When it comes to date nights here in New York (that I'm in charge of planning!), I like to opt for something past the dinner and drinks routine. An art gallery opening. A comedy show. An underground jazz performance. An impromptu picnic in the park. But my favorite, usually come summer time, is hopping to one of the many museum exhibits opening in the coming months, followed by drinks out on a breezy patio.

Since I'm in the West Village, I'm partially biased to the Whitney Museum, but for good reason. They're constantly changing out their resident exhibits (and there's always lots of Warhol on hand!), the multiple outdoor decks make for great sunset moments and it's perfectly nestled next to one of my favorite restaurants in Meatpacking, Santina. So when Express asked me what might be my ideal date night outfit and date, I asked them if they were available on Friday for a little rendezvous (luckily, they said yes!).

For starters, let's talk about the outfit. As someone who usually opts for more demure midi-length dresses, especially for date nights, I loved the idea of shaking things up a bit, with a dash of sex appeal. That's where this Express bodysuit comes in. I've shied away from this trend mainly out of fear my long torso would just look exaggerated in it, but I think I struck the right balance with a pair of higher waisted denim, also by Express. Both fit like a glove, with a little bit of lace up detailing in the front that, if my date knows me and my style well, will pleasantly surprise him. On top, we have this suede leather jacket, which I've been looking to invest in for a few months now, and love that this particular one is 100% real leather, at a fraction of the cost of some of my previous contenders. Literally, as we were sitting down at Santina, two of the waitresses came up and asked me where the jacket was from.

Speaking of Santina, if you haven't been, GO. And order the squash carpaccio, the avocado trapanese chickpea pancakes, the sea bass and the "View from Positano" cocktail. Sharing with your date is optional for all of the above (but highly discouraged -- make him get his own!). 🙂 If the weather is just right, you should have a slight summer breeze, so opt for an outdoor table if you can under their many darling blue and orange umbrellas and chat your date (or your friends!) up about who your favorite contemporary American artists are.

What's your ideal date night like? And what do you wear for the occasion?

OUTFIT DETAILS: Express suede leather jacket // Express bodysuit // Express jeans // Express heels // Chloe "Drew" bag // Celine "Audrey" sunglasses // Monica Vinader bracelets // Zara neckerchief (similar style here)

This post was in collaboration with Express. As always, all opinions and styling are my own. Thank you for supporting all This Time Tomorrow collaborations!

Photos by Alisha Siegel