They say love comes at a price, but we beg to differ — what with the price of fast fashion going up every season and designer sneakers that cost more than your average car payment. Put simply: fashion costs. But when it comes to buying for special occasions, say, a first date — how much is too much? Can you really put a price on making a first impression?It turns out you can. And the women in the slideshow ahead tried a slew of different things to find their match. Where some shopped, others didn't. And where some stayed true to themselves, some listened to their alter ego. But no matter what, the night they fell in love was a night they'll never forget, though remembering (and in some cases, trying to remember) what they wore is but a memory.
Some will make you smile, while others might remind you of a certain something in your own wardrobe that might never see the light of day again. But the lesson to learn here is simple: Keep your clothes. You never know how much you love them until you can't anymore.
"I met my current, long-term boyfriend during the beginning of my sophomore year of college at my best friend's birthday party. I randomly decided to wear this pink, ruffled, body-con skirt that I never wore (I thought it made my butt look poofy, but I guess I was feeling it that night.) with this white tank top with a floral skull on it (skulls were having a moment in my wardrobe). It was actually a pretty out-of-character outfit for me, because I tend to stick to darker colors and more basics. But apparently, it was a look that worked for me. Even after several major closet purges, I kept it for a while and never wore it. I finally tossed it when I moved to New York (some things had to give).
"Looking back on it, it's hilarious that that is what I was wearing when I met my boyfriend, because I kind of hated it. I was just a girl who wanted to wear something different (it also rained, so my hair and makeup looked like trash), looking for love."
"I was taking a class in college with mandatory film screenings. I forgot about the screening and had already gotten into my pajamas. (They were a full-on matching pajama set.) The shirt said, 'I see London, I see France,' with an Eiffel Tower, and the pajama pants were covered with Eiffel Towers. I had to run across campus to catch the movie and I didn't have time to change. I met him in line for the movie when he commented on how cute they were. I was mortified that this attractive guy was seeing me in these pajamas my grandma got me for christmas. We saw the film together and I spent the next 24 hours with him (while still wearing those PJs). We completely fell in love that first day and continued to date for six years.
"Even though we've broken up, I still have those pajamas. I can't bring myself to throw them away. They are silly and don't comfortably fit me anymore, but I still wear them from time to time. We ended things pretty amicably, so when I wear them, I always fondly think of him and that one perfect day we spent together. I make a point now to never wear them when I'm with any other romantic partner."
"I was in college at a day party on the patio of a fraternity (a fratio, if you will) in a blow-up kiddie pool — a.k.a. human cesspool — when my boyfriend first told me those three little words and I realized I felt it back. (So romantic, I know.) I remember exactly what I was wearing: A tropical printed bustier-style bikini (courtesy of Nasty Gal) and high-waisted jean shorts. I was also soaking wet and likely had the beginnings of makeup running down my face. So chic.
"He and I met on spring break several months prior, so we'd been dating for roughly six months at the time (clearly this relationship was very 'college'). I'd say we were pretty head over heels for each other, smitten, etc. I meticulously picked out my outfits and always wanting to look good for him (as I'm sure everyone does for their S.O.). We dated for roughly two-and-a-half years and were a little on-and-off towards the end, but finally called it quits after moving to different cities after graduation (myself, New York; him, Chicago), finding we couldn't make long distance work. It wasn't dramatic or messy. I was sad, but there was nothing we could do, and I knew the relationship ran its course which made it easier for me to accept. To quote John Mayer, 'We had a love, but we still said goodbye.'
"I definitely think fashion and clothing are tied to memories. Maybe it's because I've always loved fashion and found that putting together outfits is fun and memorable, and, if I do say so myself, I possess a somewhat photographic memory when it comes to ensembles (it could be the anti-outfit-repeater in me). But regardless, I feel like fashion, like music, is so closely tied to experiences, memories, and feelings. Two-and-a-half years with this guy — that's a lot of outfits! Whether it's the crochet dress I wore on my first romantic getaway with him, the sweater I wore when I first met his parents, or the liquid leggings I whipped out when I was really trying to impress him in the beginning, I definitely feel that those pieces in my closet tell a story. (This includes the borderline-distasteful Nasty Gal bikini I purchased specifically for his fraternity's biggest party of the year...)
"I've always loved clothes, but this relationship and subsequent breakup as a whole brought something deeper to my affinity for fashion and the pieces in my wardrobe. Maybe that's why I'm such a hoarder...I'm pretty sure I lost the jean shorts that day, but I still have the bikini and always think of that day, which might be why I never wear it anymore."
