Valentine’s Day is right around the corner, and whether your relationship situation at the moment makes this a romantic holiday or one that makes you feel like Grumpy Cat, we at Her Campus Exeter would like to offer you a few outfits to guide you through whatever your plans for Friday are.
Cosy Night In
Candlelit restaurants? Meh. Fancy, expensive dates? Been there, done that. You’ve been with your significant other long enough that this year, all you really want to do for Valentine’s Day is stay in, open a bottle of wine, and maybe cook a nice dinner together. But that doesn’t mean you can’t still make the day special with an outfit that’s chic and fun.
Start with a sweet, simple pink dress, and dress it up a bit with pointy-toed gold and black flats and stackable rings. If you and your date are going to be cooking, protect your clothes with a fun pinstriped apron. At the end of the evening, ramp things up with a polka-dot lingerie set, or just settle down for a night of cuddling in comfy and cute pyjamas.
Romantic Night Out
No matter what your plans for Valentine’s Day are, you can rarely go wrong with a little black dress. Because it’s so simple, you can easily dress it up as much as you want, with chandelier earrings, an infinity bracelet, and either a small crystal heart pendant or a big statement pearl-bib necklace. Finish with an alluring red lip and a walk on the wild side with leopard print underneath, and you’re sure to get a second date.
Galentine’s Day
So you’re single. So what? It doesn’t mean you have to sit in bed watching Bridget Jones’ Diary for the twenty-third time while eating Ben & Jerry’s Phish Food and regretting your life choices. Valentine’s Day isn’t just about romantic love—it can also be an opportunity for you to celebrate the love you and your friends share. Gather up your other single friends and treat yourselves to a Galentine’s night out, with no boy drama or pressure. And when you’re dressing up, dress up for you, because you’re worth it.
For a purely fun ensemble, choose a romper with a bold print, accompanied by tights and low-heeled Chelsea boots. Accessorize with a simple leather cord bracelet and a fun sequined headband, and add some sparkle with glitter nail polish. Underneath, go as crazy (and comfortable) as you want. You do you, girl.
A Quick P.S.
If you’ve got your Valentine’s outfit all picked out but are stuck on how to gird your loins, fret not. Many stores are having Valentine’s Day specials on lingerie, and here are a few you can look at for inspiration. Asos’s lingerie ranges in price from around £8 to £55; though you can’t beat the prices, the collection is a bit one-note, and is dominated by sweet, jewel-toned lacy pieces. Topshop is slightly more expensive, but offers a lot more variety of pattern and style, with both romantic pieces and more adventurous ones. Finally, if you’re really looking to splurge and treat yourself, check out Agent Provocateur’s 1950’s-inspired Behind Closed Doors collection. Though pieces start at £75 and only go up from there, the collection is gorgeous and very different, both in quality and style, from anything you’ll find on the High Street.
Are you dressing up this Valentine’s Day? Let us know in the comments!
Photo Credits: anthropologie.com, bloomingdales.com, debenhams.com, etsy.com, krisnations.com, modcloth.com, mulberry.com, occa-home.co.uk, shopbop.com, stylebop.com, topshop.com, victoriassecret.com, zara.com