Men’s fashion guide to Valentine’s Date

Courtesy of Norstrom A blue blazer looks nice paired with a white dress shirt

02/14/2019

Nathan Freshwater | Staff Contributor 

Courtesy of Nordstrom
A blue blazer looks nice paired with a white dress shirt

So, you decided to take your love out for a nice romantic evening on Valentine’s Day. You took the time to buy them flowers, chocolates and reserved a table at a nice restaurant to top off the romantic evening.

You are ready to be their prince charming. However, you must dress the part.
It’s important to dress properly for certain occasions in life. You wouldn’t want to attend a job interview in a t-shirt and sweats, but you also wouldn’t go the movies in a tuxedo. Dressing for a special occasion may seem like a daunting task, but it can actually be quite easily broken down. Let’s say there are two different options when it comes to dressing up for your Valentine’s Day meal.

Option number one: the semi-formal look that could be worn to a restaurant like City Works or The Capital Grille. The semi-formal look is a broad category, but it doesn’t have to be confusing. Jeans with a nice button up is always a good go-to.

If you want to take it up a notch though, consider some other options. Instead of just throwing on jeans and a button up, add a blazer to the mix. A good combination that works on almost everyone is a white dress shirt tucked into a pair of blue jeans, with a navy-blue blazer. Try to add a nice contrast to the mix, switch out the jeans for a nice pair of khakis or light brown chinos.

Do not be afraid to experiment with different colored dress shirts either. A blue shirt might not be the best idea pair with a blue blazer, but a light pink could match perfectly with your look.

Now, if you decided to really go out and treat your significant other to a nice dinner, say for example on Mount Washington, there may even be a dress code. This is where the formal option comes in.

You can never go wrong with a suit. It has been the staple of men’s style for decades. Whether it’s a gray, blue or even brown suit, you can almost never go wrong. Typically, you want to wear a white dress shirt with all of these options, but a blue one can work equally well. It can be tough to mix colors when dressing in a suit, so to be on the safe side, you want to stick with basic solid colors like white and blue.

Even if your outfit is perfectly tailored, details can make or break your entire look. Investing in a pair of brown dress shoes is of utmost importance because they will match 80 percent of the outfits you put together. Hair is also something you should give your attention to. Make sure your hair is trimmed and tidy. The polished look of your suit will be negatively affected if you have unkept and messy hair. This goes for facial hair as well. If you decide to grow out your beard, make sure it is well groomed.

If you follow these basic rules, you can’t go wrong on Valentine’s Day. Whether it be on Mount Washington or Market Square, you’ll be dressed right for the night.