How to look your best for Valentine's Day

Love is in the air, or at least it will be, in a few days from now. And you can fearlessly profess your love for that stunning girl in your gym. Finally, a girl can get away from her work station and walk confidently to the other cubicle, flash her sweet smile and ask that shy guy from client servicing out to dinner. Valentine’s Day is the perfect day to finally say it all. And for those lucky ones who already have a special someone, the nervous excitement is doubled.

Of course, you want to look your best, and of course, there is anxiety, but banish all the butterflies away from your tummy and stop hyperventilating. All you need to do is keep a few things in mind and you’re set.

Now, girls, first things first: figure out where you’re going. You don’t want to be wined and dined in your flip-flops and shorts, or even worse, end up in stilettos and a sexy tube dress, for a barbecue. If you know where you’re going a couple of days in advance, you could shortlist a few outfits. Some advice: try them out before the day; you know how a missing button or a few extra pounds can cause panic at the last moment.

If you’re going clubbing, dress adventurously. If you have it in you to pull it off, wear something wild, like maybe golden pencil pants. Wear crazy colors like purple or fuscia to make a statement and accessorize with attention-grabbing jewelry. Doing something crazy always brings out your best. If it’s a candle-light dinner, wear a classic little black dress with minimal jewelry. A romantic home-cooked meal coupled with a favorite rented movie, warrants something lounge-ish like loose, black silk pants with a vintage top or a flirty floral dress. If you’re meeting friends, which, by the way, you shouldn’t be, dress up your favorite blue jeans with a sequinned top. If it’s a surprise and he won’t tell you where you’re going, play along, but politely inquire about the dress code.

As for the guys, keep it simple. Please shower, please use cologne, please wear clean clothes, and that does not mean wearing the same thing that you wore last night and the day before because the jeans were piled on the floor and the shirt was at an arm's distance. Go for the studied, casual look if you’re doing something informal, but the sure winner is going all the way in a formal suit. You don’t have to be Einstein to figure out why girls are suckers for men in suits. It also tells her how much thought and effort you put into this. Do something special that she’s always wanted you to do, like getting rid of the stubble or losing the earring that she hates.

All women know how it helps to plan ahead and go to the salon a few days in advance. Time it right to get a facial and everything else plucked and waxed just a few days before the big day. Get a haircut or trim a week in advance. This gives enough time to do some damage control if your stylist tried something horrendous on you.

The metrosexual man thing is a little old now but it wouldn’t hurt the guys to get a few things done here and there. Like, if your feet look tired, you could try a pedicure. No, it is perfectly normal and acceptable. Beckham does it and so can you. It’s just as good or as bad as trimming your nasal hair. Yes, please also trim your nasal hair.

Indulge yourself. Buy an expensive new dress or that clutch you’ve been eyeing. Rent a tuxedo. Making yourself feel special for the big day is a definite way of looking confident and spectacular.

Get enough sleep before the big night, so that you’re fresh and attentive. In fact, take a nice nap just before the evening. Sleep is cumulative and it helps to catch up on it a few hours before your big date. Many late nights just before the big day will leave you looking haggard and you’ll have to contribute to the conversation on autopilot.

If you’ve always had a target of losing a few pounds and never started, begin now. Fixing a deadline always helps. And what better day than Valentine’s Day. Motivate yourself by saying that you will lose two inches by Valentine's Day. Apart from getting close to your ideal weight, one of the most immediate results will be a healthy glow on your face.

Avoid eating anything that makes you bloated, like beans, cabbage, peas, broccoli, cucumber, water-melon, eggs, carbonated drinks, etc. Also included in the list of things not to eat just before, are garlic, onions, mayonnaise and pickles. You don’t want to spend the night covering your mouth and talking, do you?

So now when the big day is here and you’re all dressed up, there’s only one thing to do—go out and have a good time. Now is not the time to wonder or be insecure. Put away those negative thoughts in a little imaginary blue bottle and screw the cork tight. Step out in style to have the time of your life!