Cheryl Shops

Happy February! After what felt like a years-long January, I'm happy for many reasons: I've started a new job, my birthday is now 28 days away, and restaurants and salons are once again open in San Francisco, which means unless something catastrophic happens in the next two weeks, we'll actually be able to go out to celebrate Valentines's Day. Now, normally I'm a cook-a--romantic-meal-at-home kind of person on Valentine's Day—when you go to a restaurant, the meal is usually overpriced, the service horrible, and I always end up seated next to a couple who's either fighting or not speaking the entire time—however, cooking at home is nearly all I've been doing for the last year, so bring on the prix fixe menu and the annoyed waitstaff. At this point, I'll eat a hot dog wrapped in paper as long as I don't have to cook it or clean up after myself. (And, yes, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge that I am fortunate to be able to afford enough food to eat, much less be able to order it from a restaurant, and as much as I'm complaining right now, I am very thankful for everything.) Luckily we have fancy outdoor brunch reservations for Valentine's Day, so in a return to semi-normal, here's what I'll be wearing. 

Red is a color that I've always loved (and I think I look pretty decent in), but the older I get, the more powerful it feels to wear it. It's more of a special-occasion color or a "when I'm feeling it" color, and I know Valentine's Day is a really obvious time to wear red, but hey, it is the color of passion. And I'm passionate about going out to eat. ;) You last saw this Everlane cashmere crewneck sweater in my review of direct-to-consumer cashmere brands, and in case you don't want to read that entire post, I've had this one for awhile and it's okay, but Everlane's cashmere isn't as soft as it used to be. (I am, however, impressed with the quality of the color—it hasn't faded at all.) It's $100, which is reasonable for a cashmere sweater, but I'd recommend Naadam's $75 version instead. If you do go with Everlane, definitely size up—I'm wearing a medium and it's still a bit snug on me. For $100 they have to skimp somewhere, and that's unfortunately in the fit. 

 

If I were going to an indoor restaurant, I'd probably wear a dress on Valentine's Day, but since we're eating outdoors, I figured a cashmere sweater and skirt with tights was a safer bet. (Again, I'd like to take a moment to acknowledge how fortunate I am, this time for living in a place where I can eat outside in February, albeit somewhat bundled up. I do, however, pay taxes out the nose, so there's that.) I liked how the pattern of this IRO silk skirt looked against the red sweater, and overall, this skirt just feels very feminine and flirty, thanks to the airy silk fabric and the ruffles. I've managed to occasionally wear this one (you last saw it in an all-secondhand look) in spite of not getting dressed up much in the last year, which is a testament to how much I like it. This skirt is several seasons old, but I've linked a similar style below; it runs true to size (I'm in my usual French 38). 

The weather in February could be bone-chillingly cold or a bright and pleasant 68 degrees, but I like to err on the side of caution and bring a warm coat just in case. You last saw this Zara jacket with my lockdown 2.0 outfit but coincidentally, I also wore it in last year's Valentine's Day post, which, yes, we shot in the exact same location. (Location rut? What location rut?) As I've said before, I love this jacket because it can go totally casual or can make something dressed-up look cooler, so I felt that it worked with the whole French bohemian coquette thing I had going on here. And if it's too warm for outdoor dining, I can always drape it over the back of my chair. This is a Zara style from last year, but I've linked a similar version below. 

 

I thought about wearing actual high heels with this outfit, and after I had a good laugh, I put on my trusty Chloé Susanna boots (you last saw them with faux-leather Spanx). As you can probably tell from the close-up, I've had these boots for years, and while they haven't been getting as much wear as they normally do by this time of winter, it's never too late. They do feel a bit fancier than my regular boots, thanks to all the hardware, and while they're not a classically sexy shoe, they do have a bit of rock-and-roll sexiness to them. (And I do know that Sean likes them, not that I'm dressing for him, but I kind of am a little.) Plus, it goes back to the notion that sexiness isn't necessarily pouring  yourself into a little black dress and stilettos; it's wearing something that makes you feel good and confident and thus sexy. And while at this point that's anything but sweatpants and slippers, I'm happy with how this outfit came together. 

OUTFIT DETAILS: Zara jacket (similar here) | Everlane cashmere crew | IRO skirt (current version here) | Chloé Suzanna boots