Do first impressions matter?

What's the first thing you notice when you meet a person for the first time? Their beautiful hair? Dazzling smile? Unusual dress sense, sparkling eyes ...? First impressions, whether they matter or not, are the ones that usually stick.

I was once introduced to a friend of a friend while standing at a bus stop in the middle of a British winter. “Here comes Joe,” my friend said, as I stamped my feet to stop them from freezing on the snow-covered pavement.