Ten Ways to Go From Day to Night in a Flash
In This Chapter
▶ Leaving the house in the morning ready for work and play
▶ Transformers aren’t just toys
▶ Turning day into night with accessories
Whether you’re heading to a planned event or a last-minute soiree, you want to look your best, even when you don’t have the time you’d like to primp and polish. No worries. In this chapter, I give you ten ways to trans- form your look from day to night. With these tips, you’ll look like you spent hours digging through your closet to find the perfect outfit!
From Simple to Sizzling
If you know you’re going out after work, slip on a simple black dress in the morning with whatever shoes are office-appropriate. Take along some jewelry, a clutch, and a pair of dressy sandals. When your work day is done, all you need to do to totally transform your look is put on the jewelry (the right amount of bling can spice up that little black dress), trade in your day bag for the clutch, and don your dressy sandals (see Figure 18-1). In no time flat, you have a whole new look!
Figure 18-1: The little black dress takes you from day to night in a flash.
A Silky Transformation
Simply by changing the way you wear a silk scarf, you can change your whole look. All it takes is a little creativity, a few seconds, and the right scarf (a 36-inch square works, or if you want more coverage, go bigger). During the day, tie the scarf around your neck and pair it with a suit and tank. At night, take the scarf off your neck, remove the tank and suit jacket, and tie the scarf as a halter top (see Figure 18-2). Chapter 15 explains how to turn a scarf into a halter. Who knew a simple scarf could take you so far?
Figure 18-2: A little creativity with a scarf gives you a new look almost instantly.
Cubicle to Cocktails
If you’re going out after work, there’s no need to pack an extra outfit. Simply wear a suit. Underneath, put on a sexy tank that barely shows when the jacket is closed (see Figure 18-3). When you’re ready to go meet your friends for cocktails, take off your jacket and you’ll be ready for that cosmo!
Figure 18-3: Less can be more when dressing up for an evening out.
A Shirt to Take You Anywhere
A white button-down shirt is suitable for almost any occasion. During the day, pair it with jeans. At night, put it with a dressier skirt or slacks. Add a bold necklace or chandelier earrings for a little pop (see Figure 18-4). The look is not only sophisticated, but understated and sexy as well!
Figure 18-4: Trade in your slacks for a dressy skirt when going out on the town!
Tote to Clutch
If you’re heading to a party after work, don’t let your bag be the sign that you didn’t have time to run home and change. An overflowing tote is never stylish. To avoid this dilemma, throw a clutch in your purse (pack some mini- makeup in your evening bag, too). That way when you’re running out of the office for your fabulous plans, you’ll look chic from head to toe!
Accessorize, Accessorize!
Never underestimate the power of accessories. If you’re in a simple dress during the day and want to dress it up for dinner, you don’t need to change your outfit;
you can simply change your accessories. Pick two pieces to make your outfit pop (shoes don’t count!). Choose a bracelet and earrings, a necklace and statement ring, or a pair of earrings and a belt (as pictured in Figure 18-5). Any such combo will do the trick. Have fun with your choices, and don’t be afraid to mix metals. The only caveat? Don’t overdo it. (See Chapter 15 for details on how to avoid over-accessorizing.)
Figure 18-5: The right accessories can dress up any outfit.
Shoulder Bag to Clutch
Invest in a bag that has a chain or strap you can take off or tuck inside. If you’re shopping during the day and want to be “hands-free,” you can use the strap. At night, when you just want to wear a clutch, you can tuck the strap inside the bag and voila! Most major department stores carry these types of bags. With most chain-strap bags you can tuck in the strap. Look around and find one you can wear with many different outfits; it’s a great staple for any wardrobe.
Day Casual to Dinner Chic
A simple sweater set is a great staple. Paired with a pair of slacks, it’s always classic and clean — a great look for the office. Dress it up for night by taking the cardigan off, tying it around your neck, and pairing it with a fun skirt, sandals, a clutch, and accessories (see Figure 18-6). Now you’re ready to dance the night away in style!
Figure 18-6: Maybe you never thought you could use a sweater as an accessory, but you can.
It’s a Wrap!
You can wrap many dresses in different ways to get different looks. American Apparel makes a great and inexpensive one that’s very easy to figure out and experiment with. Don’t be afraid to come up with your own way to wrap a versatile dress…whatever works best on your body works! Here’s an example: For daytime, wrap the two straps of the dress around your waist and tie a knot in the back (I wear this look all the time). Pair with a T-shirt and cardigan and you’re ready to shop the day away! For nighttime, tie the two straps around your neck to make a halter dress (see Figure 18-7). Get out those
fab new earrings you’ve wanted to wear and a pair of high heels, and you’re ready to dance into the night!
Higher heels are sexy and great for nighttime, but few women can walk around in them comfortably all day. You could bring another pair of shoes with you, but there’s another solution: Camileon Heels, shoes that, with a simple move, have a heel that goes from low to high in a flash (see Figure 18-8). And they look nice, too! To buy a pair, go to www.camileonheels.com.
©Richard Quindry, Camileon Heels
Figure 18-8: With these shoes, you switch from low to high heels in no time.