Fashion Lifestyle

Valentine’s Day Outfits For Men

There is no middle ground when it comes to Valentine’s Day, it’s a holiday that either excites you or fills you with complete dread. The dread can largely be attributed to the fear of not “getting it right”, of not being sufficiently romantic. It’s been drummed into all of us that the only successful Valentine’s Days are the ones that involve a candlelit dinner so expensive it makes your credit weep and that ends with a ring in a glass of champagne.

We need to debunk these notions of what a successful Valentine’s is for many reasons. Firstly, and most importantly in my book, rings do not belong in glasses of champagne, they’re a choking hazard and how many people’s hands have touched that ring before you so lovingly popped it into your partner’s glass? Another reason to skip out on cookie cutter ideas of what Valentine’s Day should be is that couples aren’t all the same and don’t all need and want the same things.

Whatever you and your significant other do decide to do one thing should remain constant, looking your best. It certainly can’t hurt to remind your better half just why it is that they chose you. Whether you need to be casual for a fun activity date or more formally dressed for that fancy restaurant dinner, looking like you’ve made some sort of effort into what you’re wearing is essential and lets your partner know that they’re worth the effort.

Casual Cool

Being overdressed is as bad as being underdressed so if you have a fun activity date planned, you’re going to want to keep it casual. When I say “keep it casual” I don’t mean shorts and flip-flops, those are not an option unless you’re spending the day at the beach. Some clothing choices that are an option would be:

1. T-shirts – choose a t-shirt that is either a solid colour or patterned but try to steer clear of ones with bold logos and branding across the chest. Any tee that can double-up as gym-wear is not one you want to go for here.

2. Lightweight jacket – a jacket smartens up just about any look so find a lightweight jacket (it is summer after all) that you can pop over your T-shirt to instantly elevate your look. Cotton and linen options would be your best friend here but you don’t have to stick to a blazer to pull this look off, a Harrington, worker or trucker jacket would do the trick just as well. A quick trick to keep your jacket looking casual is to roll or scrunch up the sleeves.

3. Sneakers – like your T-shirt, you’re going to want to steer clear of sneaker options that you could use when working out. Swop out a running shoe shape for canvas or leather options in a tennis or court shoe shape instead.

And as a quick aside, when I mentioned a fun activity date I was thinking along the lines of a picnic, putt-putt or an open-air movie and not anything more strenuous like climbing a mountain. While there are loads of couples who would consider trekking up a mountain to be a fantastic date, I unfortunately can’t offer you any style advice for this type of date other than to suggest getting a pack big enough to carry every piece of equipment you need to not fall off the damned mountain. And sunscreen, don’t forget the sunscreen.

Smart Casual

Smart casual would probably be the type of look the majority of us will be going for on Valentine’s Day, a look that would easily take you to sundowners or that popular new bistro in the more artsy hipster part of town. Some key items you’d need to pull off a smart casual look are:

1. Printed or patterned shirt – the printed shirt is having a bit of a renaissance in fashion at the moment so a variety of options will be available to you, everything from resort florals to polka-dots and cabana stripes would be a fashionable choice. To stop your shirt from looking too casual, tuck it into your trousers. Also, restrict yourself to only undoing the top two buttons at most; there is a fine line between casual cool and wannabe Miami gangster.

2. Trousers – while dark wash jeans (without rips, distressing or fading) are a definite option, a pair of tailored trousers or fitted chinos would be a smarter, more fashionable choice. A pair of tailored shorts could also work for this look, but by all the style gods the pair you choose cannot have any sort of elastic waist! If your shorts don’t have a zip and aren’t buttoned at the waist, don’t even think about wearing them.

3. Dress shoes – while some sneaker options could work in a smart casual look, the better choice would be to just leave them at home. A high-shine pair of oxfords might be too formal for your look but some tan brogues or a suede derby won’t serve you wrong.

Formal

The rules and etiquette for formal dressing are probably the ones we’re most familiar with, at some point we’ve either been sat down but our dads or granddads and had it explained to us how a ‘gentleman’ should dress or we’ve read the myriad of articles out there on what to wear to that formal wedding or formal work dinner. There are of course degrees of formality and for a dinner, even one at a restaurant so fancy you need to Google half the items on the menu to figure out what you’ll be eating, it’s probably best to leave the tux and bowtie at home, you’re not getting married (but fingers crossed if that’s the goal for the evening). The rules for formal dressing are actually quite simple:

1. A suit or suit jacket at the very least are essential. A tie isn’t essential but does add a sophisticated touch.

2. Except for perhaps your shirt, dark colours over light ones should be worn. A suit or jacket in black, navy, charcoal or a deep burgundy should be chosen over one in tan or a light grey.

3. The oxford is the king of formal shoes, especially black and chocolate pairs in high-shine or patent leather (don’t forget to polish them). Some brogue detailing can add a stylish touch to a pair of oxfords but remember that the more extensive and intricate the brogue detailing, the more casual the shoe becomes.

Looking for fresh ideas on how to spend your Valentine’s Day? Check out our post on Things to do On Valentine’s Day, as well as Restaurant Specials to Take Advantage of This Valentine’s Day. We have also curated a helpful gift guide, if you’re still looking for Valentine’s Day gift ideas

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