Valentine's Day: The Language of Flowers

As we all know February is the month in which everyone racks their brain with what to do to celebrate this Valentine’s Day. Valentine's Day has always been one of my favorite holidays because I've always enjoyed the idea of a day to spread love and surprise others. As Anna Wintour had said in the HBO Documentary, In Vogue: The Editor's Eye, "That's what one wants. One wants to be surprised!" Whether you are a fan of the holiday or not, in my fashion, we all are hoping someone will do something special for us on this "day for love". Whether you are a male trying to find something special for your girlfriend who "says" she doesn't want anything, or a lady who wants to do something extra for their hard working man and needs to set the right mood, finding something special can be a daunting task, especially if you feel like your mate has everything. My suggestion—flowers never fail! My personal favorite place to buy flowers for my special love is Vogue Flowers in Richmond, VA. Vogue Flowers has multiple locations around Richmond, and whether I am looking for a single flower for a quick surprise or a beautiful bouquet of colorful floral arrangments, I am always excited to work with their staff to create a truly unique gift that shows my affection. 

I always visit Cheryl at Vogue Flowers' Downtown Richmond location. She always provides me with the best floral arrangements for a fast paced person like myself. She always slows me down by showing much love in the process.
CHECK OUT #IMGblog INSTAGRAM TO SEE HOW SHE HELPED ME CREATE MAGIC ON V-DAY!

But to me the thing about buying flowers is to buy them for a particular reason. Reading proflowers.com on the “language of flowers”, also known as floriography, I found that each flowers essentially has its own style. During the reign of Queen Victoria in England (1837-1901), “etiquette of the Victorian era demanded attention to subtleties and doing the proper thing depending on the situation and circumstances, and the company around you.” In the Victorian Era, it was often impolite to outright ask or imply something especially if it may offend others. There were very clear distinctions between the upper, middle, and lower classes, and so, flowers were a way of communicating certain intimate messages that were widely accepted in such a stringent social order that prohibited communication between social classes. Way to use fashion to rise above oppression, right?

 

 

While we no longer have to hold our tounge to let someone know how we feel, resorting to such customs may prove to be quite romantic if one were to put a bit of extra brain power in being creative. I gave Dwight some Birds of Paradise flowers last year as reminder of my faithfulness to him. Whether you have big plans this season with your special someone, or plan on showing yourself some love (something one shouldn't feel ashamed to do, by the way) flowers brighten up anyone’s day, especially when you know what they stand for. In my fashion, flowers set the mood of the moment, and invite people to feel a certain way. Don't be lazy in your show of affection, for it could mean a lot more to your honey when you get creative by learning the meaning of the flowers you buy. Valentine's Day is more about the thought than it is about buying "things". You can buy things any day of the year, but a good rule of thumb is to have a unique reason for buying the things you do.  Even if you don't have a Valentine, giving flowers to anyone you care for can feel just as good as receiving something. Who knows what you will get in return, for the energy you put out into the world is the energy you will get back.  Take a look at this list of flower meanings, and Happy Valentine's Day!!!