Take Your Outfit From Day To Night

I’m sure many of you occasionally have long days just like I do. I’ll leave the house early in the morning and often not return home until after dark. I might get a last minute call from a friend who wants to grab dinner and I like to easily be able to turn my daywear into a fun look for dinner. With that in mind, here are a few ideas on taking office wear from day to night without having to make a last minute trip home.

Start with the right basics. I’ve learned over the years, if your ensemble begins with a strong foundation, you can put anything on top of it. You wouldn’t build a house on a faulty foundation, now would you? You can make a solid start with a great pair of trousers and a blouse or a simple black dress. Stick with basic colors so you will have lots of options when you want add layers or accessorize.

(Blouse: White House/Black Market; Pants: Mango; Heels: Oasis)

Layer it on. What you decide to layer with ultimately depends on your destination but for evening you can’t go wrong with a thin dark jacket for a warm evening and a not-so thin one for the cooler ones. Think a black blazer with a great shiny broach or leather jacket.

(Blazer: Wallis; Broach: Kenneth Jay; Leather Jacket: Kenneth Cole.)

Accessorize. Your office may not be a flashy kind of place but that doesn’t mean you can’t bring it for later. Keep an extra piece or two of bling in your desk for those after work emergencies!