I know for a fact that I’m not the only one who spends ages agonising over what to wear on a first date. Nine times out of ten, you end up with a literal mountain of clothes on the bed before deciding to go with the first outfit that you tried on. Still, the struggle is real. So how do you take the anguish out of dressing for a first date? Whether you’re a man or woman, here are a couple of pointers. Here are three tips to help you decide what to wear for your first date to bring across your personality, confidence and style.

1. Consider Your Venue

If you’re meeting at a bar for the date, you probably shouldn’t rock up in a tuxedo or ball gown, right? It’s obviously important to suss out the venue. If you’ve never been there before or don’t know a whole lot about it, check out their website and see if they’ve got any pictures of other people that have been there for events or just to get an idea of how fancy it is and the usual standard of dress.

2. Dress for the Hour

Are you meeting for brunch? Would you go to brunch in a pair of 6-inch stilettos if you were going out with girlfriends? Alternatively, if you’re meeting for a post-dinner drink, would you rock up in a pair of thongs and denim shorts? Dressing appropriately for the time of day is just as important as considering the venue. You’ll stick out for all the wrong reasons if you don’t.

3. Do ‘You’

You want to be comfortable on the date, so just do you! There’s nothing wrong with wanting to put your best foot forward and make an impression by looking good and smelling nice, but don’t overdo it and definitely don’t wear something that you usually wouldn’t. It will make you feel even more nervous and anxious, and you won’t look super confident if you spend half the night tugging at your clothes.