I was on my way to dinner and a movie with my boyfriend when I realized I hadn’t put on any make-up, hadn’t changed after work and, I’ll be perfectly honest, wasn’t wearing deodorant. My poor, poor boyfriend.
 
Ladies and gents, this is what “giving up“ looks like. So tonight, I’m making an effort.

Skirt: Nordstrom, Shirt: Kimchi Blue

One of the perks of being in a long-term relationship is that you don’t feel the need to look pretty all the time — but my lack of concern for personal hygiene was bordering uncivilized. If this is where I’m at after only three years of dating, imagine the shape I’ll be in twenty years from now!  So I decided to do something about it.

I dug through my closet and found this old silky floral shirt, which was just feminine-enough with the ruffles but not overly so. I chose my leather skirt and boots to toughen things up a little. The outfit was really dark (I’ll admit it, I’m afraid of color), but the bright flowers broke up all the black. Kinda.
 

Boots: H&M

Alright, so maybe Red Robin and our other equally-casual haunts don’t really justify donning a leather skirt. But they certainly justify using a hair brush (at the very least) — and, anyways, it’s all in the name of love right? It’s surprising what just a tiny bit of trying can do for a seasoned couple. We became the better-looking versions of ourselves, which made the whole night seem new and exciting. And excitement is never a bad thing when you already know everything there is to know about your significant other.

 

 
So I propose at least one dress-up date per month. There’s no easier way to break out of a rut!

How do you Lovelies do date night?