Valentine's Day Outfits Can Feel Cheesy—Not These

When it comes to dressing for the holiday of love and romance, it sometimes feels hard to avoid cheesy prints or cliched colors. That’s not to say I don’t love a head-to-toe red look or a pretty pink dress—it’s just that, sometimes, you want something a little different. So, if you’re looking for unexpected Valentine’s Day outfit ideas for a stylish and hot date look, read on for three of my favorites.

Casual day date

You might think I’m anti-heart print after that intro, but I personally think overt themed pieces do have a time and a place when it comes to Valentine’s Day outfits. The time? Daytime. The place? Any casual venue. And, most importantly, on only one (1) heart print in your look! (This is particularly true if you’re going for a larger graphic!)

Keeping the hearts to a single item in your outfit is an easy way to bring a bit of whimsy to a look without overdoing it, making it a cheeky nod to the holiday instead of feeling corny or costume-adjacent. Take these grey barrel jeans accented with bleach-effect scribble hearts: If I added a pink top or something else in a heart print, it wouldn’t feel like fashion to me. Styled with a black knit crop top, silver boots, and pink glasses for a tiny pop of color, though, it was perfect for a fun little day date with my husband. These boots are wide-width and super comfortable, too—just the thing for an arcade date, mini golf, or any other activity where you’ll be on your feet for a while.

Cocktail lounge ready

A high-neck, body-skimming dress is just the thing when you want to go for something hot and romantic for Valentine’s Day but not overly literal. This burnout velvet floral number from Hutch might just be the Platonic ideal of the style for a date night: The layered mesh gives the illusion of sheerness without actually showing anything, and the floral velvet accents that shift from deep to icy blue are eminently touchable. And with the wonderfully high slit to show off your legs? Perfection! My one note is to size up in this style if you don’t want it to be on the clingier side of bodycon; I’m usually a size 2x, and while that one fit on me and looked good, the added ease of the 3x made it more comfortable to wear (no tugging or adjusting required).

I love how this dress accentuates my curves without squeezing. Paired with a sleek pair of black pointed toe pumps, it gives a bit of an office siren vibe—perfect for date night cocktails at a dimly-lit lounge.

Romantic dinner date

Lean into the iconography of Valentine’s Day without a heart print by bringing your own roses to date night. This 3-D rose vine-adorned dress from designer Samantha Pleet hits the balance of sweet and sultry. With both a high curved thigh slit and a deep scoop neckline, you will have your date mesmerized. Plus, the sweet whimsy of being literally wrapped in handmade silk roses elevates and makes it something even better than a little black dress. Even better, it’s very thoughtfully made, with both bra-friendly straps and a built-in shelf bra in case you prefer not wearing one. (And that shelf bra really works too, even on very full busts, as evidenced by me in this same dress last NYFW.) It’s available in sizes XXS-5X (I find it to be true to size), and is made of a soft but substantial stretch modal jersey with a hint of silk.

I paired it with my favorite pair of wide-calf red boots. If I was going to really lean into the rose theme, I’d add my Samantha Pleet rosebud bag (which is an absolute compliment magnet, FYI).