Picture this: You arrive at your coveted Valentine’s Day destination looking dressed to impress. After hours of glam – including an incident with the curling iron that you’re thankful no one witnessed – you’re feeling 100% on top of the world and ready to conquer the night. Your date has all eyes on you… until he notices a similar red dress clone out of the corner of his eye.

“Hey, isn’t she wearing the same thing as you?”

Your cheeks immediately turn the shade of your M.A.C. ‘Viva Glam’ red lipstick as all your self confidence melts into the bowl of french onion soup in front of you. It’s not even the main course yet and your Valentine’s vibe has already been killed for the night (insert broken-hearted emoji here).

But fear not: V Day 2015 can have a happy ending. We’ve got the solution to keeping this year’s most romantic night a smashing hit all the way through until your chocolate-covered dessert. The secret? Go vintage!

While some might think this translates into hours of searching through thrift store bins in search of a vintage gem, think again. This year, Nasty Gal has done the hard work for us and put together some seriously cool vintage options – all romantic, elegant and most important of all, unique.

No matter what your plans, we’ve created three V-Day scenarios modeled by the gorgeous Sydney Schafer who showed how to knock ‘em dead for each. You have the final say on the look of the evening, but rest assured that these options will leave you the standout star of the night. Xoxo.

School or Work

It’s always fun to dress in theme, and why not adopt the go big or go home mentality for the one day of the year when it’s acceptable to wear anything pink, red and all things glittery. Try these Vintage Escada Rima Pleated Trousers on for size to add a sizzling pop of red into your daytime look. We also love the Vintage Lagerfeld Vintage Wool Blazer or this Vintage One to Grow on Pencil Skirt for a polished and professional option. To keep things more playful and fun, the Vintage Saint Laurent Lovers’ Swirl Embroidered Top is a fan of ours (and Cupid’s).

GNO

Since we brought up Cupid, we’re here to say that you don’t need a date to have fun on Valentine’s Day. It is a #GIRLBOSS world afterall. So save the Ben & Jerry’s + Netflix binge for another night, and throw on one of these dazzling dresses to dance the night away. But to do so, you’ll want this Vintage DKNY Future’s So Bright Racer Back Dress in your closet. For the rock and roll girls, the Vintage Sugar High Leather Dress was made for you. And for those of you who prefer the classic red look, the Vintage Herve Leger Violet Femme Bandage Dress is your go-to, and may even attract the attention of a new romance in your life. Don’t say we didn’t warn you.

Date Night

If you are lucky enough to score a handsome suitor for the evening, arrive in something like this Vintage Paco Rabanne Lady in Red Velvet Dress and your date won’t even need buy you a bouquet of roses (we’ll still expect them, though. Just saying.) With this dress, it’s all in the name: you will be his lady of the evening. And for the hopeless romantics, it doesn’t get much better than the Vintage All Heart Lattice Dress and Vintage Comme de Garcons Tragically Lip Cutout Top, both of which will leave your date’s eyes on you and you alone long past the main course.

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Take a look at Sydney’s portfolio and follow her on Instagram.