Women should wear clothes that bare 40 percent of their flesh to maximise their chances of attracting men, new scientific research indicates. Striking the right balance between revealing too much and being too conservative in how much skin is on show has long been a dilemma for women when choosing the right outfit for a night out.

However, a study by experts at the University of Leeds has come to the rescue by calculating the exact proportion of the body that should be exposed for optimum allure.

The findings were based on work by four female researchers, who discreetly observed women at one of the city’s biggest nightclubs from a balcony above the dance floor.

Using tape recorders hidden in their handbags, the researchers took note of what female clubbers were wearing and how many times they were approached by men asking them to dance.

For the purposes of the study, each arm accounted for 10 percent of the body, each leg for 15 percent and the torso for 50 percent.

Women who revealed around 40 percent of their skin attracted twice as many men as those who covered up.