Despite being a bit of a cynical bitch, I sure do love Hallmark-heavy, mass-market holidays that encourage themed dressing and frivolous spending. Christmas? Never mind the birth of the Baby Jesus, I’m in it for the office Secret Santa. St. Patrick’s Day? Don’t know whether Patrick was even a saint but you bet I’m chugging green beer starting at noon. Fourth of July? Independence is fantastic an all, but you know what’s better? Purchasing triple digits worth of red-white-and-blue accessories and competitively eating fried chicken while contemplating which Instagram filter to apply to my fireworks photo.

One gets the gist. Valentine’s Day is among my favorite faux-lidays, for a few reasons:

1. Dark chocolate
2. Dining that involves tasting menus and ends with dark chocolate
3. CVS-style, elementary school Valentines with the latest in pop culture wishing you a sweet day (last year, my co-workers got these sweet treats in which One Direction affirmed they were, indeed, beautiful)
4. Love. I love love. I love telling the people I love that I love them, and I love knowing I’m loved. There goes my concrete New Yorker street cred, because in the spirit of gushing, I love you guys. This site couldn’t exist with you all. Thanks for reading, and commenting, and supporting. And a million thanks to my Valentine, photographer, creative director, much better half, and partner in crime and all other good things: I love you.

Outfit credits after the jump (fun fact: I am wearing the same shirt Leslie Knope wore on Valentine’s Day, which suits me just fine, because she is my fictional-lady-hero).

• Sunglasses: Prada (last seen here, buy em here)
• Earrings: Bauble Bar
• Button Down: Equipment (buy it here)
• Pants: H&M (last seen here, buy similar here or here)
• Boots: Pour La Victoire (buy em here in black, or buy similar in brown)
• Blazer: Forever 21 (buy it here)
• Clutch: Gucci (vintage hand-me-down, but buy similar on Portero. I also love these more modern envelope clutches by Gucci)