make-believe: valentine’s day date.

February 8, 2016

valentine's day date | reading my tea leaves

Announcing your Valentine’s plans to stay in, drink a bottle of red wine, eat pizza, and cozy up with a movie (or lovah) has become nearly as cliché as the bouquet of red roses, the box of chocolates, and the diamonds in a heart-shaped box. Though odds are very much in our favor that we will end up watching a movie in bed and trying not to get crumbs of chocolate on the white sheets, it’s nice to think about a slightly different approach to a Valentine’s Day date (with just enough of business as usual to remember what day it is).

I’m thinking a dreamy day would include:

A morning minute with a bit of body polish for a fresh start.

A turquoise bra and underwear for breaking the mold.

A beautiful hat for staying mysterious.

A leather bag for toting around a boxful of locally made chocolates.

A special little sparkle to keep things festive.

An afternoon spent admiring the male physique at the Dance on Camera Festival.*

magnificent bouquet in the palest peach.

A temporary tattoo, because love might be everlasting but ink doesn’t have to be.

(There’d be clothes and meals and spousal squabbles mixed in there too, but we’re playing pretend, and who has time for those things in the land of make-believe?)

*Photo of Ted Shawn and dancers from The New Yorker. Original image courtesy of the Harvard Theater Collection and Jacob’s Pillow Dance Festival Archives.

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11 Comments

  • Reply Molly February 8, 2016 at 12:17 pm

    I’m reaching out to you not with a criticism but with a request for help! I love your style and the minimalist, simple, chic, slow fashion you promote on your site. I especially love this trend in lingerie and would love to wear any of the things you’ve featured or linked to – cotton, silk, clean lines, strappy and not overly floral or lacey or girly, which doesn’t really feel like me. But there’s a huge disconnect between what sizes and shapes are available in that minimalist style and what’s available for women with larger breasts, like myself. I’m a 30 E or 32DD, depending on the line. There’s been a huge increase in attractive options for women of my size over the past few years (it used to be really, really bad, but labels like chantelle and natori have really stepped up lately with some lacey, pretty, young-feeling options). But still, this new style of minimalist, cotton or basic sheer type bras that you’ve featured are all little bra-lettes with no support. Even though you might not need it – I’d kill for your figure and to be able to wear the teeny bralettes that you and other bloggers can jut throw on – I’d love your thoughts about where women with boobs like myself can shop to find undergarments that fit the kind of style (and the kind of brands we might want to support) on the outside, too. it’s tough out there.

    • Reply Erin Boyle February 8, 2016 at 12:46 pm

      Hi Molly,
      I think it is tough out there. Finding these kinds of minimalist styles with added support for larger busts seems like a conundrum that not a lot of lingerie companies have tackled (or triumphed over) yet. If I learn of any advancements on that front, I’ll let you know.
      E.

      • Reply Molly February 8, 2016 at 7:31 pm

        Thank you so much for your thoughtful reply. I hope the industry does catch up with where many of us are.

        As a fellow tiny-apartment dweller in Brooklyn, I really love your blog, and your style!

        • Reply Erin Boyle February 8, 2016 at 8:14 pm

          Of course! Sincere hopes always that there are options that make everyone happy. At the risk of sounding tone deaf, I can’t help myself but to say that the struggle does indeed go both ways. Until I found some of these more minimalist options in the past year or two, I’d been told for most of my adult life that I’d have to resort to wearing juniors training bras since stores didn’t carry cup sizes for my diminutive chest. Sadly, I think we live in a culture where women are often made to feel bad about their boobs whether they’re too big or too small. Solidarity in any case!

    • Reply Sarah February 8, 2016 at 1:57 pm

      I wonder if any lingerie makers on Etsy offer a wider range of sizes, for all figures? Or, if not, if any would be open to custom requests? Just a thought 🙂

    • Reply lilly February 8, 2016 at 5:28 pm

      I know it’s not lingerie, but there’s a swimsuit line up here in Canada called Nettle’s Tale that deals with that specifically – they have a great range of sizes and are all about the support! They’re also super friendly and connected to progressive, minimalist fashion, so it might be worth dropping them a note? I don’t have their website on hand, but if you google Nettle’s Tale swimsuits in Vancouver you should be able to find them!

    • Reply Emilie February 8, 2016 at 5:40 pm

      Molly, I am sympathetic to your comment. I have a daughter with large breasts and she has difficulties, too. Here are a few links I found, I don’t know if you’ve seen them or not.
      Emilie

      http://www.amazon.com/Majamas-DM01377-Organic-Easy-Bra/dp/B003Z3GYDG

      http://www.sweetnothingsnyc.com/2012/06/20/beating-the-heat-all-or-mostly-cotton-bras/

      http://store.rawganique.com/Organic-Cotton-Cami-Bra-Top-p/a140.htm

    • Reply Rita Tocta February 9, 2016 at 8:07 am

      Hi Molly, I subscribe Sarah’s comment, do try Etsy.com . Probably you’ll have to browse through a lot of shops that don’t serve all women BUT I’m sure I’ve already seen a couple of shops handmade, fairtrade, cute cute underwear shops with all sizes! I agree with Erin, it may not seem like it but the struggle goes both ways. For years I wore two lovely lace bralets from the 70s from my mother because I couldn’t find any thing elegant, simple and I didn’t “fill” 🙂 the standart at lingerie shops and when I did it wasn’t my style!

      On another note, I loooove the hat!

  • Reply LITTERLESS February 8, 2016 at 12:53 pm

    Two thumbs up on this color palette, Erin! Way better than that cloying red/pink thing, though that has its place too. Happy Valentine’s to you and yours!

  • Reply Mara Robinson February 11, 2016 at 2:44 am

    I just love this modern take on Valentiens day. I It is so much more romantic and real, much more appealing than the cliche , commercial variety.
    Thanks for helping me fall back in love with Valentine’s Day.
    Mara X

  • Reply Charlotte February 13, 2016 at 9:18 am

    Agree on the palette and did anyone else notice how similar it is to Erin’s (utterly beautiful) wedding photo in the previous post? Classy.

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