valentine's day outfit and makeup ideas that are not cliché
a whole new world where v-day isn't all about hearts and flowers.
Instead of Valentine’s Day, my girlfriend and I are going to do Valentine’s Week.
The date will consist of going to a cafe to read (our favorite bonding activity), watching To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before (all three movies because we’ve only seen the first one), and ordering from our favorite pizza place (come home, the kids miss you, spinach artichoke).
I was initially riddled with excitement as we planned our love-filled week, but I’m no different from every fashion girlie who feels like she’s strutting on a catwalk every time she goes out.
So, the next thought that came to mind was, “What do I wear?”
After going through my closet that’s tragically overstuffed, I’ve come up with different looks that can be for everyone—whether you’re a maximalist like me or a simple gal through and through.
And of course, I’ll never leave my readers hungry—all two of you—so I’m sharing these outfit and makeup formulas that you can do on your own.
lace and polka dots combo
Here’s an underrated combo I swear by—lace and polka dots. There’s just something so satisfying about pairing a seductive and sexy fabric with a fun and playful print!
A simple alternative: Don’t worry—it’s so easy to dress it down, my minimalist babes. Grab that black bustier top from your closet (I know you have one), put on some hoops, and throw on a statement, polka-dotted skirt.
makeup look to go with it: pink polka dots
Add another playful element to your look with a whimsical touch of none other than *dramatic pause* polka dots! Shocking, I know.
The best part is you don’t even have to be a pro to do it. You can be messy with it, and trust and believe, the final look will still seem like you’ve spent hours doing it.
Just draw several small circles—they don’t have to be perfect—and voilà!
A simple alternative: Strategically draw little black dots on your lower eyelids—one on both sides—as if demanding your date to look straight into your smoldering stare.
color, color, and more color
Valentine’s Day is a celebration, and what’s more festive than playing with all the colors you can think of? Fine, two or three will suffice, but you don’t always have to stop at just that.
Always wanted to wear color but never had the guts to? You might want to read my article about escaping your comfort zone before diving in.
A simple alternative: You can go for muted colors! There’s no need to wear pastels and neons like I did!
makeup look to go with it: a cheeky heart
Rocking a heart during Valentine’s Day is expected, but this list is all about the unexpected! So why not switch it up and find a unique way to add a heart motif to your look?
Draw a heart on one eye (see above)—or on both—so you can look at your date with literal heart eyes. I know I would be. ;)
A simple alternative: A small little heart drawn on your cheekbone might just do the trick!
dramatic sleeves
On Valentine’s Day, you can be extra, and no one would bat an eye. Wait….or was that Halloween? Anyway, it’s the event of the season, so it’s the perfect time to sport dramatic, exaggerated sleeves. The bigger the better—just like your heart! Awwww.
A simple alternative: There are a lot of simple, billowy sleeves on the market! Boho-chic girlies know what’s up.
makeup look to go with it: a white mascara and a funky inner-corner highlight
I love this look so much; it’s so easy to do. Plus, you don’t even have to be a pro to pull it off nor do you need fancy makeup tools!
All you need is a white mascara (duh) and an eyeshadow shade of your choice for the inner corner. I said eyeshadow instead of highlighter because you don’t normally see any highlighters in cheerful colors.
A simple alternative: You can ditch the white mascara and stick to your trusty ol’ black one! Your bright-colored inner-corner eyeshadow will still pop—trust me.
Side note: Anyone know a good makeup brand with white mascara? Because I need one! I used to buy one from Shopee (kind of like AliExpress or Temu), but I’m afraid it might contain harmful ingredients. So, link me up with a good one, pretty please!
floral-ception
Flowers? For Valentine’s? Groundbreaking.
But hear me out! Why stop at one piece of clothing with a floral print when you can have two?
A simple alternative: Too maximalist for you? I completely understand, but you can easily tweak this to fit your style!
Wear a floral skirt, add a flower bag charm to your purse, put on a flower choker, and you’re all set! It doesn’t have to be overwhelmingly loud and out there. The goal is to adorn yourself with flowers instead of stopping at just one.
makeup look to go with it: shining, shimmering eye gems
Here’s another makeup look that’s so easy to do, and you don’t even have to burn a hole in your bank account to get the materials.
You just need a trusty eyelash glue and some gems (you can even get stuff from the scrapbook section at the stationery shop) and you’re all set!
I think it pairs perfectly with the floral-on-floral look because they give off the same playful and quirky vibe.
A simple alternative: There’s no need to make your face rain with gems. Sticking to just one or two will still give that playful effect.
tiered skirt (or dress)
There’s something romantic and dreamy about a tiered skirt. Plus, it instantly elevates an outfit like *snaps fingers* that!
You can have more fun with it by mixing in funky elements, like adding more color, similar to my outfit above!
A simple alternative: Thankfully, it’s not rocket science to style a simple outfit with a tiered skirt or dress. Just keep everything more subdued and you’re good to go.
makeup look to go with it: pretty in pink
Edging between romantic and playful, pink makeup is my go-to look nowadays. Here’s my personal recipe that you’re free to adjust to your own taste:
Pink eyeshadow, pink eyeliner, pink inner-corner highlight, pink blush, pink highlighter, and pink gloss.
A simple alternative: I’m pretty sure the look is simple enough, or maybe I’m just looking at it through a maximalist’s lens? Sorry, lol. You can always ditch the pink eyeliner or eyeshadow for something less ~out there.~