5 Ways to Romance Your Man on Valentine’s Day

Posted by Vicky Lane Categories: Advice, Editorials, How To, Humor, Marriage, Relationships, Sex

As I’ve said before, guys just aren’t allowed to ignore Valentine’s Day.  First of all, it’s advertised everywhere in every store you could possibly shop in. Secondly, the retailers make it ridiculously easy for men to pick something up for us.  Whether it’s a heart shaped box filled with chocolates, some silly stuffed animal, or a bouquet of flowers, guys have it easy.  But what about us? What the hell do we get for our husband, boyfriend, or friend who is male? Candy?  Sure, but that’s not very original and maybe you’re like me and have been buying Valentine’s chocolate all week.  If I do buy Husband a cutesy stuffed animal I can’t expect that to be the only gift.  He’ll take one look at it and toss it to the cat.  And flowers?  For men?  I don’t think so. We may as well buy ourselves the bouquet of our choice.

So we know, for the most part, Valentine’s Day is really a test for men to see how romantic they can be.  But I still like to return the gesture.  I may be a taker but I love to give just as much.  And as cheesy as Valentine’s Day really is, I think men want to be romanced just as much as we do.

Here are some “gift” ideas that I think men will appreciate this Saturday.

1. Be Sexy

Ok this one is obvious and probably the one thing he really (really) wants.  If you’re like me, you have a drawer full of sexy lingerie that pretty much stays there most of the time. Maybe I’ll buy something new but then again, will he even notice if it’s new?  Probably not.  If you wanted to actually buy a gift to offer while looking hot, a basket of intimate “bedroom” products is a sure thing.  Sex is really all men want most of the time so giving him what he wants is your best bet.

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Why Guys Can’t Ignore Valentine’s Day

Posted by Vicky Lane Categories: Advice, Editorials, Humor, Marriage, Relationships, Sex

No matter how silly and ultimately meaningless this “hallmark holiday” is, every girl hopes that someone will acknowledge her on Valentine’s Day.  When I was a single girl, I dreaded Valentine’s Day (and most holidays for that matter). But like most single girls, I still hoped and prayed that some secret admirer would send me flowers, candy, or some cute stuffed bear wearing a red tee shirt with some cheesy phrase like “be mine” on it . Hey, I’d even settle for a card.  I just wanted something that day. Just to feel loved, appreciated, alive. And sometimes I would get something. There are some sensitive gems out there that are willing to play along.  I had a male boss who always brought a single pink rose to every woman in the office as a gesture of appreciation. And of course there’s Dad.  Even a Garfield or Snoopy card from Dad could cheer me up on a day that depressed the hell out of me.

I think the majority of men think Valentine’s Day is just plain stupid.  But the bottom line is no matter how cool the girl plays it, she is most likely desperate for some offering on this day. She’s actually waiting and waiting for that moment to happen. When the delivery man comes to her desk at work with a huge monstrosity of roses, instead of passing her by and delivering to her neighbor, she is completely elated. Having flowers delivered may seem overboard for some guys but if she works in an office environment with a ton of women, you best be sending flowers.  And mind you they don’t have to be roses.  If you ask a woman what her favorite flower is chances are it’s not a rose.  Whatever the flower arrangement is though, the worst thing that can happen is being surrounded by bouquets that aren’t for you.  Even if you have a night out planned, send the flowers!  You’ll have a much better evening if you do. (In order to make this even easier for you, here’s a ProFlowers coupon for 20% off any order + free vase - or you can enter to win one of five $70 ProFlowers gift certificates we are giving away, just in time for Valentine’s Day.)

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Style Yourself Successful: Four looks that show you how

Posted by Katie Gutierrez Painter Categories: Advice, Editorials, Entertainment, Fashion, How To, Humor

I have an unstylish little secret: Since I work from home, it’s not unusual for my husband to arrive in the afternoon and see me in the same clothes I woke up in that morning. In fact, yesterday he came home early and caught me in my pajamas, on the couch, cup of coffee in hand and watching the end of a Lifetime drama. It was three p.m. “I swear, I didn’t just wake up, and I haven’t been doing this all day!” I announced before I’d even said hello. My immediately defensiveness wasn’t because I thought he’d judge me. It was because I was kinda judging myself a little. What am I , I thought, some slobby kid home from college for the holidays? No. I own a business. I’ve published books. I write about beauty and health, for God’s sake!

This morning, I woke up, went straight into my closet, and pulled on a little red jersey dress. I did the fresh-face routine, brushed and styled my hair, and then made my cup of coffee and got to work. Fifteen minutes of my time, quite a simple look, and I suddenly felt like a professional again. The point is this: You can style yourself successful. The psychology is simple—looking good makes us feel good. Knowing that we appear put-together gives us confidence, with which we’re more apt to take on new projects, invite the boss to lunch, and impress clients. And it works both ways. The people around us take subtle cues about our personalities, capabilities, and desires from the clothes we wear—and they act on those cues. So, read on for a few looks that will help you achieve your daily goals.

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