Fashion mistakes to avoid when prepping for the big date night

You’re not supposed to judge a book by its cover—but in the world of online dating, ignoring first impressions is impossible.

So what aspect of a first impression is most important to a potential mate? According to online dating platform Zoosk, which surveyed 6,646 of its members and analysed over 34,579 profiles, fashion is quite a big deal—often a deal-breaker, in fact.

For singles who consider themselves fashionable, it is a good idea to say so in your online profile—as the survey found including terms like stylish or dressing up can increase incoming messages by 135%.

But if you don’t consider yourself particularly trendy, it may be time to invest in some new duds or a personal shopper because the data found that being unfashionable is a deal-breaker for 54% of women.

Once you get past the profile and into real-life, the first date is crucial when it comes to fashion—as it seems a little, or a lot, of effort is expected from both parties.

According to the survey, 86% of singles say it’s important to dress nice, with 94% of women believing dressing up for a first date is a must.

If fashion really isn’t your thing, at least try to avoid fall- ing victim to one or more of the biggest fashion faux pas.

Wrinkled clothes are the biggest turn-off, according to 66% of singles, with socks and sandals and Crocs following close behind at 55% and 53% respectively.

And baggy clothes circa 90’s fashion are also a no. This also extends to underwear—with 45% of singles reporting that granny panties are a turn-off.

Also, avoid board shorts, dressing too young, pants that are too long or too short, low-rise pants, and supertight shirts as well—as none of these will earn you any points on a first date.

As for what you should wear on a first date, the survey found that athleisure is having a moment in the dating spotlight—or you could go with the foolproof jeans and t-shirt combo, which 36% of singles say is the best for feeling confident.

You can also never go wrong with all-black—a trend that 40% of women revealed makes them feel the most confident and sexy.

However, if you are a millennial, it doesn’t look like a lack of fashion-sense will hinder your chances of finding love. According to the survey, 77% of both female and male millennials say they can look past bad style and only 76% think dressing up on a first date is important. THE INDEPENDENT