If you’re anything like us, you’re all about versatility, especially when it comes to transitioning from day to night. Because, let’s be honest, who has time to go home and completely change between work and happy hour?
Today, we’re putting together a few gorgeous day to night outfits (plus a few bonus tips) that are perfect for spring, featuring work-meets-bar ensembles with a trendy, boutique flair and plenty of warm-weather attitude. Florals, skirts, sneakers and jumpsuits are the spice of life when it comes to transitional spring looks! Read on for more amazing ideas.
1. A Floral Dress with a Denim Jacket—Casual enough for brunch or shopping yet dressy enough for a nice evening out, a good floral dress is enough to build an array of chic outfits this spring. If it’s still a tad breezy out, pair your fave floral frock with a cute, tailored denim jacket that gives it an extra layer of style and personality. Shoes-wise, go with a dressier (but comfortable) sandal—heel optional!—that looks casual but has some dressy elements, like a slight heel, metallics or rhinestones.
2. A Bright-Colored Blazer with Tailored Skinny Jeans—For the working woman looking for a day to night look that moves with ease from boardroom to bar, you’re going to need a funky blazer (or two) and some neat-looking skinny jeans. The beauty of the blazer is that it instantly adds a professional polish to whatever you’re wearing, even if it’s something concealing something more casual. So, if your desire is actually to go from dressy or professional to more laid-back, you can’t go wrong with a chic spring-hued blazer covering a more casual tee or blouse.
3. A Long Bodycon Dress and Comfortable Heels—If you’re comfortable wearing curve-hugging dresses, you simply can’t go wrong with a calf-length bodycon dress for day to night wear. These dresses have an inherent polish that makes them wonderful for both the office and a night out on the town. They can even be dressed up for uber-formal events with the right jewelry and shoes. For spring, choose pastel, striped or floral boutique dresses to honor the season.
4. A Solid-Colored, Short-Sleeve Jumpsuit—File jumpsuits under “day to night essentials” right alongside bodycon dresses because these perfectly posh and polished pieces have serious professional potential, but they also look AMAZING when styled with some strappy heels for a night out. If you want to give them a workday feel, layer a cute blazer and add some smart heels. For a day of shopping, exploring or hanging with friends, pair them with some crisp, white slip-on sneakers. Go for a sky-high heel to dress them up at night!
5. A Pencil Skirt with a More Casual Top—Pencil skirts are definitely the best way to look chic, feminine and put-together at work, but they tend to feel expressly workwear. While that’s great between 9 and 5, it’s not especially ideal for anything after that. To give your pencil skirt style a more evening-inspired edge, pair it with a more casual top, like a cotton blouse, rather than a pressed button-up or anything silky. You could even sport yours with sneakers for that perfect laid-back look.
6. A Floral Blouse with Flare Jeans—If you haven’t noticed, bell bottom jeans are coming back with a vengeance, and one of the reasons why this excites us so much is because they’re so versatile. You can dress up your flares for the workday by styling them with a floral top (think silky, tucked-in blouse) and chic heels or wedges. Toss on a blazer for some extra professional polish. After work, it’s easy to take this look to happy hour, a concert or dinner with some flirty sandals. Oh, and make sure to ditch the blazer when the heels come off!
Anything Can Be Day to Night with the Right Tips
In our opinion, you can take almost any semi-nice outfit from day to night as long as you have the right tools and accessories in your back pocket. Here are some of our best tips for transitioning anything you’re wearing from a.m. to p.m.
- Keep a second pair of shoes on hand. Trendy shoes are one of the most fundamental pieces of your outfit that helps it look cohesive and pulled together – whether you’re going for a casual, professional or glam look. Keep a pair of laid-back flats (for dressing down) or heels or wedges (for dressing up) in your car or closet at work for an easy, instant transition.
- Jackets and layers are your friend. Of course, a blazer signals something completely different than a boyfriend-inspired jean jacket. And jackets are so easy to swap out after work that they should be considered foundational items within your day to night strategy.
- Start with a tailored dress or jumpsuit. A well-fitting dress or jumpsuit is like a blank canvas. With the right jewelry, jacket and shoes, you can basically form it into whatever you want it to be. Fill your closet with these pieces if your goal is to build a wardrobe that’s effortlessly adaptable.
- Think about fabrics and patterns. Keep in mind that certain materials send different signals in terms of dressiness and formality. In transitional situations, stick to more middle-ground materials—like linen, cotton or denim—which are able to take on whatever vibe you give them, whether uber-dressy or uber-chill.
Get Creative and Looks Can Go Anywhere
As with any fashion goal, creativity is key when building outfits meant to easily meander from desk to dinner. Try to infuse your personality and sense of style into everything you wear. Choosing colors, patterns, textures and silhouettes that speak to you and make you feel comfortable will help ensure that you feel confident no matter if you’re making a big presentation or hitting the dance floor at the club.
Disclosure: This article was written by a guest author.
