It feels like the year has just begun, and suddenly it’s the first day of February! We all know what that means, of course—in two weeks, V-day will be upon us. And whether you’re happily committed or a super-savvy single, the Valentine’s fever gives you just another excuse to get gorgeous and have a great night out.

Perhaps you’ve been planning a romantic event for your significant other—or said S.O. has one secretly lined up for you, and you just don’t know it yet. Perhaps you’re taking the alternative route and hitting one of many singles-only soirées around the metro (there’s no better time to mingle with your own tribe than on the annual day of coupledom!). Whatever the case may be, you will—as women are wont to do—find yourself invariably at odds with your closet. All together now: What to wear, what to wear?

Obviously, there is no singular dress-up formula for a date (or any paint-the-town-red occasion). Like her taste in cuisine, every woman’s sense of style bends to her discerning palate. You dress the way that makes you feel most comfortable and beautiful, in the same way that you eat what you find most delicious. It’s hardly ever the same across the board—and why should it be? Different folks, different strokes—different dates, different duds!

Having said that, it does pay to tuck a few guidelines into your back pocket, should the dreaded fashion block strike. And it inevitably does—right when you least expect it.

For instance, designer Bill Blass famously advised, “When in doubt, wear red.” Applicable from V-Day to Christmas to your very own birthday, this color-driven counsel will draw any man’s gaze (seriously, it’s scientifically proven).

Then there’s Christian Dior, who said, “Grooming is the secret of real elegance. The best clothes, the most wonderful jewels, the most glamorous beauty don’t count without good grooming.” So don’t be lazy, ladies. Wax your legs, mow down your brows, and by all means, get thee to the pedicurist!

The eternal Audrey Hepburn took a more psychological approach. “Happy girls are the prettiest girls,” she once observed, in the same breath that she said, “I believe in pink.” Two things to take into account in the days leading up to Valentine’s.

And here’s my personal contribution to this get-ready roundup: Don’t resist the urge to shop. Why settle for something old when you want to feel exponentially special? A new dress, necklace, or pair of heels can be just what the date doctor ordered—yes, even if your date is with your whole barkada!

Ready for the rest? Here are 10 of the best dress-up dos I gleaned this week from Pinterest, courtesy of fashion’s brightest—and a few spot-on unknowns. Click, click!

(In-article photo from Valentine’s Day courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures/Walker Pictures. All posters from Pinterest.)