It’s A Date | A Bit of Edge

Welcome back from the long weekend! Was it a good one? We were fortunate to spend time with my parents as well as our dear friends and neighbors. And I could get used to a three day weekend. Boy is it nice to have one extra day to spend time as a family.

Well, as most of you long time readers know, my husband and I have made weekly date nights a priority ever since we got married. It became even more important to us after we had children and saw the value in spending dedicated time together. We firmly believe in fostering a strong, healthy marriage so that when life inevitably throws it’s unexpected twists and turns, it is easier to navigate them as a team. My dear friend, Megan, has been encouraging me to create a date night series for as long as I can remember. Well, I am finally taking her advice and planning to feature a date night look as well as ideas for spending time together. I tend to mix things up around here so some looks will be dressy and some casual. Hopefully it will provide inspiration for you to pull some fun new looks from your own closet and get your date on!

You may recognize this dress. I have it in black, too. I sort of love it. It’s so so comfortable. When I wear it, I feel like I am wearing pajamas. The style of it is really cute with flats and sandals for summer.  I kept things monochromatic this week with just a pop of red on my lips. You could easily add color by adding a fun necklace or a pop of color clutch. Sometimes I like the lip color to be the only dose of color.

photos via taylor cole

This is the same chevron necklace I have been wearing so much lately. I like how dainty it is which is a nice contrast with the edgier heels and handbag. And at $16 it’s been a great investment. I have talked about fold over clutches before. . .they are genius. They are just far roomier than a traditional clutch and I like that because I take my big wallet from my daytime purse and just drop it inside the clutch for the night. So much easier. And there is still room for my phone and lipstick.

No date night is complete without the selfie. Kudos to my husband for putting up with me. And for the record, the style photos are not taken on date night but I will always be wearing the same look. We discovered a long time ago that it’s best so snap photos on a different day so we can fully enjoy the night out. This past week we met some friends out for dinner and drinks at a local spot called Dublin 4. We had the best time with you guys, Stephanie and Kevin!!! Darling atmosphere with a menu that boasts yummy traditional Irish fare and more. If you are local and can pop in, I highly recommend the chef’s flatbread {he prepares a different one weekly}. If he is serving up the one with arugula, blue cheese and fingerling potatoes . . . order it! It’s fantastic.

While we normally reserve date night for just the two of us, there is something to be said for double date. We so enjoyed one another’s company and could have talked for hours.

Date Night Hot Spot: We always appreciate a cute place with great design. Dublin 4 does not disappoint.

Thought it would be fun to share one of our date night traditions on the blog, too. Ryan and I are huge believers in communication and always keeping the dialogue going. Each time we go out, one of us comes up with an interesting question. It’s always on the fly and usually sparks a million different conversations. I thought I would share each week’s question in case you want to do the same.

Date Night Question of the Week: Where do you see us in five years? What does life look like?

Have you thought about that recently? Just an interesting way to start thinking about the goals you might set today. What’s the vision you have for five years down the road?

dress | heels |  jacket | handbag | necklace | sunglasses |  lip color {mac red}

One last look at this week’s date night look. This grey dress is so versatile and would be cute with any pop of color. I also love the gray because it will look super cute with casual white Converse tennis shoes.  I’ve had all of these pieces in my wardrobe {with the exception of the dress} for quite some time. Great staples that have been worn a zillion times. I’ve had this faux leather jacket for years. One day I may spring for a the real thing. But it’s been a great staple that instantly adds a bit of edge to an outfit. This one received great reviews and is an awesome price. I love wearing my leather jacket with a lace dress or lace top. I love the contrast.

Date Night Style: Shop the Look

We also believe that you don’t have to necessarily go out for date night. Sometimes the budget will not permit or you may not have found a  trusted sitter yet. We spend many evenings in and did so even more when our children were quite young. Even if you don’t go out on the town, setting aside a dedicated date night can be life changing. We hope these posts will inspire you to take some time out to just enjoy one another.

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