Style Scenario – Valentine’s Day: Out on the Town

What are you going to wear? Sometimes it’s good to look at a few suggestions then add your own tweaks and ideas. That’s what these are for. Valentine’s Day is fast approaching, and three style scenarios will be tackled in the next few days (going out, staying in, & staying in solo). Going for a sharp look here that leans simple instead of flashy. That way, your date will keep their eyes on you, & not your flair. Also, before you make those fancy restaurant reservations, maybe weigh the pros & cons of dinner out on Valentine’s. 

The Suit: J.C.F. Thompson Navy Worsted Wool Jacket & Pant – mid $200s. Or, whatever your favorite navy suit happens to be. This is the time to break out the big guns. A navy suit with a white shirt and sleek brown shoes is classic, but still contemporary. Want to put a new spin on it? Try black shoes & black leather accessories. It can absolutely work, as long as the buttons on your suit jacket aren’t too light brown. UPDATE: Looks like J. Crew Factory has gone back to excluding their Thompson suits from promos? Today’s 30% off code, OOHLALA isn’t working on them. Hmmm. 

The Shirt: ratio/clothing Semi Spread White Pinpoint w/ lowered 2nd Button – $98. Steep in price, but made in the USA and you don’t have to compromise at all, on anything. You’re in control of all the details with ratio. For this outfit, a semi-spread is perfect for going tieless, and request to have the 2nd button lowered a half an inch in your “blueprint” details. Too spendy? Wear your favorite semi-spread/point collar white dress shirt and undo the top 2 buttons. Remember: wear some decent collar stays or wurkin stiffs.

The Boots: Jack Erwin Chase Chelsea – $210.00. Hang on… $98 shirt, $210 boots? What’s this website about again? Fair enough. For a MUCH cheaper alternative, give the Florsheim Jet Chukka (not a chelsea) a shot. Currently an extra 20% off at Amazon with the code 20SPRSHOES.

The Socks: Nordstrom Over the Calf Wool Blend Socks – $14.50. Over the calf = they’ll stay up (ahem) all night. Match your socks to your pants, not your shoes, to make your legs look longer, and thus, you look taller. Wool blend breathes and dries quickly. If you’re on the border between sizes, consider sizing down. 

The Pocket Square: TheTieBar White Cotton w/ Pink Border – $8.00. EMBRACE THE SCHMALTZ OF VALENTINE’S DAY. Also, when you show up in a well cut suit, no tie, and sleek boots, a cheeky tip of the cap to the holiday will help keep you from looking a little too smooth.

The Watch: Orient Bambino Automatic – $129.00. Simple and clean. Plus that domed crystal gives it a bit more visual interest than other dress watches. Full review here.

The Scarf: Polo RL Forbes Tartan Wool Blend Scarf – $38.86 ($58). Herringbone on one side, tartan on the other. 80% wool and 20% nylon.

The Topcoat: Stafford Wool Blend Topcoat – $119.99 w/ CUPID. Probably not the night to wear a ski-jacket. Peacoat that covers your jacket tail will work here too. Topcoat if you’ve got one. Quick review of the Stafford option over here. The code CUPID knocks an extra 20% off purchase over $100+, 15% off purchases under $100, through Tuesday.

The Gloves: John W. Nordstrom Driving Gloves – $34.75 ($69). Not the night for a ski jacket, also not the night for ski-gloves. If your date makes a move to hold your hand while walking down the street, better to not give her a mitt full of thinsulate. Large and XL left.

The Belt: Stafford Reversible Leather Belt – $21.25 w/ CUPID. Just a dress belt. But it avoids all the pitfalls (clunky, super chromed out, odd textures) that other mass produced dress belts can fall victim to.

The Hair Product: L’oreal Homme Mat – $14.99. Smells great, doesn’t leave your hair reflective, and has a medium amount of hold.

The Soundtrack for the Drive (if you’re driving): HAIM “Days are gone” – $10. The key is to find something between Marilyn Manson & Al Green. And don’t hit the radio. You’ll be tempted to channel surf. HAIM is a great choice her. Equal parts sweet and hip. “The girls are here Paul!” “I’ll make the drinks Dave…”

The Sparkly Gift: Julia Szendrei “Love” Morse Code Necklace – $44.00. If your date happens to be a lady, and you want to give her something shiny without going over the top, look in local, independent artist stores/collectives for hand made jewelry. This San Francisco based artist nails the delicate jewelry trend, and her work appears on Huckberry often. Her Morse Code necklace spells out “Love”, or, you can have her create a custom necklace of up to 10 letters. Looks a hell of a lot better than a semaphore sweater.