Dating outfit

1. While there’s a teeny-tiny chance they were just being polite, most guys we polled said they weren’t all about T&A. “The girl that gets my attention first is usually not the flashiest and not skimpily or scantily clad,” says Matthew, 23. And if you think he’s not paying any attention to all the work you put into your ensemble, think again. Matthew reports he’s more likely to be drawn to “someone with an outfit that looks competently put together and makes me wonder if I’ll ever have the fashion sense to match hers. I’m easily impressed by color and accessory coordination.”

2. Got a blind date after work? No need to change out of your polished 9-to-5 look for your weekday dinner date: “My dream girl would wear a semicasual, half-business, half-sexy skirt outfit on a date,” says Skip, 21.

3. Believe it or not, a tight skirt and sky-high heels can seem intimidating to guys, while a more low-key look makes it easier to imagine hanging out after date numero uno. “I enjoy the boots/jeans/whatever-top combo,” says John, 23. “I think something more relaxed is very cute and shows that she is comfortable eating dinner at Burger King on a third date.”

4. “Black boots, tight jeans—enough to show off the features, but not so tight that she can’t sit down—a simple shirt, her choice!” says Jeffrey, 24, about his favorite date-night look. “And, what the hell, how about a nice jacket on there as well, like a black leather coat—hopefully minus the Hell’s Angels insignia. And her cute purse or handbag—so she can pay and truly be my dream girl.”

5. Sorry, party girls: Most of the guys in our dude survey preferred low-key looks over more dressy outfits. Sporty country-club looks scored high too. “One of the cutest outfits my girlfriend ever wore on a date was a summery pink Penguin tube dress just above the knees with white Jack Purcell tennis shoes out in South Beach,” recalls Rick, 39. “It was H-O-T.”

6. “This’ll take only five words: a short, tight black dress. How can you go wrong?”—James, 21

7. Blame it on Marilyn Monroe’s infamous The Seven Year Itch subway-grate scene, but more than a few dudes we know have a thing for little white dresses. “I haven’t exactly given this a lot of thought, but I think a great date outfit would be something that accentuates her curves—but not slutty,” says Erik, 29. “A white dress could definitely be hot.”

8. Into creative types? Try a flirty pattern to catch his eye. “The first time I ever saw my now-fiancée, she was wearing a black-and-white polka-dot dress,” says Vincent, 31. “The designer in me loved the classic pattern, but the guy in me loved that she was wearing something so playful—it showed me that she didn’t take herself too seriously.”

9. While every guy may have his own top pick for sexiest outfit, here’s one point on which all the dudes in our informal survey agree: The biggest turn-on is a woman who is comfortable—both in her own skin and in her outfit. “I think a great date outfit has less to do with clothes than with confidence. So often you end up at a party where people have put on their ‘party clothes,’ and they just look uncomfortable,” says Alex, 27. “I’m drawn to girls who wear their clothes and don’t let the clothes wear them.”