Your most pressing style questions answered by MR PORTER’s style experts.

It’s a topsy-turvy world, the UK is in a post-election meltdown, the US has become a scarcely credible daily reality TV show, and so obviously the most important questions of the day are as follows: how do you strike the right balance on a first date; what are the most versatile summer shoes to take you from day to night; and how can someone with skinny legs disguise said skinny legs?

Like the Queen, we provide definitive answers.

Keep your style agenda-setting questions coming via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and email and we will do our best to offer strong and stable guidance every Friday.

What do you suggest wearing on a first date?

@jeremydileo via Instagram

You don’t get a second chance to make a first impression. What you wear when you meet someone for the first time has a considerable bearing on whether or not you will see them a second time. A good outfit might not dictate the outcome of a date, but a bad outfit almost certainly will.

Make an effort without going overboard: it’s important you feel self-confident rather than self-conscious. Choose clothes with a soft, tactile hand feel – a grandad shirt, a jersey blazer, chinos and Chelsea boots, for example.

If you’re brave, go for something patterned and/or colourful so as to be more memorable. In these times of internet dating, it’s important to distinguish yourself from those who came before/may come after.

Finally, let’s not be prim: if the ultimate aim of this exercise is that you will strip down, dress for success and make sure you’ve got your best underwear on. That means no threadbare boxers – even if they are your “lucky pants”.

What are some good options for summer footwear that is comfortable enough to pound around a city all day in the heat with but smart enough to dress up when necessary?

@mattbrunton via Instagram

It’s a straight choice between two main parties. You can either go for a plain leather tennis shoe such as Common Projects Achilles, Converse Jack Purcell or Want Les Essentiels sneakers. Or if you’re more conservative, a boat shoe. Both types should be worn in coalition with no-show socks.

What trousers should men with skinny legs wear?

@franknsun via Instagram

If you are self-conscious about an aspect of your physical appearance, it’s best not to draw attention to it. So the most important tip is to avoid wearing skinny trousers, which would only accentuate one’s spindly pins.

The good news for you is that after a decade or more of nothing but skinny jeans and slim-fit chinos, a fuller shape is finally back on trend. Look for trousers with pleats such as these ones from Acne Studios or these from Barena, both below, to add volume to your silhouette.

If you’re wearing shorts, however, and thus exposing your legs, the advice is pretty much the opposite. Baggy shorts will make your legs look like toothpicks. Choose a pair that are more tailored in fit and that finish above the knee such as these ones from Incotex or these from Theory.

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