Day to night summer looks

Apr 17, 2011 1:41 PM by Aly Walansky

Posted in Beauty & Style / Flawless Fashion / Summer Fashion

Beautiful Days, Hot Nights

It happens to all of us: A conservative day at the office leads straight into a spontaneous happy hour at your favorite bar -- or, more perplexing, fashion-wise, a hot date. Obviously, you need to change -- or do you? Believe it or not, there are fabulously easy ways to adapt your look from day to night -- no additional wardrobe required!

Summer Happy Hour

6 ways to be fashionably versatile

Switch one great bag for another

Sometimes, all you need for a great evening look is a small cocktail bag. If nighttime plans suddenly pop up, move from day to night style by switching from a laptop bag to a more festive clutch.

Dress in dresses

A survey by Cotton Incorporated found that 69 percent of women prefer to wear one comfortable outfit all day rather than change clothes to suit different activities. So, a few versatile dresses are ideal wardrobe staples. You don't have to change your outfit if your plans change; just exchange your accessories to give your day look some evening pizzaz.

Check out some of the latest dress styles of the season >>

Leopard print accents

A bold accent like leopard print is all you need to spice up your look. As the spring 2010 designer collections proved, leopard prints can be the perfect addition to a casual ensemble. Try anything from a subtle leopard belt or lightweight, flowing scarf to a bolder option such as a skirt. You'll find that leopard is a daytime hit wonderful for a night out.

Make your hair your best accessory

Master stylist and salon/spa owner Missi Koebler says every woman's best accessory is her hair. Create a hot summer look that works both day and night with just two tools: bobby pins and hair spray. Before heading to work in the morning, pull your hair back as follows:

Section off pieces, then pin each to the crown of your head, allowing the ends to do their own thing.
Continue to work around to the back of your head, pinning up more sections until you're done. The key to this look is not to have a particular plan, but just pin as you go, creating a fun but pulled-together look.
Once you have it all pinned up, simply spray into place and go.
After work, remove the pins, and you have instant, voluminous out-on-the town hair. Grab a travel hairspray to keep in your purse, and you can spritz it on the go.

Check out some hairstyle photos for inspiration >>

Layers are key

Layers keep your look versatile. A great look for summer is white-on-white. Our suggestion: a ruched tank under a boyfriend jacket with a pair of cropped black pants and comfy flats for day. Remove the jacket, add jewelry and a floral silk scarf, and slip into strappy high-heeled sandals for the evening look.

Bold lips

While smokey eyes are great for night, bold lips will satisfy your day and nightime style needs. Red is red-hot right now, a classic color making a comeback in the fashion magazines and on the red carpet. For summer, find a shade that complements your skin tone and wear a light later for day. Come time to spruce up for night time events, re apply more liberally.