Life is busy, and no one wants to drag an entire change of clothes to the office before a festive soirée. What you need is a plan and a few strategic pieces to zhuzh up your daytime look. Forget the old formula of LBDs, sheer tights and high heels and try these ideas instead.
Lisa Armstrong
The top-half trick
Lisa wears...
- Desk: Fair Isle cashmere scarf, £225, & Daughter; Both sets of drop earrings, from a selection at Carousel Jewels; Skirt: Lisa’s own (similar styles still available from The Fold); Shoes: ATP Atelier
- Drinks: Velvet kimono £220, NRBY
Ruthless logic always wins the day (to night) challenge. How much of the outfit will be seen? If you’re off to the ballet or a restaurant (my two favourite post-office missions), then it’s about making a sleek impact with the top half. If drinks, you need the full picture. Something with a soft sheen will look lovely dressed up but can also be more neutral for day with cosy knits.
Up top, a beautifully cut jacket will never let you down. However, if it’s too evening-y for the office, it’s a lot to carry. Enter this velvet kimono, which emerges from a neat roll (in a couple of layers of tissue paper) in an impeccable, ready-to-go style. For those who feel the chill, it can be layered over shirts and jumpers.
The silk flower required its own box to avoid nihilation. But since the kimono, bloom and my trusty tanzanite drop earrings from Carousel fitted into my work bag, and created a bit of a wow worn together, all was forgiven. Also in that glossy tote: a teeny clutch, big enough for my phone and a lipstick so I can check in the bigger bag.
Bias skirts are everywhere. I bought this black satin one from The Fold in 2020 and it’s still going strong after various tours of duty in the washing machine (at 20C). They currently have burgundy and navy versions (called the Kelmore), and will doubtless do more. It’s a classic. The shoes, by ATP Atelier, are several years old, comfortable and, for such a diminutive heel, real show stealers.
Sarah Bailey
Add sparkles and velvet
Sarah wears...
- Desk: Pleated scarf skirt, £109, Zara; Sparkly silk tweed red socks, £18, Genevieve Sweeney; Leather block heel Mary Janes, £315, Lili Curia
- Drinks: Velvet bow platforms, £65, Monsoon; Faux fur coat, £180, Hush
The key to a happy office-to-out transition is to keep your tweaks as simple as possible. Gone are the days when I could be bothered wriggling into a tiny dress in the office bathroom, or battling for mirror space in a fog of Elnett as everyone glams up – too stressful. My advice is to start the day on the front foot by going to work in an outfit you love, and when it’s time to turn your screen off and switch the glamour up, elevate with a couple of bold touches.
For me, a sparkly sock and a velvet platform are an instant mood-uplifter… and you don’t need to buy your party platforms from Miu Miu. Monsoon offers a fantastic dupe. Similarly, extravagant earrings always give an outfit some fizz. There are some fabulous, sculptural ones on the high street this season. These floral garland numbers (Monsoon again) are light as a feather, so no sore lobes to spoil your night. Grab a faux fur jacket and get thee to a dance floor.
Tamara Abraham
Switch from T-shirt to waistcoat
Tamara wears...
- Desk: Cotton corduroy suit, £530, Kipper; T-shirt, £30, Cos
- Drinks: Tailored wool waistcoat, £225, ME+EM
“If in doubt, wear a suit” is a very useful motto at this time of year, when you’re expected to go from school drop-off to work to a Christmas carol service to dinner – the kind of day that requires a 14-hour outfit. To transcend occasions, it’s important that the suit doesn’t look too office-y. That’s why I’ve gone for this rich burgundy cord from Kipper, the women’s suiting label founded by stylist Sarah Corbett-Winder, a woman who really gets the juggle. I swapped my daytime T-shirt for a similarly hued tailored waistcoat at sundown and added a dash of bright red lipstick. A glass of champagne is all I need to complete the look.
Jessica Burrell
Turn your blazer into a dress (almost)
Jessica wears...
- Desk: Wool-blend suit jacket, £149.99, Mango; Wool-blend suit trousers, £109.99, Mango; Merino-wool top, £45, Cos
- Drinks: Mini skirt, £57, & Other Stories; The Fifteen sheer tights, £30, Heist; Heels, from a selection, Loeffler Randall
My favourite “desk-to-dancefloor” party trick is to wear an oversized blazer as a dress (with a mini skirt or silky shorts added for modesty). Whip off the top you’ve been wearing in the office all day, button the blazer up, add some black semi-opaques and a heel, and you’ll be ready to go. It’s great if you want to get more wear out of your tailored pieces while giving an irreverent take on the “corpcore” trends we’ve seen on catwalks for the last couple of years. I’m aware this is a divisive styling move, but it’s certainly a fun one. If you’re sceptical, keep the trousers on and just lose the daytime top for a more sensible take.
Sophie Tobin
Get colourful with tights
Sophie wears...
- Desk: Leather jacket, £429.99, H&M; Smocked dress, £285, Stine Goya; Leather boots, £348, Ivylee Copenhagen
- Drinks: Tights, £36, Heist; Silver plated earrings, £235, Dinosaur Designs; Shoes, from a selection, Dear Frances
Still want to wear tights with your winter party dress? Opt for a coloured, lace or polka-dot pair, which will instantly uplift even the most office-friendly of outfits. Heist has a great selection this season, with their signature thick waistband to keep everything in place, and you can select your preferred denier even in the coloured options. M&S are the high-street hero – I love their fishnet lace tights, which come in four shades.
I’ve kept the rest of my outfit monochrome (with a touch of silver) to give the tights their moment, but you can play with contrasting colours and textures; grey and burgundy pair well, or try a burgundy dress with bright red hosiery. The best part? They’ll slot right into your handbag.
Hansveni Dave
Let your jewellery do the heavy lifting
Hansveni wears...
Desk: Silk sheer high neck top, £125, Rat & Boa; Skirt no longer sold so alternative: Pleated skirt, £46, Weekday; Leather basket bag with pearls, £405, Chylak; Leather knee high boot, £995, Izie
Drinks: Silver drop earrings, £130, Anni Lu; Silver ear cuff, £110, Otiumberg; Silver pebble ring, £435, Dinosaur Designs
I very rarely change my outfit if I’m going from the office to an event, as I never like the faff of bringing extra clothes with me. What I will do is work with what I’ve got on and try to elevate it. Statement earrings like these from Anni Lu and Otiumberg, and a chunky ring from Dinosaur Designs, are perfect for turning an outfit from day to night and can fit in the smallest of handbags.
To let the jewellery shine, I usually pop my hair into a style which, let’s face it, at the end of the day needs putting up anyway. Statement jewellery doesn’t always have to mean drop earrings or an oversized ring; a statement for me was switching up my usual favoured gold jewellery for a silver accessory. I know switching from gold to silver isn’t revolutionary, but it’s a big enough change that your peers will notice.