You’ve remembered to secure a reservation at the in-demand restaurant, you’ve placed your order at the florist and, after more deliberation than you planned for, you’ve settled on a Valentine’s gift guaranteed to score some brownie points.

Now what the hell are you going to wear?

It’s easy to leave this aspect of a Valentine’s date to the last minute, but V-day is as awkward for dressing as any smart-casual invitation. You don’t want to turn up in a dinner jacket with a rose between your teeth, but nor is this the night for your so-called “tailored” joggers.

Whether you’re going for a Michelin-starred dinner or a simple brunch date, it’s all about making sure that you dress both stylishly and appropriately for whatever you’ve got planned.

With this in mind, we’re giving you a rundown on what to wear to four common Valentine’s date scenarios. That’s the clothes sorted – the chemistry is up to you.

The Dinner Date

Good choice; how can you go wrong with three courses of masterfully prepared aphrodisiacs accompanied by a few glasses of fine wine? Seeing as you’ve jumped the hurdles to secure a reservation, you’ll want to match that same effort when it comes to what you wear.

It’s hard to beat some sharp tailoring in this instance, but you’re not off to a job interview and your date won’t want to feel like they’re being interrogated. Loosen it up. Try separates in complementary colours, subtle patterns or a dressed-down double-breasted jacket. Most importantly, leave your shirts in the wardrobe and wear a roll neck or crew neck under the jacket instead. A pair of classic black Derbies or Chelsea boots will chime with what’s going on up top, but maybe add a neatly folded pocket square if the restaurant’s particularly upmarket.

Don’t forget to use the serviette. You don’t want to accessorise with spilt peppercorn sauce.