The modern woman often has a demanding job and a busy social life. How does she effortlessly go from a day full of meetings to a dinner date? There are 3 keys to making a seamless transition from day to night.
The first thing to pay attention to when working on a day to night look is to choose clothing with versatility. You don’t want to have to go home to change clothes between the office and your night out. The solution is to try to plan ahead. Wear something that will work just as well at the trendy bar where you’re meeting friends for drinks, as it will in your daytime lunch meeting.
Dresses
Dresses are a girl’s best friend when it comes to versatile clothing. Pair a dress with a cardigan and flats during the day. For a nighttime look, swap the flats out for platform heels and remove the cardigan entirely. Accessorize, and voilÃ¥! You are ready for a night out on the town.
Jeans
Denim is one of the most versatile materials around. If you can wear jeans to work, go for it! Start your day in dark jeans and a sweater. Before you leave the office, change into a fun top with some sequins on it. Add a pair of heels and some red lipstick to complete the nighttime look.
Accessorizing is really key in making a daytime look work for nighttime. One good idea is to keep a tote bag with some accessories – clutches, costume jewelry, a pair of black platform heels – in your car or office so that you can make anything into a cocktail party outfit.
Shoes
With shoes, the general rule is that fun, bright colors or dramatic heels or funky shapes will work best at night. Trade your low, black, sensible heels for red ones, and you’ve got the right idea. Replace your flats with platform heels, or go from a closed-toed work shoe to an open-toed stiletto for nighttime.
Belt
A belt can add a lot of personality to any outfit. If you’re wearing a classic shift dress to the office, try adding a belt with some sparkle for your nighttime look. You can also add a wide belt to a cardigan and jeans, and it will completely transform the outfit.
Purse
Taking a big work bag or briefcase out to dinner or to a bar is a no-no. Instead, keep a small clutch at your desk or even inside the larger bag so that you can be ready for a night out anytime. A small gold, black or silver clutch will go with almost any outfit, and will immediately add some pizzazz to your look.
Jewelry
Jewelry is an important outfit transformer. Keep it simple during the day with relatively conservative pieces. Turn up the volume at night with some big bangles, dangly earrings, a broach or a cool necklace. Just don’t add all of these pieces at once! Costume jewelry is fun and inexpensive. Keep a couple of key items in your clutch, so that you’ll have them on hand when that spontaneous dinner invitation pops up.
Changing or re-applying make-up is another way to transition your look from daytime to nighttime. Traditional daytime make-up is very muted and natural. For nighttime, choose one feature – either your eyes or lips – to play up, and go from there.
Playing up your Eyes
If you’ve chosen to dramatize you eyes, use a black eyeliner and line the top lids. For a really dramatic look, line the bottom lid as well. Keep in mind that this look is more appropriate for a dance club than for a dinner date. Touch up your mascara, and consider an application of some eyeshadow. A smoky eye can really give you the extra oomph toward a nighttime look.
Keep your lips close to your daytime look, or something natural. You don’t want brightly colored lips to take focus away from your eyes. Consider using a tinted gloss instead of full lipstick, and make sure to bring the gloss with you in your evening bag.
Dramatizing your Lips
If dramatic lips are the look you are going for, keep your eyes nice and neutral. Touch up your mascara a bit, but don’t add any extra liner or shadow. Too much eye make-up paired with big lips tends to look cheap and costume-like.
Red is always a fun nighttime lip color. Start by removing your daytime lipstick and gloss. If necessary, apply a very light coat of clear gloss. Only do this if your lips are very dry and you need a smooth base. Apply your lipstick next and line your lips once the lipstick is applied. Blend any lines and put a coat of gloss over your lips. This look is sure to catch some attention!
Maybe you work in a place, like a hospital, where your daytime look (scrubs) will never work for nighttime. If this is the case, keep a versatile nighttime outfit in your car or somewhere at work. A black dress is incredibly versatile and can work for dinner, cocktail parties or dancing. Look for a dress in a jersey material to minimize wrinkles and maximize portability. Don’t forget to include undergarments, shoes, accessories and make-up! A mini-kit will allow you to be spontaneous, accepting invitations without worrying about having to go home to change.
Another idea is to swap with friends at the office. Maybe your sparkly cardigan will work better for a co-worker’s jeans and black top, and she can part with her black patent leather wide belt to accessorize your winter white dress. Swap your bangles for a friend’s funky necklace, and you will both be ready for a night out.