Simple..smile at them first!

Besides smiling first, try giving a sincere compliement or a really silly one like tellling them they look like a popular movie star/rock star, name one that either has the same fashion sense or is from their ethnic group. Then ask, "Do people tell you that all the time?" Once when I was summoned for jury duty, I told the silver haired judge that he looked so much like Richard Gere that I expected him to tap dance in court. His smile was a mile wide.

Look to the beautiful spirits within you both and smile.