In the final installment of the series, I tackle the intimate home-cooked meal. Every lady loves a man that knows his way around the kitchen. Make sure you wear something you don’t mind getting sauce on and let’s face it. If you play your cards right, you won’t have your clothes on too long after dinner anyways.
This outfit will be very similar to what I outlined on the “How to dress casual” post. You’re in the comfort of your own home with that special lady in your life. You don’t need to impress her. She’s already decided she trusts and likes you enough to come to your home for dinner. This is when you can (and should) show her a little bit more of who you are, your personality, and charm.
However, don’t think you can just wear any old pair of jeans and your old tees. Incorrect. You should still make an effort to wear fitted everything to give off the best silhouette of your body in your clothes. When I talk about your silhouette, I mean how your body outline looks. If you wear baggy, over-sized (or just too big) clothing that outline doesn’t exemplify what you really look like. In fact, it makes you look smaller, especially if you’re swimming in your clothes. I’ll detail all this in another post, but my emphasis on well-fitted clothing isn’t in an effort to make you wear all skinny err’thing. I hate skinny jeans, but I do love slim fits that fit my lower half well. It’s all about putting the best version of you in front of the world. You go to the gym in order to be fit and have a body that you’re proud of. Why hide your broad shoulders or chest under a 2-sizes-too-big dress shirt?
Check out the picks below and keep in mind sizing when you’re in the store.
Gap Straight-fit Selvedge Denim – $89
As I said before, I own these pair of jeans and I love them. I got them on sale, so definitely take advantage of the next Gap discount (I get e-mails all the time). I’ve had them since August and I wear them at least 2-3 times a week. Over time, they slowly molded to my body and they’re my most comfortable pair of denim I have. Granted the rigid wash made wearing them the first month or two a bit difficult, but now they’re perfect. The waist has stretch out a little, which makes me think it’s about time for me to soak them. I don’t want to put them in the wash for fear of losing the shape I’ve spent months trying to create.
L.L. Bean Signature Striped Cotton Henley – On sale $29.89
It’s going to get hot slaving over the oven all night. So instead of wearing a cardigan or chunky sweater over top, I think you should layer underneath. Grab this cotton henley from LL Bean and definitely size down. You want your layers underneath to be slim and very well fitting, so your shirts don’t look bulky from the outside. If you get hot, take off the button-up shirt and show off those guns you’ve been molding since you started going to the gym again this winter.
Lands’ End Canvas Heritage Red Chambray – $49.50
I have the blue chambray from LEC and it’s one of the softest shirts I own. You can wear it by itself or pair it with a v-neck sweater/cardigan and tie to class it up a bit. It’s an extremely versatile shirt, one that transcends seasons as well. Looks great whenever. Just remember to buy a shirt that fits well. If you tend to have a lot of blousing (i.e. the shirt gets semi-untucked and there’s a bunch of fabric folds around your midsection) you may want to look into buying a size down. I usually grab a medium and I bought a small in this shirt (I’m 5’7″, 160ish lbs for reference). The neck’s a bit snug, but after a wear or two it felt fine. If you feel it’s too small (or big), Lands’ End has fantastic customer service. They’ll hook you up and get you the right size.
Well, there you have it guys. Hopefully, you’ve gotten some great choices and ideas for outfits to wear to various levels of dates for this Valentine’s Day. Now go ahead and impress your lady with your new found sartorial awareness. Cheers!