THIS weekend is supposed to be the most romantic of the year and whereas the majority of loved-up ladies will have planned their Valentine's gifts well in advance, their male counterparts tend to be less organised.

Of course, there are those rare gentlemen who are blessed with natural romantic inspiration, but most still leave their present-buying until the last moment or agonise over whether they have chosen correctly.

The three classics for Valentine's Day have remained pretty consistent over the years; flowers, chocolates and lingerie.

The first two are pretty easy to get right, red roses are usually a no-brainer and very few females will complain about a box of chocolate truffles, but buying underwear for a lady is actually a very tricky business.

Many women will have horror stories that involve their partner buying a pair of knickers three sizes too small or an underwear set they are repulsed by.

I went to Boudoir Pink, a lingerie and swimwear boutique in Ulverston, to ask underwear expert Catherine Hodder what her top tips for Valentine's shopping are.

She said: "It is an incredibly delicate gift to pick out because it's so easy to get wrong. I think the most important thing is to remember is that less can sometimes be more.

"What I mean by this is that men usually go straight for the red lace, but lingerie doesn't have to be so in your face to be sexy and feminine and many ladies prefer to receive classier underwear."

For Mrs Hodder, lingerie has been a lifelong passion and she feels that choosing the right set for your partner can show them just how much you have been paying attention to them, and that you have noticed their likes and dislikes.

She said: "Underwear can be something very personal and special. The first Valentine's Day I had with my husband he bought me the most beautiful, hand-embroidered lace body-suit from La Perla in London. It made me realise that he knew me even better than I knew myself and that's when I decided that we would get married."

So what exactly do you look for when selecting lingerie for your partner? It's actually easier than you think, bear these three things in mind:

1. Know her shape. If she is very curvy, then you may need to go for something flattering or slimming. If she is very slim, then go for something frilly or with ribbons and detail to create the illusion of more curves. If you know her body shape, then the staff in lingerie stores will be able to help you much more easily.

2. Know her taste. Think about the lingerie she seems to like wearing most and use that as a starting point. If you have never seen her in fishnet stockings, this probably isn't the time to start buying them. Sorry.

3. Know her cup size and brief size. This seems like an obvious one but make sure you find out before you make the trip to town.

Mrs Hodder said: "The best way to go about checking her size is just to go through her drawers. Find a bra that you know fits well and that she wears a lot and check that.

"Sometimes it means a lot more to steer clear of the Valentine's clichés. I really wouldn't like to receive a bunch of red roses and a red and black corset. Something like a silk chemise is so simple, classic and can be really beautifully made. As for flowers, my favourites are Pompeii Lilies and I find it much more personal to get a bouquet of something different to roses."

So when shopping for Valentine's day this year, don't forget to be prepared and to think a little more about what might suit your partner and surprise her with a present with a little more thought. Lingerie is always a great present because women do not often think to spend so much money on themselves. Getting some nice fancy knickers can be a real treat, pair with her favourite flowers a bottle of pink champagne or prosecco and you will have the perfect Valentine's combination.