You hear about transitioning your style from day to night with ease, but frequently, the advice you see isn’t really practical. Whether you’re heading from the office to happy hour or from a day of errands to a date night with your significant other you need some outfit ideas that will take you from casual to elevated in just a few minutes.
At Crescent, we know that creating the perfect day-to-night outfits is a little more complex than the fashion industry is willing to admit. But we’re here to guide you through transitional clothing with our signature minimalist perspective and thoughtfully designed styles. Balance everyday casual and evening elegance when you check out these essentials for day-to-night looks.
Tricks for the Perfect Daytime to Nighttime Outfit
There are a few tricks that make day to night transitions quick and easy. When styling transitional outfits, you need versatile pieces that work well with everything and attentive layering that offers flexible solutions. You also want to consider accessories like shoes and jewelry in advance to ensure they can dress down for daytime and dress up for nighttime.
1. The Right Skirt
Midi and wrap skirts have always been staples for professional environments because they’re so easy to mix and match with tons of different styles. Whether you opt for loose and flowy or the classic pencil silhouette, you can pair your midi skirts with everything from simple, long-sleeves to patterned blouses and turtlenecks for the office. When you’re ready to transition your day-to-night outfit, keep the skirt but swap out the top for something a little more elevated – like a satin tank blouse. You may also want to exchange your blazer or cardigan for a black leather jacket. If you already wear heels to work, you’re ready to go!
We recommend choosing a neutral skirt for this type of day-to-night look because it works with nearly everything. Black is a classic, but you can also go for navy, olive, or beige – depending on your aesthetic.
2. A Shirtdress
At Crescent, we love a good shirtdress, as you can modify it in so many ways to fit your day-to-night outfit. For your everyday look, consider throwing denim jeans or leggings underneath to ensure it’s casual enough for your office atmosphere. Ready to head out to cocktail hour? Take off your bottoms and throw on some strappy shoes for a completely different take.
Your shirtdress can be any color, pattern, or print you want, as denim and black leggings are a neutral backdrop for any design. When your dress has a bold hue, it also does so much better as a solo look. If your shirtdress has an oversized or relaxed fit, consider a chic belt to give you shape and accentuate your waist.
3. Jumpsuit Chic
Jumpsuits are now a go-to in professional settings because they come in so many more styles than just the basic utility look. With a minimalist style in elevated fabrics, you can ensure sophistication and elegance no matter what else you’re wearing. Tone down your jumpsuit for the office with a cardigan and flats, and pump up the volume for the night with heels and no jacket! We love a jumpsuit for day-to-night outfits because even a workman’s one-piece looks amazing with a pair of pumps and a belted waistline.
4. Silk Blouses + Culottes
Elevating simple separates from daytime to nighttime outfits is a lot easier than you think. Whether you go with a sleeveless, button-up, or collared for your top, you look like a pro. You can wear this type of blouse with slacks, skirts, and denim for the office, or just wear culottes all day and change up your shoes for your evening look.
Culottes are another naturally sophisticated piece that pairs well with anything. You can go for an elevated ensemble all day with a silk blouse and blazer and then toss the blazer for cocktail hour after work.
5. The Slip Dress
A shirtdress sets one type of tone for your aesthetic, but a slip dress is an entirely different animal. While they’re a little bit of a tricky trend, we’re confident you can make it work for your day-to-night look.
Slip dresses are ideal for an evening ensemble that’s a little more sophisticated. Slips are also one of the most basic dresses you could ever own. They all have the same simple straps, neckline, and silhouette to ensure they’re the quickest thing to style. Try a slip dress with a cardigan for work before slipping out of your jacket into the easiest day-to-night outfit ever!
Layers Are Your Friend
While nothing is stopping you from dressing up during the day, layering your outfits makes wearing the right thing for every occasion a breeze. You can always cover up with a trench or a blazer in professional settings and slip off as much as you want when you head out the door for the evening. Just make sure when you’re layering that every piece you choose is versatile, neutral, and capable of standing on its own or with an ensemble.
Need even more help to create day-to-night outfits? Browse our new arrivals to see how we put iconic looks together and explore our blog for additional inspiration.
