The protagonist of The Man of Mode is Dorimant. He is a notorious womanizer and man-about-town. With his clothes prepared for him in his dressing room, he reads a romantic message from Mrs. Loveit. Dorimant mocks the “dull, insipid” (1.1.2) note, dismissing any such message as useless once the act of making love has finished. When a woman begins to suspect that a man’s passion for her is fading, Dorimant believes, she is usually correct.

Handy, Dorimant’s valet de chambre, enters the dressing room and Dorimant tells him to summon a footman, to which Handy responds that there are no footmen available. This irritates Dorimant, who demands to know the people responsible for the chattering outside. Handy says that Foggy Nan, the orange-woman, and swearing Tom, the shoemaker, are responsible. The orange-woman is summoned before Dorimant and she shows off her wares. Dorimant is unimpressed and treats Foggy Nan rudely.

In spite of his rudeness, the woman tells Dorimant of a young woman who is very attracted to him. Dorimant initially assumes that this prospective lover must be an “ill-fashioned country toad” (1.1.50), to which the orange-woman replies that this is far from true. Having seen Dorimant around town, the woman says, she developed an immediate attraction to him. Dorimant remarks that he remembers a woman and mockingly compares her to a sex worker.

Medley, a friend of Dorimant, enters and looks disparagingly at the orange-woman. She asks for money, but Dorimant tells her that he will only pay her once she brings the young woman to him. The orange-woman insists that the young woman may be innocent; she will not share the woman’s name or address, especially as the young woman’s mother believes Dorimant to be an “arrant devil” (1.1.108). Based on the description of the woman’s mother, Medley deduces that the young woman must be Harriet, the daughter of Lady Woodvill. Harriet is wealthy, Medley says, and “the beautifullest creature” (1.1.125) he ever saw. In addition, he tells Dorimant she is entertaining.

The orange-woman lives near Harriet. She remembers how a visiting judge was captivated by Harriet’s beauty. Irritated by Medley, the woman demands money before she will leave, then exits with Handy and 10 shillings in exchange for telling Harriet that Dorimant wishes to meet her. Medley and Dorimant discuss Mrs. Loveit; Dorimant insists that the relationship is proceeding adequately and he wants to deliver a note from himself to Mrs. Loveit, an apology for his “neglect” (1.1.175) of her. Medley suspects that Dorimant’s busy schedule must mean that he has been seeing a new woman. Dorimant responds that he wishes he could instigate some jealous drama between the women in his life, as everything has been too calm of late. Dorimant is not amused unless he is inspiring a woman to “break her fan, to be sullen, or foreswear herself” (1.1.192-193).

Amused, Medley promises to help. Dorimant is juggling a relationship with Mrs. Loveit and one with her friend, Belinda. If Dorimant can turn the women against one another, he will have an excuse to end both relationships in an amusing way. He has already planned with Belinda how to “artificially raise [Mrs. Loveit’s] jealousy” (1.1.221) for his amusement.

The shoemaker enters. Dorimant and Medley criticize the man for living above his station. They tell him to reform his ways, which prompts the shoemaker to complain about poor people being lectured by “their betters” (1.1.253). He also notes that he and his fellow journeymen have profited from the rich fops, womanizers, and dandies in recent times. This irritates Medley and Dorimant, who send him away.

Another nobleman named Young Bellair enters, saying sorry to his friends for his recent absence. Medley presumes that this absence is due to Bellair finding a new lover. Bellair is a religious person, so the implication offends him. He defends his innocence. Medley compares love to religion, saying he has doubts about both.

As Handy fiddles with Dorimant’s clothes, Dorimant orders him to stop. Handy defends himself and Dorimant agrees with the suggestion that he likes his clothes to be prepared in a particular way. He likes to be well-dressed and Bellair compliments his sense of fashion. The men discuss the imminent arrival of a notoriously fashionable young gentleman from Paris: Sir Fopling Flutter will soon arrive in London. He is known as the epitome of “modern gallantry” (1.1.340), though they mock him as something of a fop. As they discuss Fopling’s appearance, Bellair mentions a rumor that Fopling has already visited many of the local ladies, including Mrs. Loveit. Dorimant jokes about this.

Bellair quizzes Dorimant about Belinda but Dorimant is dismissive. Young women, he says, view romance as men view fighting: At first, they are excited, then they run away. Bellair is summoned and leaves. Dorimant and Medley praise their friend and discuss Emilia, the “discreet maid” (1.1.406) whom Bellair intends to wed. She is a perfect lady, they agree, but Dorimant and Medley mock any idea of marriage.

Bellair returns in a distraught state. His father, unaware of his secret engagement to Emilia, has arranged for him to marry another woman. If he refuses this arrangement, then he may be “disinherited” (1.1.433). Medley recommends ignoring his father and running away with Emilia, living off whatever notorious reputation he can garner. Bellair rejects any idea of marriage, much to Medley’s amusement.

Bellair decides to visit Emilia and the men arrange to meet for dinner at a club named Long’s. After Bellair leaves, a letter arrives for Dorimant from a woman named Molly. She asks him for money, which amuses him. Dorimant and Medley prepare to go out.