Guardian Fashion • Jan. 6, 2026, 11:44 a.m.

There’s no pressure, no expectations … and if you want to try something a little out-there, well, go nuts It is strange that we talk about date-night dressing so much when we all know that the most fun nights to outfit-plan are really nights out with friends. Well, not actually strange at all, just the patriarchy doing what it does, I guess, and making it feel as if the world as seen from a male point of view – in this case, the view of a frock from the other side of a restaurant table on date night – is automatically the point of view that matters.

In a fashion context, it just makes no sense. I mean, I accept that I’m generalising wildly here, and I don’t for a moment claim to speak for everyone.

But my own experience, which I would wager is a fairly common one, is that it is an evening out with friends when I’m going to get maximum appreciation for the fashion content of my outfit.

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