Lorraine's Blog: What to wear for a first date?

(Tuckers dress, Chanel sunglasses, Comptoir des Cotonniers shoes)

Photos by Stephanie Sian Smith.

I bought this Tucker dress in the sale at Liberty and have been saving it until the sun came out!

(Comptoir des Cotonniers shoes)

When a member of Team ELLE admits to going on a first date we always immediately ask, ‘What are you going to wear?’ And it’s one of those questions I am often asked by people who don’t work on the magazine as well.

Yesterday, one of our lovely commercial team (who shall remain nameless) headed off to a very expensive restaurant in London wearing a black leather skirt, plain black T-shirt and white blazer (with tights and very high heels). Her verdict? ‘It worked given the mixed weather and it was a posh restaurant so I needed the blazer – but it swiftly came off when we had drinks in the bar.’

I wore a Vivienne Westwood kilt and a rollneck when I met my husband on our blind date 15 years ago. Today, I would never advise anyone what to wear on a date because as we say at ELLE: 'It's not what you wear, it's the way you wear it,’ that matters. But this is what the team told me…

Seamus Duff, entertainment editor: ‘Clean underwear.’

Emma Strenner, beauty director: ‘Flat shoes so I don't trip over if I'm nervous and I would avoid a white shirt at all costs – in case I spill red wine.’

Alice Wignall, features director: ‘A dress with pockets. Don't know why, but on our first date my now husband said pockets in a dress were sexy.’

Julia Shutenko, fashion intern: ‘It would either be a casual dress that wouldn't look like I tried too hard, or a pair of cool jeans with a nice top and heels.’

Bonnie Rakhit, market and merchandising editor: ‘Sexy underwear to make me feel great. But he definitely wouldn’t get to see it on the first date!’

Esperanza de la Fuente, fashion intern: ‘Something really flattering. Skinny black jeans and a nice top. Too boring?’

Laura Davies, sub-editor: ‘I would want to portray my true personality so boyfriend jeans with heels show I'm not (that) high-maintenance. I'd team with a T-shirt, my favourite black blazer with leather lapels and an oversized clutch.’

Sarah Bonser, fashion intern: ‘A slip dress may sound slightly risqué but if you stick to a loose style with spaghetti straps and a bias cut it's perfect for every occasion and the ultimate in understated glamour.’

Sophie Gridley, junior sub-editor: ‘I couldn't bear to be tottering, so I'd have to go for flat shoes. A dress: minimum effort, maximum girlie. I'd also always add a touch of the smarts: a satchel or something vaguely college-like to offset the feminine dress. And I'd top it all off with pretty rosy blusher – the only kind of make-up boys notice.’

Ivy Storvik, chief sub-editor/production editor: ‘I'd probably wear my Topshop skinny jeans, black wedges, a simple, bright top and an expression of pleasant surprise (this being because I am a single mum of a one-year-old and nights out are akin to lottery wins right now).’

Andrew Falconer, managing editor, ELLE & ELLE Decoration:

‘On a first date I'd go casual because this is a date not an interview, comfortable because you want to be able to relax, and colourful because you want to be remembered. This is not the time for black – unless you're dating a goth.’

Alice Parfrement, acting assistant to the editor in chief: ‘In winter I’d go for skinny black jeans and heels; in summer I’d wear a pretty white dress and sandals. Always accessorised with a smile (or grimace, depending on the outcome).’

What about you? Let me know.