By Jaime Teich
You find yourself panic-stricken, standing in front of the mirror, two days away from the most romantic day of the year. You start rummaging through your closets and drawers in despair. You know your whole night can be determined by what you wear, so you are determined to find the right outfit.
Fret no more girls, the answers are here. For anything from going out with your friends to a tavern on Bell Boulevard, to going to dinner with your family on Austin Street to taking a quiet stroll through Cunningham Park with your significant other, prepare for the unexpected. From a blind date to a romantic evening at home, follow these rules, and your night is guaranteed to be one you will never forget.
Whether on a night out with the girls, or on a first date, be comfortable. Yes, you want to show off the goods, but at the same time you don’t want to leave a lasting impression of you in heels that you can’t walk in. Remember, anyone can look good standing still; the real talent is in the strut.
How can you mix comfort and pizzazz? That’s easy.
The Style: It’s all about denim right now. With the right pair of jeans, all your favorite assets can be flaunted in a way that won’t make you look foolish. Remember, accessories can make an outfit. Throw on a simple white shirt, and plan the attack around an outrageous pair of chandelier earrings, bangles, kitten heels, and a clutch. This outfit will leave any first date on its way to the second.
If you feel jeans are too lax, you can always wear black slacks. A timeless pair of black pants gives off a polished appearance without the hassle. To achieve the look, keep your bootcuts and bellbottoms in the closet. Go for the goal of classic by sporting the looks of the greats, Audrey Hepburn and Grace Kelly. Cigarette pants are slenderizing, sleek, and extremely sexy. Matched with a black cashmere sweater and finished off with flats, this look is sure to grab the attention that you so well deserve.
The Look: Pull it back. Hair is an essential attribute when trying to dress for success. To achieve simple sophistication, a loose ponytail or a slicked back bob will get the job done.
Stay light with the makeup. Great hues for a first impression are rosy pinks and nudes. With understating your makeup, it leaves you more room to play with your actual accessories.
If fancy is the way of the night, invite glamour to tag along. Create a fairy tale evening and shower your loved one in your beauty. Remember that you are a beautiful woman and walk as if you’re on the red carpet for all eyes to see.
The Style: Don’t only make your partner follow you, but make him follow your dress. The train is no longer just for “the big day,” but for any night worthy of sheer elegance. Allowing the simplest of styles to emphasize the utmost of flair, this small ,yet important trait of a dress can leave you feeling not only as graceful as Kate Hudson, but as breathtaking as a bride on her day.
The Look: Need to finish off a refined look? With either short or long hair the “undone” look is in. The combination of mess and grace shows a seductive and sensual side to any woman. To achieve the look, don’t wash your hair the day of the affair. With oils that have been able to saturate your hair and a dash of styling wax, it is easier to texturize your tresses. Either with a curling iron or simply sleeping in braids, lightly pull finger-combed pieces and pin them up. Let your hair naturally fall where it may.
A smoky eye is alluring and sensual. Instead of using a one-dimensional color like gray or black, hype it up with metallic spunk. Using a silver hue to lightly overlay a rich color will allow an extra sparkle in your eye to be seen this evening.
Since you’re striving for star status, don’t stop at the eyes when it comes to metallics. Glitz and shine for your smackers portrays a more pouty and full mouth. Striking reds and deep plums will add a special illumination to your look. If this is too bold for you, the wet look is always a safe bet. However, toss your clear gloss away and replace it with one that is tinted. A dramatic eye matched with a glass lip will leave your date dreaming of his new fantasy woman — you.
When you’ve met your one and only, the cardinal rule says that after some time an unflattering comfort level may arise. On most nights, sweats and no make-up is by all means acceptable, however, Valentines Day is all about sprucing up the romance. Throw some spice into your evening and surprise your mate by shedding those dirty sweats to unravel the beast within.
The Style: The great thing about lingerie is that you can never go wrong. From camisoles in lace to cotton boy shorts, sexy is sexy when mixed with the right attitude.
This year is all about the corset. Still used to minimize the waist in order to transform the body into an hourglass figure, the corset is more modernly worn to accentuate the small of a woman’s back.
For something a bit more flirty and fun, go for the bow. Allowing an emphasis to be placed on the area in which the bow is tied, these darling add-ons can be as nice or as naughty as where you wish to place them.
In textiles such as velvet, lace, silk and even cotton, a sexy little number will definitely have your mate forgetting the ripped jeans and oversized sweatshirt you were wearing in the morning.
The Look: Get the roll out of bed look, before you even hit the sack. As we’ve seen in the past few seasons, a natural tress is the way to go. The secret is out — natural is sexy, even if it takes hours in front of a mirror to obtain it.
