February is For Lovers

Alright fellas, this post is for you. Valentine's Day is approaching and you may or may not be hard pressed for ideas. We have to hand it to you -- it must be hard thinking of something fun and interesting to do every single year, when expectations run so high. While what constitutes romance varies based on your relationship style, here are some solid ideas for you this Valentine's Day, most of which are experiences you can enjoy together:

We're not going to lie, we have Black Swan fever... so chances are your gal does too. An amazingly romantic Valentine's Day present would to check out a beautiful ballet performance. The New York City Ballet is currently performing Swan Lake, but our guess is that tickets will be limited at this point.  If you can find tickets though, and are willing to sit through the whole performance (which is beautiful), you will be man of the year!

Ice skating can be incredibly romantic, especially if you can find an outdoor venue. There's nothing sweeter than circling the rink, holding hands, while gazing adoringly at one another. It's also a pretty budget friendly activity. All you need is some hot chocolate to make it a perfectly romantic evening.

A weekend getaway to a bed and breakfast is a perfect way to spend your Valentine's Day, especially as it still falls on the end of a long weekend. Pick out a cute, picturesque town where you can engage in some fun, outdoor activities and cuddle up to a blazing fire every night.

On a similar note, take advantage of the long weekend and go away snowboarding. This is how we plan on spending our Valentine's weekend - hitting the slopes and spend

ing our nights cuddling in the lodge. We get that this is a much more expensive way to spent Valentine's Day, but we're guessing a splurge like this means no gifts involved? Maybe...

A timeless and incredibly sweet Valentine's Day tradition is to make a romantic meal at home. Whether you make it together, or surprise your date with a beautiful spread, this is a very intimate way to spend your evening. You avoid the frantic rush to get a reservation on the big night, and you can plan around your budget. And please don't forget a dessert... chocolate covered strawberries are delicious and easy!

A fun way to cook together is to take a cooking class together! Make it a one-night thing, or sign up for a few classes together, and taste the fruits of your labor! Also, when choosing a class, think of what would be fun for you to do together. A sushi making class would be perfect for sushi lovers, or you can stick to desserts only if you girl has a sweet tooth. Or, maybe you'd like a dance class or wine tasting..whatever you end up doing, this will surely be a Valentine's Day to remember.

Or, if you prefer to give a tangible gift then this one would be for your.  Of course, there's nothing wrong with the traditional Valentine's Day that involves dinner at a fancy restaurant, a bouquet of red roses, and a box of chocolates. But you can show your softer side by writing her an old fashioned love letter. For inspiration, check out the book featured in Sex and the City, which features letters written by Lord Byron, Napoleon, Shakespeare, and Tolstoy, to name a few. Nothing is more romantic than hearing your guy list all the ways he loves you on paper!



 Time to sweep her off her feet!



XOXO,



Jen & Saira

Vivienne Westwood designs Comic Relief tees!

Hi guys,
This morning I was up super-early to head to the TKMaxx store at Charing Cross. Why was I up so early, I hear you cry? Well to see the new Comic Relief Tshirts, which have been designed by Vivienne Westwood, of course! There's not a lot that will get me out of bed before 8am, but Vivienne Westwood and doing my bit for charity saw me in Central London earlier than I have ever been before. Luckily I was greeted with juice and fruit which had me perked up and ready to admire the tees in no time:

I might be biased because am a massive Blackadder fan (Like the big geeks we are, Mike and I have the box set and know half the episodes off by heart) but I think the designs are awesome. They look cool, eyecatching, wearable: with jeans and sandals one of these could because my lazy Sunday afternoon go-to.

Here are just a couple of the designs:



As well as the Vivienne Westwoods tees, TKMaxx are also selling Comic Relief bags and scarfs by Liberty. Look really closely and you'll see the noses in the print! I really loved these because, more so than the tees, you'll be able to use them long after red nose day:

So why not use your shopping powers for good, not evil? At least £5 from the sale of each £9.99 Tshirt goes to Comic Relief: that's a massive proportion in comparison to other charity ranges. And if you don't really give a damn about charity? Well, they're really lovely looking Tshirts, and less than a tenner for something designed by Vivienne Westwood is a steal!

Love, Tor xx

PS - I will be announcing the winner of the BrandAlley competition tonight - watch this space to see if it's you!

Color Day: Be My Valentine (Red & Pink)

Last week, our color day focused on shades of pink.  This week, we will add in a bit of red (and lots of hearts!) to give it that super Valentine's Day feel. We generally avoid wearing these colors together any other time because, well, they just look like Valentine's Day. So, with that, this is about the only time of year that we consider it truly acceptable. But, regardless of what we think, these colors are romantic and traditional and, when combined, give things an overall happy and delightful feel that we can't help but enjoy.

Valentine's Day Red, Pink, and White Color Inspiration Board

Images from: ThePathLessTraveled, Nella Designs, Wedding Cabaret, The Slightly Obsessive Bride, Elizabeth Anne Designs, The Perfect Palette, Wed Loft, All Women Stalk, Cactus Creek

    XOXO

     Jen & Saira