The simple trick to make any outfit date-night-friendly
If you’re in need of a shot of sex appeal, may I suggest baring a shoulder? Just one of course, no need to go wild; it is only February after all. But this is an easy way to elevate your look into something date-night-friendly, without going OTT.
We’ve seen it on the catwalk at Chanel, Emilia Wickstead and Dior – all labels that have an innate elegance – and on the red carpet this awards season, courtesy of Emma Stone and Reese Witherspoon among others.
But this look can also be embraced by the rest of us, whether your Valentine’s plans are an extravagant night out, or an evening on the sofa with an M&S dine-in-for-two deal.
A bare shoulder is sexy without showing a huge amount of skin. You don’t need to wax, shave or go on a crash diet (nobody needs that, ever, for the record). Just let that strap slip off and voilà, instant allure. And before you try to tell me about your bingo wings, nobody will notice, I promise. The shoulder, a part of your body that’s never really affected by age, will be the focal point.
A draped shoulder top, ￡88, from Reiss, and a midi dress, ￡59.99, from Mango
If you’re really self-conscious, there are plenty of options that conceal the rest of the upper arm on the exposed side, like the Reiss top and Mango dress above.
Bra choice is important, but not as complicated as you might imagine. A strapless one is ideal; if you don’t have that, a well-fitting regular bra will suffice, just tuck the exposed strap out of sight. Any bra fitter will tell you that the band, not the straps, should be doing the heavy lifting anyway.
To make the outfit really sing, “fake tan is your friend, it makes everything look more toned”, advises beauty editor Lucia Ferrari. “Try Tan-Luxe’s The Butter for a lovely natural look, or By Terry’s Tea to Tan Face & Body spray, which gives you an instant glow.”
It doesn’t matter if you have no intention of celebrating Valentine’s Day, either. The cold shoulder makes for fabulous dinner-party dressing at any time of year, since all the drama is up top. Add statement earrings, plus a smoky eye or a red lip, and you’ll raise the temperature effortlessly – no thermostat required.
Try these
Satin top, ￡65, from & Other Stories; viscose blend top, ￡295, Camilla & Marc
Lyocell dress, ￡163, from 12Storeez; linen dress, ￡289,from Faithfull The Brand at Net-a-Porter
Organic cotton ribbed tank, ￡170, Agolde at Net-a-Porter; jersey top, ￡34, Baukjen
Satin dress, ￡298, Reformation at Matches Fashion; modal blend top, ￡39, Ro&Zo
More inspiration...
