What exactly do women really want is a question that men will always seek the answer to, and is something akin to the quest for truth - elusive and never ending.

Women are no doubt complex beings and thus we generally bear no grudge toward men who at times fail to decipher the cryptics of the female mind.

But, inspite of all inherent complexities, there are some basic principles that are oh! so obviously a constant irritant to every female eye and which every man should be aware of.

The adage 'first impression is the last impression' holds more water than we give it credit for. So boys, buckle up and make sure you do not cross the fine line that will push you from being a style maverick to a walking disaster.

Polka Dots: The 70s are so gone, and so are polka dots. On women they still may look passably good and might even stage a return on the ramp now and then, but are a strict no no for guys who wish to be taken even a wee bit seriously by the female fraternity.

Flower Prints: Now, we know that the glitzy fash frat is all agog over flower power. But this is the real world people, and here not all guys look good with blooms adorning their chiselled torsos.

At the risk of infuriating the very affable Gujju community, flower prints can be safely placed in the category of fashion gaffes of the top order.

Let the Cowboys be! Hip-hugging high-rise tapered jeans on not so 'tapered' behinds, replete with boots, are a major put-off. This get-up on mature men is a sure shot way to court disaster when it comes to impressing your lady love.

Govinda-esque Ganjis: Net ganjis are a thing of the past, a past every girl shudders when reminded of. In case any of you boys end up mistakenly sporting one of these, be prepared to see your girl run as fast as her stiletto-bearing feet would carry her.

Low, Lower...Gone: Excess of anything is sure to misfire. If high-rise jeans make women squirm, low-wasted jeans that leave precious little to imagine are also an eyesore. Low looks good, but know where to stop the stoop guys.

Fashion, style and grooming are an intensely personal exercise. Make your dressing conducive to trends, but keep it practical and custom-made for your physique and body type.

Love what you wear, but cultivate the sense to grasp what suits you better – not John Abraham, not Milind Soman – but you.

Disclaimer: The female author of the above duly accepts the fact that women too can be not totally absolved of making certain bad choices. After all, tube tops are not meant for mass consumption...