You’re in elementary school, and you are dressed in pink and red hearts from head to toe. You can barely contain your excitement as you walk into class with a decorative box full of Valentine’s Day goodies to trade with your classmates.

Fast forward to the present, and maybe your plans for Valentine’s Day have changed a little bit, and maybe so has your outfit.

Assistant Professor in apparel, events and hospitality management Ling Zhang has some tips on how to dress for the holiday without going too over the top.

A big trend she has seen in fashion and cosmetics this year is the color red, Zhang said.

The magazines, emails and advertisements she has been sent about Valentine’s Day feature a lot of rich red packaging, clothing, shoes and makeup, said Zhang. 

If you are really wanting to show you’re celebrating the holiday by wearing both pink and red, Zhang recommends wearing warmer pink colors with the red. 

If you don’t want to go all out but still want to show you’re celebrating the holiday, try adding accessories to a neutral outfit. 

“If you have gray tones, you can add red accessories like earrings, necklace or lips,” Zhang said.

With Valentine’s Day on a Friday this year, students might have class earlier in the day and other plans later. With that being said, some people might not be celebrating the holiday at all. It is good to be conscious of those people when dressing up. 

“If you are wearing overwhelming colors, you may make some of your classmates feel bad,” Zhang said. “My suggestion is going to school, you still wear daily wear but use accessories to celebrate. Or you can wear a little bit of different makeup.”

If you are going out on a date later that evening or even just going out to eat with friends, more formal attire might be essential. 

Whether it’s a pink dress or a red tie, there are many ways to create a Valentine’s look.

“Softer fabrics are a big trend right now,” Zhang said. “Fabrics like chiffon or some flowy skirt or dress definitely is a good choice.”

Living in the Midwest means the weather during Valentine’s Day is still cold. You could use this to your advantage by wearing red or pink gloves, a hat or scarf.

“I think that some good warm accessories are a good choice for college students,” Zhang said.

Whether you are going for a laid-back daytime look or a nice date night outfit, Zhang said there is one thing that is important, and that is having your own style.