Winter Date Night Style Tips

The new year is here and with it comes some much-needed time to recharge after the craziness of holiday parties, travel, and overindulging on your favorite foods and treats. With the holidays in the rear-view mirror and spring still far off on the distant horizon, it’s easy to just slide into your favorite loungewear and watch bowl games and NFL playoffs until the sunshine and warmth makes its springtime debut. And while the holidays may be thought of as the essential winter time for dates and romance, the new year is just as good a time as any to hit the town with someone near and dear to you. 

If you’re looking to find love in the new year or to keep the flame burning strong with your partner, a date night is a must. Whether you’re heading out for a night on the town or a cozy evening making dinner and enjoying wine at home, having a great outfit is the first step to a great time. In this post we’ll give you three outfit ideas that will work for any type of winter date ideas you can come up with.

A Casual Sport Coat

Wearing a casual sport coat for your date night is a bulletproof way to make any outfit look a little bit more put together. You can wear a sport coat with just about any outfit and instantly look stylish and put together. This classic look is easy to wear and your date will love that.

Before you run off to your closet and pick up the first sport coat you see, first make sure that it’s an appropriate jacket for the season. A winter sport coat should be constructed with a full liner to help keep you warm and made with a fabric that adds depth and variation to your outfit. We’re big fans of wool, herringbone, and silk/wool blends for this time of year.

So what makes a sport coat casual?

If you’re finding yourself unsure of what makes a casual sport coat, consider the following questions:

1. What type of lapel does your coat use? Casual sport coats typically will have a notched lapel.
2. What do the pockets look like? If your coat has patch pockets (the pocket appears to have been sewed right onto the jacket, with no flap enclosure), then your coat is likely going to work in a casual outfit.
3. How is it constructed? Does the coat have a very structured feel to it or is it an unconstructed, go anywhere/do anything coat?
4. If your jacket is one half of a suit there is a good chance that it’s a little more formal than you may want for a casual date night.

Aim to where a sport coat that pairs well with jeans or chinos. This will help you to feel laid-back and your date won’t feel like you just left the office. It’s always nice to put a little effort into your look, and trust us, it’ll get you noticed.

A Turtleneck or Sweater

Who doesn’t love a modern take on a classic look? Sweaters and turtlenecks are a great choice for the winter months because they add great texture and depth to your outfits and can work with or without a sport coat or outerwear.

When you’re layering clothes, pay extra attention to your color choices. Work on choosing colors that complement the rest of your outfit and work with your complexion and skin tone. When you’re layering an outfit you may feel more comfortable wearing a color that you don’t typically choose to wear, but since you’re putting the entire look together you can feel more confident in mixing and matching. Mixing textures, patterns, fabrics, and colors is very much on-trend and easy to do.

Outerwear to Impress

A coat is a necessity at this time of year, but that much is obvious. What we want to get across is that outerwear is not just a utility piece that you need to have, but something that can really elevate a look. On the fence about picking up a new coat “just” for a date? Maybe these reasons will help you see why it just may be the right choice:

1. You’ll be prepared for anything — especially if your date begins before the sun goes down (at 4:30pm…) or if an unexpected gust of wind hits as you’re exiting a cab or bar.
2. It completes your outfit and shows that you really care about the details. You wouldn’t wear a brown belt with an all-black outfit, right? Likewise, you don’t want to wear a sloppy old winter coat with an otherwise well thought out date night outfit.
3. You can give your date your coat if they get cold … and be the hero of the night.

If you’re feeling inspired to pick up some great new outfits for this season, stop in to any Ticknors location and get to it. Or if you’re short on time or not sure where to start, book an appointment with a Ticknors Style Advisor to see all of the options available to you and to put together a wardrobe and a