Skip to main content

Day to Night Style - How to Kick Your Look Up a Notch in 5 Simple Steps!

Living busy lives as we all do these days, something that can come up on your social calendar rather commonly is an event "after hours".  Whether this is after hours with co-workers, friends, a significant other, or whomever, it can lead to thoughts of "What can I wear to work that will transition well to my evening social gathering?" No one wants to add more laundry to the mix (it's the one thing that NEVER leaves us, after all), so why not make use of what you have already put on your body?

I love the idea of day-to-night style because as a Stylist, I want my Clients to own pieces that are versatile enough in their closets that they work for different occasions. Daytime style and nighttime style are very different.  During the day, you want to be more modest when you are in the office or going to appointments and you want your outfit to be elevated and more chic when you head out for dinner or drinks.

Today, I'm going to explore some options for transitioning your look from day to night based upon the type of nighttime event you may be going to.  First, I am going to share some tips on how to easily and quickly change your look without a lot of effort.  You can change just one of these to make a difference, but layer them together (particularly Tips 1-4) and it exponentially ups the ante on your look!

Tip 1:  An easy way to quickly change your look is to change up your jacket or to add one!  Let's say that you are wearing a standard black blazer with your dress pants and printed blouse during the day.  Switch the jacket to a leather moto jacket and your look has changed.

Tip 2:  Let's now move to the feet.  A shoe change can make a dramatic impact on your outfit.  Let's say you are wearing a flat loafer to the office.  Change your shoe to a black sparkly pump and it will completely change the vibe of your look.

Tip 3:  I've said it before and you will continue to hear me say it:  Accessories are the icing on your outfit cake.  The majority of women take a minimalist look to their jewelry at the office.  By simply adding a statement ring or bracelet and a statement necklace or a statement earring, you will go from daytime appropriate to up-level chic for your  after hours game.

Tip 4:  Another simple but impactful change is to amp up your makeup.  Wear a bold lip or a smoky eye for the nighttime and it makes a different statement.  You can also change your hair.  Throw it up into a chic ponytail or an updo for an elegant evening (if you chose a statement earring, this allows for you to show them off) OR if you had your hair up during the day, let it down and add some loose curls.

Tip 5:  This last tip is the anti-Tip 1.  LOL.  This tip is to remove a jacket.  This is a great one if you have a dressier top or tank underneath and you are going a bit more laid back for the evening.  Maybe you chose to wear a sequin or lacy top under your jacket at the office, but all buttoned up so you couldn't really see much of it. Taking the jacket OFF will dial up the "sexy".

Okay, now that we have discussed some easy tips for transitioning your look from day to night, here are some outfit ideas that will take you from Daytime to an Evening setting in a snap.  I'm showing you a "before" look for the daytime and an "after" look for the nighttime.

After Work Happy Hour with the Girls

Daytime Look:  

Simple statement blouse, Trouser jeans, and nude pumps for the office



Nighttime Look:  

Wear the same Trouser jeans and heels, but switch out the blouse for something a bit more glam, add on a Moto-style Jacket, and put on some fun statement earrings.  Throw your hair up to show off those earrings!



Dinner Date with your Significant Other

Daytime Look:

A classic pencil pant with a basic (but scalloped) white shell with a statement jacket, and some fun red Rothy's.


Nighttime Look:

Switch out the Ankle pant for a pair of Faux Leather pants, add a glam necklace and bracelet, and a pair of sparkly wedges. BOOM!



After work Theater Event

Daytime Look:

A pretty floral dress topped off with a neutral topper and some easy ballet flats.


Nighttime Look:

Add on a chic Bolero, some fun statement earrings, a statement bracelet, and a fun pair of heeled sandals.



After Hours Concert

Daytime Look:

Dressed-up casual during the day with a pair of Skinny jeans, a black basic tee with a black Boyfriend Blazer, a minimal necklace and a pair of simple ballet flats.



Nighttime Look:

Glam it up with the same Skinny jeans, but throw on a graphic rocker tee, a sparkly jacket, glam shoes, and a pair of fantastic statement earrings and bracelet and you'll be ready to dance it out!



Formal Event

Daytime Look:

If you have to run straight to a formal event after your day at the office, wear your LBD all day long, topped off with a simple duster cardigan with a few details and a simple necklace with an office-appropriate pump heel.



Nighttime Look:

As you have to skate out the door, toss your hair up, lose the cardigan and add some pearls to your look with a fun blingy heel and you are ready to go in a flash!



I hope that this post has inspired you to consider what you wear during the day when you have plans out in the evening.  Maybe it has opened your mind to making use of a more versatile wardrobe and really making use of the pieces you own and purchase!

Stylishly Yours,




PS - if you need help to create a versatile closet that works hard for you, I can help!  Hop over to my website and sign up for a consultation call and let me help you!

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Understanding Color Analysis

Color Analysis is a hot topic right now. I don't think it has been this top-of-mind since the 1980s when Color Me Beautiful came out. Thanks to those TikTok filters, there has been a new resurgence of interest. I warn you against those filters. There are just some things that technology can't see, can't do and I wouldn't trust them over a trained eye. Now, you might be thinking, "Getting my colors done by a trained analyst is expensive and this is FREE." Well, my friend, you get what you pay for.  When you think about the impact that knowing your perfect colors has on your wardrobe, the fee is quite small. An accurate color analysis by a trained professional will help you save time and money when you shop. You will be able to build your wardrobe around these colors, which means you will spend LESS on clothing that doesn't suit you. MUCH LESS than the fee a trained color analyst charges. The opposite is true if you go by a free filter on TikTok. Do you REAL...

Leveling Up: Setting a Higher Standard For Yourself

 Raise your hand if life feels like it's moving at the speed of light! via GIPHY Our lives are very busy and oh-so-full these days. That's not necessarily a BAD thing, but the busier that life is, the more we tend to neglect ourselves and our needs as women. Oftentimes what that looks like is looking back on the whirlwind and wondering when we got so behind on tasks and realize that in the day-to-day routine grind, we don't feel aligned with some of the things we are doing on autopilot. The joy in life has been a bit dampened by the cut and paste aspect of life.  Let's Identify Where We Feel Stuck Take a well-deserved quiet moment to yourself to sit down and think about your life. Consider the following areas in your life: Career Relationships Health Personal Growth Style (you KNEW this had to be there, right?!) Ask yourself these questions: Are you satisfied? If you aren't satisfied, what needs to be altered? What could increase your happiness in each area? As you ...

How to look stylish in your 40s (and beyond)

You're here! Congratulations because that is Step 1: Caring enough to want to make a change. Here's the thing, nothing changes if nothing changes. The biggest roadblock is if you aren't fed up ENOUGH with how you are feeling about your style (and likely yourself), you will never make a change. That's not you though, my friend, because you found this blog and opened it!  Step one is complete. Let's celebrate that! via GIPHY Here's what you already know. Style in your 40s and beyond (we will call this "midlife" going forward) is...different.  👉Our bodies are changing. Things don't sit where they used to. 👉Our priorities have changed. Most of the time, we aren't out all night at the bars. 👉Our lives have a new focus, oftentimes around our family. 👉Fashion and clothing is not typically geared toward women our age. It's commonplace for women who are in midlife to feel like they are lacking style or being left-behind, but that doesn't hav...