This post brought to you in partnership with Nordstrom and Shopstyle–of course, all opinions are VERY much my own!
Happy Monday from California!
How was your weekend?
I’ve been visiting one of my besties in San Diego this weekend, and then it’s on to San Francisco today! Neal is there for work for the week, and I decided to take advantage of the comped hotel and go along with him. 😉I LOVE San Francisco so I’m so thrilled for an excuse to be back!
Today on the blog I am excited to be teaming up with Nordstrom to share an [under $50!] winter dress that you will LOVE. I know you guys are always looking for date night looks, and when I saw this dress, I knew it would be perfect not just for date NIGHT, but for a date DAY, too! Whether you’re going to dinner, a concert, brunch or even a mid-workday coffee date––I’m sharing four ways to style it for any kind of date-ish occasion.
More about the dress: The star of today’s show!! It’s by Leith, which is one of my favorite Nordstrom brands! They always have cute, affordable, and versatile pieces that are typically VERY comfortable. They also make a lot of their items in both straight and plus sizes, which I am so so happy to see!
Honorable mention: THESE BOOTIES! (Which I wore in two of the four looks below) I’m going to need to do a whole review of them, honestly, but guess who makes them? BLONDO! They are *waterproof leather pointed low-heeled toe Chelsea booties* (!!!)
They are comfy (at least initially–I haven’t had the chance to walk for miles in them yet) and the low heel and pointed toe make them really easy to dress up–so they go with everything! I’m definitely throwing these in my suitcase for my upcoming trip––they’ll be perfect for San Francisco and also my girls weekend in Nashville! I haven’t been able to wear them for an extended period of time but I will definitely give them a thorough breaking in this week and will keep you posted.
We’ll get into ALL the outfit details in a second–but I do want to do a quick call-out of ALL the reasons I love shopping at Nordstrom:
1. Free shipping and returns. On everything, ALL the time.
2. EASY returns–they don’t have some annoying two week return window that you always miss! (So I don’t have to worry about making it downtown to try something on––I know if it doesn’t work, I can ship it back for free!!)
3. Amazing services like curbside pickup and free basic alterations.
4. Nordy Club rewards––you earn what is essentially “cash back” in the form of “Nordstrom notes” with every purchase! It’s the best!
Basically…you get it. I LOVE NORDSTROM. 😂 Did you guys know they also have curated categories for any occasion?! You can find/shop more date night outfit inspiration here!
…Now, let’s get into our date outfit ideas, shall we!?
4 DATE NIGHT OUTFIT IDEAS
4 DATE NIGHT OUTFIT IDEAS
For a concert:
Dress, Similar belt, Similar jacket, Booties
This look is perfect for an occasion where you want to be casual but cute. Add a little bit of trendy edge with a moto jacket, and the booties, like I already mentioned, make it the perfect amount of “dressed up” without trying too hard. They add the “look and feel” of heels without the uncomfortable height factor!
Tip: Adding a belt will help not only make the outfit more interesting, but further define your waist when you’re wearing a boxier top layer (which tends to hide your waist!)
For cocktails:
Dress, Similar booties, Similar belt.
Arguably the most classic and straightforward way to wear this dress, but an animal print bootie adds the perfect amount of “pop” (Along with a bold red lip, of course. 😉) This is likely the way I will wear this dress most often––it’s perfect for cocktails, dinner downtown–it’s sexy without being too much, and form-fitting without making you feel like you’re going to the club. 😂
For a “straight from work” date:
Dress, Similar belt, Similar blazer, Gucci loafers (the best dupes here!)
I can’t say I have experience in the ‘straight from the office to a date’ department (😂) but a lot of you have mentioned to me you struggle with what to wear to work knowing you have to go straight from the office to a date. Well, I present to you: A SOLUTION! Throw a blazer on over this dress and add a polished touch with some loafers, and it’s perfect for the office. This look is great as-is for a coffee date, but if you’re going out for drinks, you can totally swap for booties!
For a weekend daytime date:
Dress, Booties, Similar belt, Beret
Last but not least–another awkward date occasion dilemma: the weekend afternoon date. This is the PERFECT thing to wear to brunch, lunch, to a museum, wine tasting–whatever! (In fact, a museum is the BEST afternoon date idea ever. Highly recommend a day at the Art Institute!) This outfit is daytime appropriate while still showing off your curves in a classy way. 😉
FEATURED ITEMS IN THIS POST:
FEATURED ITEMS IN THIS POST:
Leith LBD: (Under $50!)
When I saw this dress on Nordstrom.com I knew it would be a hit! (It also has amazing reviews!!) It’s so versatile (as you can see here) and it’s so incredibly soft! I also like that it isn’t too short, and that you can also play around with scrunching it up in case you want to make it shorter, or pull it fully down to make it longer!
Blondo Elvina Booties:
I just got these new Blondo booties in and it was love at first sight! the low heel and pointed toe make them really easy to dress up–so they go with everything! And, the best part–they’re waterproof!!
Moto jacket:
One of the few wardrobe staples you will truly wear year-round is a moto jacket. They are so versatile, look cute with everything, and are easy to layer over dresses, tops, and under warmer wool coats. They are what I would describe as a “date night outfit” holy grail! I have acquired several over the years and BLANKNYC is my favorite brand for suede moto jackets. They are really well made and look and feel way more expensive than they actually are! Nordstrom has so many different kinds! (They run TTS in my experience!)
Loafers:
I always recommend two pairs of loafers: The Gucci convertible loafers (I wear size 37.5 and I’m usually a US 8 for size reference) and Sam Edelman loafers (which are great dupes! Run TTS) Both are AMAZINGLY comfortable and perfect for the way I styled my loafers here! Pairing the dress with loafers and a blazer is a great way to make it work for a more professional environment.
Berets!
My favorite berets–I own them in several colors! It’s no secret that I love a good beret. Not only does it make your outfit instantly stylish, but let’s call it like it is––it’s also an amazing way to stretch your hair further in between washes. 😜
Longline cardigan:
I LOVE a good longline cardigan. The one I’m wearing here is one I got as part of the Nordstrom sale earlier this year, but this Leith version is so similar and looks identical! One easy way to create an interesting outfit is to experiment with proportions, so a longline sweater doesn’t just keep you warm, it makes your outfit more stylish, too! (Especially when paired with a dress with a hemline shorter than the cardigan–like you see here!)
Plaid blazer:
I love a good plaid blazer and Nordstrom has a ton of really cute options! For a look similar to this one, I would recommend getting one that is more of a boyfriend fit, because it’s more versatile/on-trend vs a more fitted, shorter blazer, that is harder to style outside of the office!
I hope this gave you some great outfit inspiration for your next date–no matter what the occasion!
Huge thank you to Nordstrom–one of my favorite retailers for your incredible ongoing support and partnership! And thanks to YOU, my girls, for supporting the brands that help keep this blog up and running!
