies. They’re in the locker room about to get swole in the gym — them and four dudes flexing in the mirror. What are you guys doing? How did you come to this point where you're like, "Bro, bro, bro, selfie time, can you three take your shirts off? I'm going to be in the middle." What's the dialogue that goes on for these types of photos? I wish I could be a blindfolded fly on the wall and just hear what's going on, because I don't want to see.
Or the ones where they’re just covering their junk with a towel. Ugh.
It all has to do with the caption too. If you’re going to take a selfie and post it, at least let your caption be on point. Don't let it be, "I only love my bed and my mama, I’m sorry." I don't want that kind of caption. At least give it a little more personality. Don't quote Drake or DMX.
Let's get back to sexting — in relationships, this time.
Sexting in relationships? I think it's super important. If you travel or you work a lot, you know you wanna show your partner, "Hey, all these goodies are still here for you." "I went to the gym and did the StairMaster, look at my ass — all these goodies — raindrop emoji." Whatever. I think it's super important. And I think it's fun. Sexual chemistry is super important.
... [But] I don't mean [you should sext] all the time — like at work, in a hovering-on-the-toilet-in-the-bathroom-stall type of way.
This article originally appeared on Men's Health