Your first date is about first impressions and you only have a couple of seconds to make this impression on a total stranger. You need to be sure it’s a good one. Whether you’re a man or a woman, you want to make a great first impression on dates. Of course, we all want to be loved for both our finer innate qualities and our physical attributes, not just for being a snappy dresser. But what we wear says a lot about our personalities and our day-to-day lives, too. Good clothes may have no effect on a date, but bad clothes almost certainly will.

Firstly, your work attire is more than likely not very comfortable and although it makes you seem and look professional and business like this will not be conducive to a good first date impression. Perhaps for an interview but not for a date. The one piece of advice I would give is this: If you are meeting someone for the first time, wear something that makes you feel good and confident! The best way to make a great first impression on a date is to leave your ‘crazy clothes’ in the closet. We all have an outfit that is fun, silly and reflects our personality. But a first date is not the best time to show it off! “It is always better to be over-dressed than under-dressed. Especially on first dates; if you go somewhere where others are a bit more casual than you, if anything you will feel a bit ‘cooler’ and your date will be impressed.

For men: “If you only have an hour, first and foremost that you concentrate on being neat and clean. Your personal hygiene says a lot about who you are. Additionally, keep it simple by wearing your favourite outfit versus trying to impress someone with a new outfit that you are not accustomed to wearing. You don’t want to look uncomfortable.”

For women: “First, pull out your favourite outfits. One of them is bound to fit. Second, pick out your sexiest (comfortable) shoes and work your outfit around them. Third, tap into your feminine side with a dress. A dress is always good because it is one item that you can dress up or down with a boot, a jacket, pumps or a shawl.

You can’t easily change your body shape, but your clothing choice is something you can definitely alter. Personal style is branding: what you wear does determine the type of person that you’re going to attract. The point is plan ahead. Sure, any guy or girl who freaks out over what you wear probably isn’t worth the trouble, but hey — if you like the guy or girl, you can only score points by dressing in a way that says, “Hey, I’ve put some thought into this, because this evening is something I’ve been looking forward to, and it’s important to me.” It’s the polite thing to do. Dressing appropriately and in a way that makes you feel put together and confident only sets you up for success.