My boyfriend and I recently re-committed to going out on dates – to taking time away from normal life, to getting dressed up and to exploring new dinner spots we’ve never tried around town. Our lives had been really hectic lately and we needed a chance to reconnect and pay attention to each other – with a sense of fun and adventure. Read on for ideas!
For me date night is special, and I go the extra mile to pick out the right outfit, to wear perfume, paint my nails, curl my hair – all the things I did when we were first dating. These gestures were important to me then and I hoped they showed my boyfriend that I viewed our time together as valuable and worth my time and effort.
For him, date night is special in other ways. Even though we live together and see each other everyday, he’ll ring the door bell with flowers, tell me I look beautiful and pay for dinner.
THE RESTAURANT: BISTRO CAMPAGNE
I’ve been wanting to go here for a while after walking by and seeing the charming exterior. It’s a cozy little French spot in Lincoln Square here in Chicago and a few doors down from the Old Town School of Folk Music. The food was fantastic, and the cocktails were lovely. We ordered frites and profiteroles, red wine and chevre chaud – the works!
THE OUTFIT: GOLD JACQUARD TULIP DRESS AND GLADIATOR SANDALS
I like to use our date nights to experiment with new looks – like these gold gladiator sandals. I recently scored them in New Orleans at a steep discount of nearly 75%. I couldn’t resist going for this trend when it cost me less than $100.
I chose this gold-ish tulip dress to match and because I hadn’t worn it in a while – it’s simple and classic with an interesting shape and cut outs in the back. Plus, the shiny threads give it a fancier vibe.
For outerwear, I chose a leather jacket to punk it up and to add a level of casualness since it was still light out when we left the house. The tan bag kept with the gold and brown theme and now that it’s spring, a light color like this is appropriate for my accessories.
For jewelry, I kept it super simple with a necklace my boyfriend gave me for Christmas. The look was so shiny and sparkly, it really didn’t need anything else.
Brown Leather Jacket: Whet Blu // Tan Clutch: Jack Germain Handbags // Gold Gladiator Sandals: Penny Loves Kenny // Jacquard Dress: Jack by BB Dakota // Sunglasses: LOFT
THE DETAILS
I chose a dark purple gloss but muted it with a light pink one since it wasn’t quite dark outside yet – these lip colors by (PLA) Beauty are easy to layer and to achieve different effects. This nail color (Sinful Colors in Folly) matched the pink in the fabric I was wearing – I recently received it in my Pinch Me gift box full of full- and sample-sized beauty and home products. I love it!
ADDITIONAL DATE NIGHT IDEAS
Your date night doesn’t have to be at a fancy restaurant, require a sexy dress or cost a lot of money. In fact, our next date is going to be a day trip to a local hiking spot – I promised to drive and to make the peanut butter sandwiches. We’re going to alternate on who organizes the date. Other ideas include:
- Cooking classes – e.g. basic knife skills so you can take what you learn home to your own kitchen
- Wine tasting at a local wine bar – or a bourbon tasting if wine is not your thing
- Bowling – a little competition and athleticism can be a good thing among couples
- Sightseeing like tourists – climb the tallest building in town and have a drink at the bar on top
- Seeing a play at your favorite theater in town – or a dance show or an orchestra concert
- Game night at a local pub – e.g. bring your own games, order some beers and game on!
- Candlelight dinner at home – keep it close and cook a favorite meal for each other
Whatever you choose, make it your own and above all else – have fun, shut out all the noise of daily life and really enjoy each other’s company.
Belle
