Valentine’s day has been looking a bit different these last two years but regardless of your current relationship status, take the day/season of love as a time to have some fun. Whether or not you have a date , here are some options I’ve styled to give you some inspiration.

 

Playing off of the whole “Sweetheart or Heartbreaker” concept, I thought it would be fun to have a  blog series featuring outfit options for different V-day related scenarios, having one that is sweet and the other not to much. 

For these outfits I actually shopped my closet, adding a few new pieces I bought recently here and there. Don’t worry, I made sure to find and link to similar items for anything that isn’t available anymore. Fair warning, there will be a lot of pink and red featured in this small style series. After all, what would holidays even be without their themes?

Afternoon Bubble Tea Run

I honestly don’t  ask for much when it comes to a date. Want to go get boba and walk around while talking about a little bit of everything? You don’t have to ask me twice, I’m in. Such outings don’t involve much other than comfort and warmth though a hint of style doesn’t hurt either. This first look is a casual winter goth look that is truly an extension of my usual Christmas aesthetic being black and red.

This red sweater was an impulse buy from a couple of years back. I was looking for something red to add to my wardrobe as back then I didn’t have any and it was on sale (I got it for only $6!) so I bought it without much thought as to how I would style it. Since then it has become my piece of choice when it comes to layering during the fall and winter. It’s the bishop sleeves, they add subtle elegance.

For accessories I kept things simple, just adding this ruffle trim faux leather collar I found while scrolling through Shein’s accessory pages. I’ve been eyeing similar collars by other vendors on social media, though many of them are either too frilly (even for me) or outside of my budget. I tucked in the ties into the sweater in an effort to give this look the feel that this sweater is layered over a faux leather dress instead of a skirt. I also added patterned tights, this Luna purse, and platform creepers for an overall nerdy alternative look.

Of course not all hunts for bubble tea leave you outside, sometimes you want to go to a place that lets you take a seat, some of which have a basic theme in their offerings and décor, which works well for outfit inspiration. For example,  if you’re going to a place that clearly specializes in pink, you have to dress for the occasion. M Tea is one such bubble tea shop that is made for pink-lovers of which I am one. (My favorite colors are black and pink, in that order exactly).

Being a complete 180°  from the first look, this pink and gray outfit leans heavily on a sweet aesthetic starting with this floral print plaid skirt. It wasn’t until very recently that I even noticed that the pink florals are actually made up of my favorite flowers, pink peonies, so of course I had to pull it out of retirement and style again for this occasion. This time I focused on bring out the pink with this turtleneck and belt from Eloquii.

The one new add here is this three-drop pearl monogram necklace inspired by the one worn by Anne Boleyn. Yes, the infamous second wife of Henry  VIII.  As someone who has been obsessed with the Tudors, and the six wives of Henry VIII since the young age of 9, this is necklace is high on the list of best Christmas gifts I’ve received from my mother. It was a last minute decision to add this accessory but it worked well with the other gold accents from my handbag and belt that it just seemed obvious. It also didn’t hurt that this place is called M Tea, haha.

Side note: If you’re in NYC, looking for a cute place to grab some desserts and/or bubble tea definitely stop by M Tea in Flushing, Queens. The whole space is made for getting that photo “for the gram” and their sweet treats are an added bonus.  I’ve also heard that there is another location in Long Island City, though it looks like just the menu is the same, as it does not have the pink ambiance of the original.

After Work Fun

This year Valentine’s Day lands on a Monday of all days so for many of us this means that any plans we have for the holiday will have to wait for after work. Of course, with work now taking place at home, for the most part, loungewear seems to trump actually getting dressed. However, I’m all for mixing it up whenever possible to keep things interesting even when home. So here’s two outfits I would have worn for this season of love if I were working at the office.

Of course, I had to have a dress option and when it comes to dresses around this time of the year I’m on the lookout for something twirl-worthy. This dress has a cute halter neckline and skater silhouette that is to die for. Admittedly it is probably the most expensive dress I currently own at the moment but as you can see it is a versatile piece that can be styled for the office, after-work drinks with friends and date night. While it is meant to be worn alone, I decided to layer a polka dot blouse underneath. adding some red accents to really make it all pop. As it is still cold outside I threw on this vintage cape. It’s like having some old world romance to it all.

This second “after work” look is definitely geared more towards those non-traditional work spaces where  you can get away with wearing something avant-garde, much like it was in the last company I worked for. I’ve had this particular outfit in mind since last summer and at first I thought it would be a fun Christmas look (I still do BTW) but the red in the plaid also works well for this unexpected, fun and edgy V-day look.

Overall it follows the rules for office appropriate clothing as it the foundation is simply a blouse and trousers, but having the blouse be a hi-low silhouette definitely gives the look something “extra.” In the past I’ve worn this top with a belt to really make the peplum hi-lo silhouette really pop but after purchasing this faux leather crop at BlerDCon last year, I couldn’t help but think of the awesomeness that would come from pairing these two pieces together. Being black and gold it really helped pull a bit of the black color from the pants up to the torso.

With the hair style and faux leather combo already bringing a lot to this look I decided to keep the accessories down to just this choker necklace and my  wristlet wallet. Granted this looks was only worn for a quick trip to the local Starbucks around the corner from my place to get some a hot chocolate fix after a long morning full of meetings so I really didn’t need much anyway.

I’m totally here for these prep meets “The Craft” vibes that this is giving and I can only image the amount of heads that would turn if it were worn to say an company sponsored V-day inspired happy hour. I can’t wait to bring this whole look back again and again for any future social events that may come along  as we enter spring. If you love it wear it, as often as you can right?

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Which of these is your favorite? And what is your V-day aesthetic?