Maybe that cute guy you’ve had your eye on for a while has finally asked you out. Or maybe you and your husband are finally getting an evening to yourselves while the kids spend time with grandma and grandpa. Be it an exciting first date or a married couple’s long-awaited date night, you’ve got to make sure you enjoy it to the fullest! As always, the devil’s in the details, so keep the things listed below in mind to make sure the evening is unforgettable.

Get your sexy on with some daring lingerie

Nothing can heat the atmosphere up quite as well as some sexy lingerie from Obsessive Shop ! Be it thigh-highs peeking out from under your skirt or a lacy black bra subtly visible from underneath a close-fitting white top, the key is to get his imagination going long before you get home. 

Prep your props for later

Are you expecting the night to end at your apartment? Make sure you prep all of the props you might need beforehand so you don’t have to fumble around in the dark for them as soon as you get in the door. Candles, wine, massage oils, or maybe even a crop or feather duster, if a mix of naughty and nice is your thing — you do you, girl!

Send a flirty message beforehand…or two

As with the lingerie, it’s all about heating up the atmosphere, little by little, until he’s going crazy with desire. Keep in mind that moderation is key, though, so send one, maybe a maximum of two messages — not ten — otherwise you might just stress the poor guy out. Something along the lines of “So excited for later, can’t wait to see you!” is all he needs to keep him thinking about you until you finally meet. If you’re feeling especially daring, you might follow that up with a seductive lingerie selfie. Talk about driving a guy wild with anticipation!

Keep conversation light and fun

No matter whether you’re spending the evening with that new guy from work or your husband of ten years, steer away from serious, potentially buzz-killing topics. Nothing is less sexy than going on a rant about impending global doom after having way too many drinks. If this is your first date, don’t worry! There will be plenty of time to discuss your views on politics and religion in the future. And if this is a night away from the kids, make the most of it, damn it! Flirt, joke, and generally just focus on having a great time…in the restaurant and later on.

Be yourself!

He invited you out, so he definitely already likes you for who you are. So yes, make an effort to look pretty and sexy, but don’t feel obligated to get so dolled up he won’t recognize you. Unless dolled up is your go-to everyday look, in which case feel free to go full Barbie! 

This is the night you’ve likely both been waiting for for quite some time, so take a moment to figure out how to make the absolute most of it. Best part is, if all goes well, there’s lots more where this date came from!

Prompted by falling brick-and-mortar store traffic, the woes of retail, and Amazon’s looming threat, a growing number of brands are joining forces. It’s mostly a matter of synergy, the whole being more significant than the sum of its parts, but in the rapidly expanding world of American commerce, it’s a trend that seems to be taking hold.

Branding and fashion are joining forces in a big way. And not only are businesses in these areas booming but, as fashionbombdaily.com reports, other trends are joining forces with them, 149’s guide being one of them.

Buy It or Build It?

When companies are looking for ways to expand, most ask themselves, “Should we buy it or build it?” The answer to that question is usually pretty easy to answer.

If your company is a big brand and wants to attract a new customer segment, you could stretch and create a derivative. That can be dangerous since you could overextend your resources. This is especially true if you plan to move away from your current customer base. Sometimes, however, the strategy works, as in the case of one American apparel retailer that recently announced its plans to introduce a line of fashion products that infused with CBD that included as part of its pitch the claim to reduce soreness in wearers.

What Could Possibly Go Wrong?

There can be little doubt that 2020 was the year that brands and fashion merged and will probably continue to merge. As good as that new might seem, there is usually one question remaining. That is what will be left? Certain people will be sacrificed, especially when it comes to individual departments like HR and accounting, which are duplicates anyway.

Still, the bigger question is what the remaining company will look like. This is where brand value comes in since. Obviously, each company in a merger wants to be the surviving entity. Fortunately, the choice of who wins and who loses is usually apparent when it comes to brands apparent, even from the beginning. And in the case of management, what matters most isn’t the company, it’s the brand and the identity it takes with it.

Not a Cure-All

So, when you blend a brand with fashion, which comes out the winner? The customer, of course, when that merger is done right. The customer doesn’t care as long as they get what they want. Better yet, if the blending is done well, the transition will be transparent to the customer.

Of course, the result is that when things are done right, the customer experience will improve. Even with changes, things like brand story and product curation will continue to evolve. But there is also a marketing advantage when brands and fashion merge. The market is freed up and, more often than not, more and better products are introduced.

So, What Does Amazon Have to Do With This?

With companies changing forms due to merging, they usually still feel like a lion—Amazon—is licking its chops ready to devour them at any moment. And rest assured that the pressure won’t end anytime soon, but it should be realized that the most important difference is the planning that goes into a merger of brand and fashion that will determine who survives and for how long.