Lola Looks: Date Night at the Winter Rose Garden
Disclaimer: I do not own images of the venue, but all the images of myself are original.
Cold weather unveils the perfect atmosphere for a date night. Not only is it reminiscent to your favorite amorous holidays like Christmas, New Year, and of course Valentine’s Day, it’s the perfect opportunity to get closer to your partner whether inside or outside. While it’s still cold, never forget to take a break from all the chaos going on in your lives, get dressed up, go out, or stay in. Do whatever makes you happy and strengthens that bond.
This year, if you were like me, you didn’t get to officially celebrate Valentine’s Day. With my work schedule and other life happenings, it just wasn’t a possibility. Here we are a month later, and I’m making up for those Valentine’s Day feels at The Winter Rose Garden in The Dream Hotel Downtown. Dubbed one of the most Instagrammable hotels in NYC, The Winter Rose Garden is the hotel’s first holiday pop-up where they transformed The Lobby Bar into an oasis enriched with 15,000 red roses. Swanky leather couches, and gold accents lead to a rose encased bar while dimmed, glowing lighting highlights a breathtaking rose-covered wall. The bar features a special food and beverage menu that compliments the garden’s ambiance. I’ve had my eyes set on visiting this pop-up since it opened in January. I’m happy they extended the exhibition long enough for me to get to experience it.
When dressing for a date, yes, you want to keep in mind what may be appealing to your date. More importantly, you want to dress for yourself. Wear what makes you feel your best. Being 100 percent comfortable, starting from the inside will reflect on the outside, assuring nothing will get in the way of enjoying each other’s company.
Secondly, the details of the date will obviously have an impact on what you wear. For instance, seeing pictures of The Winter Rose Garden gave me an idea of the atmosphere of the venue. The roses and lighting show substance of romance and elegance. However, it is still in a bar setting. So when planning my outfit I knew not to go all out wearing a dress or something fancy that would be more appropriate for a dinner party. Elevated casual attire would be perfect for an upscale bar scene. A stunning blouse, figure-complimenting denim, and heels of choice, is my personal favorite and will never let you down.
What comes to mind when I think of roses and romance? Champagne always completes the mood; This was the inspiration for my color scheme. I knew the venue would be dim with a red overcast, and I wanted to keep my attire light and clean. My cream, satin top brought the right amount of richness I was looking for. Meanwhile the softness of the fabric molded to my body accentuating the open-back detail of the blouse. My jeans were a light washed, dad fit denim that hugged at the hips, but fell to a tapered straight leg that was tasteful. The ripped knees added a sense of flair and kept the look youthful and modern
Moving on to the shoes and accessories, the weather was just nice enough to show off my freshly done pedicure. I decided on a contrasting black lace up wedge with a snake print heel to create interest. Jewelry was kept simple with a few gold rings and oversized gold hoops. My favorite piece from the ensemble was the khaki wide-brim hat that I had my eye on for a while before actually purchasing it. This style of hat is one of my favorite fall accessories, and I feel the color and texture helped tie everything together. Lastly, the look wouldn’t be complete without my signature red lip to play off of the room.
At the end of the day, romance is whatever you make of it, and a date can range from a lavish dinner at a top restaurant to a chill night of watching your favorite movies together and eating takeout. Wear what you feel good in no matter what the plans are. You are beautiful, and the odds are that your date will love it because you are at your most confident, happy, and able to be yourself.
