What is the proper way for a female to?

a warm handshake and smile with lots of eye contact is great!

I think a hug is too friendly for a first greeting, unless it's someone really close to your boyfriend that you've heard lots about and you 've been waiting to meet each other (finally!), know what I mean?

Being a male I have offered my hand to many females I meet. I feel uncomfortable hugging people myself unless it is a good friendship going on. I meet many women that starts with a hello and a handshake. How do you treat the females you meet? Same thing goes for males. Some males would take a hug as a reason to pursue more in the relationship, but a handshake is a friendly way of saying glad to meet you.

Hand shakes from women still make the older generation uncomfortable, but younger people won't think twice about it. A Dip is common practice nowadays; it's like a modern curtsy, where you bend slightly at the knee while slightly bowing your head. That is more appropriate. Watch what other women do, and you will get the impression. If you want to impress the older generations, like at weddings, offer your hand, but instead of holding it sideways, hold your palm facing the floor. It's called "offering your hand", and it is very proper. It is somewhere between a hug and a handshake, and it is sort of a "women only" thing to do.

I agree and think a hug can be a little too personal for a first meeting. I think offering your hand for a handshake would be perfectly acceptable. I do not know if it conforms with the ettiquite handbook, but I personally do not think it to be ill-mannered.

Handshake and a smile with a "Hi, My name is ___. Nice to meet you."

Anything beyond that is getting a little familiar, and can make people uncomfortable.

Europeans tend to share a kiss on the cheek for friends and family, and meeting friends of friend or family for the first time.

If you are meeting the people for the first time and you are physically close enough to them you may extended a hand to shake, shake a bit firmly, not limp, and look them in the eye when you say hello and introduce yourself.

If you are being introduced to a lot of people you can just wave and say hi.

I dont think that it is manly for a woman to shake hands, I do it all the time.

A handshake is a perfectly acceptable way to greet people. It is gender neutral.

A handshake would have been the proper form of greeting.

Go with how you feel at that moment. If you feel good "vibes" off that person right off and you feel the need to hug them, so be it. Or just a simple firm, warm handshake is good too.

personally, i follow the other person's lead. a lot of people that i meet will reach out and hug you, but that might be because i live down south. typically, a handshake is best, but you don't want to offend the other person, so just follow their lead.