Seven Ways to Dress and Feel Your Best This Valentine’s Day

Love is in the air. But if you’re not careful, you can forget about the most important loving relationship in your life—the relationship you have with yourself. It’s easy to become so caught up in the busyness of life—with work obligations, taking care of family, and just too much stress in general—that romance and showing yourself some love are much too far down on your priority list. That’s why Valentine’s Day is the perfect time to give your look, as well as your confidence, a boost. With a little extra effort, you can create a heart-stopping outfit to make you feel romantic, sexy, and ready for love.

Read on for seven tips to spice up your Valentine’s Day look and make the season of love more special than ever.

Focus on what’s inside first. Before you begin your celebrations, take a few moments to relax, quiet your mind, and focus on your own inner beauty. You don’t want to spend the most romantic day of the year overly frazzled because you didn’t take time to decompress, so plan ahead to create a little extra quiet time reserved just for you. This will help to center you and allow you to truly pamper yourself before a special evening out (or in!).

Pay close attention to the first layer. Before you pick out the perfect outfit, take time to layer on your favorite body lotion and perfume. Be sure to also choose a fun nail polish and finish off your look with a matching bra and pair of panties that you feel great in. These foundational details are sure to make you feel beautiful and put together—and it will show!

 Get back to not-so-basic black. Black is universally slimming, sophisticated, and sexy. Best of all, most people already have a lot of black in their closets. This Valentine’s Day, opt to add a twist to your normal black ensembles. Try a shirt with a slightly lower neckline than normal, a pencil skirt with a ruffled hemline, or a tailored jacket in a sexy silk or satin. When you wear something a little out of the norm, you will feel extra lovely, and, as a bonus, you can wear it for many other occasions.

Become a snow-kissed vision in white. Winter whites are a perfect option for Valentine’s Day. Whether you choose to wear a dress, pantsuit, or a top and skirt combination, be sure to select your accessories carefully. Pearls or crystal jewelry make an excellent pairing with winter white, as does a simple metallic or neutral shoe and handbag. If you do choose a skirt or dress option, remember to wear nude stockings to complete your ensemble. Be prepared to feel glamorous and gorgeous.

Embrace passionate reds. Red is a bold and sexy shade, and yet few people dare to wear it. Try incorporating the boldness of red into your Valentine’s Day outfit—just be sure to tone down your accessories to balance the look. To do this, complement your reds with a simple black shoe, simple earrings, and a small black handbag. And if red isn’t quite your style, consider another bold and romantic shade like pink or purple. Try a few combinations before your night out. You might pair a deep purple or pink top with a black skirt or skinny black pant. When you find a combination that makes your heart sing, you’ll know you’ve landed on the right look.

Add a little flair. You don’t have to break the bank to look fabulous and feel special on Valentine’s Day. In fact, you can look great without spending a dime on a fancy new outfit. Consider styling your hair in soft curls or sweeping it into a sleek updo that costs you nothing more than a little extra time. Or consider trying a daring new shade of nail polish or using darker than usual eye shadow to create a sexy smoky eye for the evening. You can even visit your favorite makeup counter for a makeover to mix things up. The trick is to try something new that will shake up your routine and make you feel extra special.

Single and fabulous? Celebrate you! If you happen to be unattached on Valentine’s Day this year, it goes without saying that you should dedicate the holiday to showing yourself some serious love. After all, you are deeply valuable, special, and unique. So give yourself the royal treatment you deserve. Book yourself a lavish massage or spa treatment, indulge in a quiet night of reading by candlelight with a nice glass of wine, or get together with a dear friend and treat yourselves to a fantastic dinner, concert, or evening on the town.

It’s always important to celebrate the wonderful person you really are, and having a great Valentine’s Day all comes down to feeling good about yourself. You deserve to be confident, happy, and at ease in your skin. So be sure to set aside plenty of time to pamper yourself when Valentine’s Day approaches this year. Your glowing outlook and positive vibe will be the best gift you could give yourself and your partner this year.