There's a lot to consider when it comes to the perfect Valentine's Day date night look. From being just the right amount of alluring, to leaving plenty of room for a romantic feast, it can be tricky nailing the look.
With this in mind, Jennifer Zamparelli called in Dancing with the Stars stylist and overall chic lady Fiona Fagan to share her tips for dressing for romance.
Despite working with Fagan every week as one of the DWTS presenters, this marked the stylist's first time on Jen's radio show, making it a true red letter day.
Speaking about dressing Jen and Doireann Garrihy, Fagan said it was "a lot of pressure" and "every week I just want to make it better and better".
"When I was thinking, we have 22 looks, so 11 for you and 11 for Doireann. That is a lot of outfits for our small city like Dublin that doesn't have a load and load of shops. It's not like London."
This explains why some of the looks come from overseas brands. "When you see something on TV it's all about the fabric, structure, it has to work with the lighting, so it does have to be good quality", Fagan said.
Sexiness is a key element in many of the looks Fagan pulls for the girls, which makes her highly qualified for advising listeners on date night looks. "We should not be ashamed of that. This is something we should all embrace. When women feel sexy, they feel confident."
When it comes to embracing your seductive side, Fagan's first suggestion is a "power trouser suit". "I think that can look so chic and sexy. It doesn't need to be really expensive, they're everywhere on the high street as well as expensive brands. With a little cami underneath, a pair of heels, that could just work really really well."
What goes underneath is especially important for Fagan, but not for the reason you might assume: "I actually can't leave the house without matching underwear", she told Jen.
"I used to be a fit model, which is like a fittings model for brands like All Saints, Victoria Beckham, Burberry. So basically I was like a human mannequin."
Designers who fit outfits to her measurements, which meant Fagan was constantly putting on and taking off clothes. "I felt dirty if I didn't have matching underwear on because I was looking at myself semi-naked all the time so I had to have really nice underwear on because it made me feel good!"
Leave it to Jen to ask the salient question: what was the most expensive pair of underwear Fagan ever bought? The answer: La Perla, bought by an ex-boyfriend a number of years ago, which cost €250.
"But I was so annoyed because he didn't get me a bra! I was like, what?! I wear matching underwear, why would you do this to me?!"
She added that it also makes you feel that little bit sexier, which doesn't hurt. This goes for shapewear, too.
As for the guys, Fagan said that for her personally brown shoes are an instant ick. "I don't know why. Brown shoes with denim jeans, baggy fitted."
Denim lovers, don't be disheartened: "I love a guy in double denim", Fagan added. "I think a denim shirt looks great on guys. It's casual but can be smart."
When dressing for a date, Fagan says don't overcomplicate it: a fitted pair of jeans, trainers, a t-shirt and jacket. "Casual cool."
And the underwear? "Well-fitting", she quipped.
To listen to the full interview, click above.
