Blind dates can be so exciting but also so nerve wracking! Will s/he be normal? Will you have anything to say to each other? Will you be attracted to him or her? What will you talk about? And most importantly – what on EARTH are you going to wear?

Men have it easier when it comes to blind dates. Don’t you complain – you know that you do! Put on a smart pair of jeans, a nice sweater and clean shoes and you’re good to go.  Women on the other hand… have a minefield of decisions to take. So let’s try and work through them:

As it’s a blind date, chances are that you’ve been set up by well-meaning friends who have already told him a little bit about you. So the last thing that you want to do is re-invent yourself at this point. Actually, re-inventing yourself is pretty difficult to maintain, and if you like your blind date and wish to meet him again – you’ll find that you have to keep up the charade of being kooky or hipster or fashionista or whichever character you decided to play.

However, let’s face it; most of us do cross over different categories when it comes to style – so my advice is to play it a little bit safe. Let’s assume that you’re going to meet up for a few drinks at a bar. If you exhibit your wild side from the get-go it may intimidate your blind date, or worse – he’ll think that you do nothing but party and have no substance. So neon is probably out, as is that dress which is slashed to the navel and so (and I’m sorry about this) are those towering stilettos you love so much. I know they make your legs look amazing, but what if he’s short or wants to go for a stroll after drinks. You tottering around like a demented drunk is not going to do you any favours and you’re going to come across as high-maintenance.

On the flip side – you don’t want to exhibit your total slob side either. So put away that onesie and your dungarees, and don’t even think of wearing that baggy sweater that you could sleep in because it’s oh-so-snuggly. You want to dress comfortably, but not pyjama-comfortable. Meanwhile, clothes that are too tight are just going to make you squirm in your seat as though you’d forgot to use the bathroom before you left home.

So, actually ladies, we can take a cue from men here. Jeans are good option. Dark denim and smart and you can’t really go wrong, especially if teamed with an elegant top. Dress them up with a decent heel-sized shoe, some bold accessories and a smile, and you’ll look put together and confident.

Do write and tell us what you decided to wear and how the date went.