"My first date with my husband was December 5, 2008, and it was really cold and snowy. I was wearing a super 'sexy' outfit: jeans and a black turtleneck, with a turquoise tunic on top. Part of it was simply dressing for the weather, and part of it was that I was insanely nervous (it was my first internet date). I felt like wearing a no-big-deal outfit would help me feel less freaked out than if I were trying really hard and putting it all out there.
"I think I fell in love with him about an hour into the date and was cursing myself a little for not having worn something cuter — but I also think I could tell he was in love with me, too. In a way, it was nice to know that that didn't have anything to do with a showy, sexy outfit. I met up with him again the next night. Let me tell you, I wore a very tight-fitting red dress (with no turtleneck underneath) despite the cold weather.
"I no longer own any of the first-date garments, but I still have that red dress and definitely pull it out for special occasions..."
"I was wearing a hamburger T-shirt the first time I saw [my husband]. (Don't judge; it was the era of statement tees and we were at a heavy-metal bar in Brooklyn.)
"Nearly a decade (and a baby) later, I still have that shirt, but I only wear it to bed now. I do think about that night every time I put it on though; while I didn't realize it at the time, I'm pretty sure I fell in love with him the moment we met and I think he felt the same way — hamburger shirt and all."
"I met my husband at the beach. However, don’t get too excited, it is a little different than the typical 'I found my Prince Charming riding his horse along the beach' crap. No. I was most definitely attending a party at a beach house at Holly Beach [in Louisiana] as a 17-year-old junior/about to be senior. I was so underage and he was so older than me. I probably followed him around that night a little more than I would like to admit to myself — or anyone.
"As I climbed the stairs to this beach house wearing what I thought to be my cool girl outfit, I heard someone say, 'Nice shirt!' I looked down at my Slightly Stoopid T-shirt and thought to myself that no one even knew who the hell that band is, so they definitely weren’t talking to me. But when I looked up, I noticed that one of the older gentlemen attending this party was looking straight at me. Well, his name ended up being my future husband's and the beach house happened to belong to his grandparents. He was having a beach party against their wishes, so automatically I fell in love with him. Duh. He had the whole 'I’m older and cooler than all of your friends' thing going for him. I followed him around like a lost puppy for the remainder of the party. Then, we followed each other around for the remainder of the summer, the remainder of my senior year of high school, and through all four years it took me to get my bachelor’s degree. And now, I share his last name.
"I have every single band T-shirt that I had when I met him, even though some of them may be in boxes now. Music is something that we have agreed on from the day that we met. We like a lot of the same music and we always have. He never complained when I went through my phase of wearing jeans and band T-shirts every day. I am embarrassed about it now, but he never minded it. He appreciated that I was different than the other girls.
"On the day of my wedding, I was over-the-moon excited. I went all the way to New York to visit Kleinfield Bridal for my dress. It was not traditional, but not because that’s what I had been looking for. I wanted a white, lacey, traditional wedding gown. Pnina Tornai and my wonderful consultant, Ingrid, had a different vision for me on my wedding day, however. I am so glad they did, though, because I absolutely fell in love with the one I chose. The dress that I said yes to turned out being pink. Not neon pink or anything crazy, but I am from the South. Not very many people get married in different colors down here. I was excited, because I loved it and I thought that he would love it, but I was a little nervous because it was so different than what anyone would have been expecting. After our ceremony, when we joined hands and danced for the first time, I asked him if he liked the dress that I picked. He kissed my cheek and told me, 'This dress is perfect, but I would have been just as happy if you would have walked down that aisle in a band T-shirt and blue jeans.' I had trouble keeping it together after he hit me in the feels with that one."
"It was 2006. I was wearing a long denim skirt, a dark gray T-shirt from Urban Outfitters that said 'Evil Woman,' embellished Nine West sandals with silver bells on them, and if I remember correctly, hoop earrings. And I was standing in my law school's hallway.
"I still have that skirt. I break it out once in a while and it makes my husband laugh, because it makes me look a lot younger. My friends think I'm crazy for still having it, but there's nostalgia attached to it. But the shirt's long gone. UO tees don't last that long."
"The first time I hung out with my now-husband, I was wearing a necklace that got stuck on his sweater when we hugged goodbye. I don’t have the necklace and he doesn’t have the sweater anymore, but it is a memorable moment for us both.
"The first hug is so scary, because you're wondering if a hug is okay and you want to kiss them — but is that okay? Getting literally stuck together during that internal turmoil is sort of hilarious. But I’m not a person who has sentimental attachment to objects (my heart is cold and dead, I know) so I never even thought to keep the necklace."
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