First time sex-etiquette

If you're about to have first-time sex with someone new (whoo-hoo!) and it's been a while since your last, you might want to brush up on your bedside manners.

Before the Main Event

A Good Dressing Down

Removal of clothing is of course optional, but if you'd like to experience the heady sensation of flesh against flesh -- and I do recommend it -- you're going to need to get the gear off. Do not approach undressing with the wild, button-popping abandon you see depicted in the movies or your best shirt might be ruined in what was, quite literally, the heat of the moment.

"My sheer chiffon blouse was carelessly tossed across the room by one guy I was seeing. It landed, we discovered later, on top of a lamp. After the deed was done, I hunted around the room looking for my top and found it -- ruined -- with a big scorch mark from where it was draped over the lightbulb," says Tania.

Sock It to Me

I don't care if it's sub-zero outside; do NOT get into bed with socks on. Ever. It doesn't matter if they are clean, hole-free and matching. It doesn't matter if they're made out of Italian silk and hand-stitched by Trappist monks. Socks have no place in a sexual encounter.

"I always thought the socks-in-bed thing was a guy thing until Lisa. She wore the most stunning lingerie sets to bed but under the covers was another story. She complained of cold feet and always wore these thick bed socks. It was such a turn-off to feel them against my skin," says Adam.

The Crown Jewels

If you have a penchant for chunky jewelry, big rings and heavy watches, play it safe and remove these items well before engaging in any sexual merrymaking. Many a sex-related injury has been caused by an unwieldy diver's watch or a flamboyant dress ring.