You’re going on a date with that cutie you met last week — not on Tinder, thank you very much. Congratulations! You’re doing better than most of us.

You’ve memorized “Romeo and Juliet” and practiced your sonnets. You’ve committed the script to memory, and now you have to dress the part. How do you make this act in your love story a success? Perish the thought of kissing your poisoned lover’s lips, and put away that dagger. It’s time to give this 16th-century romance an update, starting with your wardrobe.

You want to make a good impression on your date; we get it. You think Romeo wore a codpiece because it was comfortable? 

Five hundred years later, we’re still trying to peacock our way into adoration. But the easiest way to become a modern muse is by remembering a few simple tips:

1) Less is more. Your date wants to be with you. There is no need to douse yourself in gallons of perfume or cologne or paint yourself into someone new with layer upon layer of makeup. Overdoing it can come off as a tad aggressive — nobody likes a Tybalt — and even a little desperate. Find a balance of head-to-toe grooming with your natural good looks. Enhance your features; don’t hide them. Know what flatters your features, and play up your assets! Have beautiful eyes? Break out the late Tudor French hood you’ve been dying to wear.

2) Remember footwear. While the Elizabethan shoe of choice was a leather or velvet slipper or boot, the current trends focus on a simple and polished look. To my Romeos: For the love of all that is good, don’t show up in your old sneakers — or new sneakers for that matter! Try a loafer or a wingtip if you’re really feeling like a Casanova. Ladies, don’t wear heels if they are not comfortable. There is nothing more painful than watching someone struggling to walk like a normal human in a pair of pumps. A pair of flats can look just as put-together. They might even save you a few toes!

3) The outfit of choice depends on the environment. Don’t dress for a night on the town if you and your date settled on a picnic. Choose an appropriate outfit that coordinates with the outing. Going to a poetry reading? Try a look that is relaxed yet put-together. In other words, leave “o’ happy dagger” at home. Planning on climbing up a balcony to sweet-talk your gal? Pair a classic T-shirt with jeans for a casual look that says you still care.

4) Be yourself! If your date is any sort of decent human, then he or she will like you for you. Dress yourself in a way that represents who you are with just a bit more polish. You don’t want your date’s first impression of you to be of someone you’re not. Picking an outfit that makes you feel like the best version of yourself will enhance your confidence. You, my rose, are the main character in this love story; don’t forget it. 

My sweet, star-crossed lovers, follow this advice, and no doubt a second date will be in your future. So go — find your Romeo or your Juliet, put a modern twist on an age-old romance and dress for a date that could make history.