Lazy Day-to-Night

There is usually a fancy dinner, requiring at least cocktail, if not formal, attire at our conferences. The other ladies manage to transform themselves in the 90 minutes between the last meeting and the start of the evening. They reappear dressed in satin, wearing false eyelashes, and sporting elaborate hairdos. I’m the laziest day-to-night dresser in the bunch. I usually just remove a layer and change accessories.

Day:


Blazer, James Jeans. Dress, Parker. Obi, Sugdamiinka. Shoes, Kelly and Katie. Earrigns, No Boundaries. Bag, Aldo.


Night:


Dress, Parker. Shoes, Nine West. Necklace, Banana Republic. Bag, vintage.


I was not lazy earlier in the day. My participation in the workshops earned me lots of “money:”

Quick Change Artist

I impressed myself with a quick change from work to casual clothes. Even more impressive, I made this blouse “work” for business and then dinner out with Beefy.


Shirt, Forever 21. Skirt, American Eagle (overdyed). Shoes, Tom’s. Sunglasses, Girl Props. Belt, swap. Bag, Walgreen’s.

The Transformative Power of a Hat

Obviously, I’m working with a pretty limited wardrobe on this trip. But removing a blazer and adding a hat is a simple, low-inventory way to take an outfit from office to dinner.

First, blazer and no hat:


Blazer, J Crew. Blouse, Love on a Hanger. Skirt, Cynthia Rowley. Shoes, thrifted. Earrings, No Boundaries. Necklace, heirloom. Bracelets, Charming Charlie and Deb. Rings, heirloom, thrifted, and gift. Hat (below), Charming Charlie.

Next, hat, no blazer.


I think the magic is all in the hat, though. Not the absence of a blazer.

Take Two

I attended the second annual Little Black Dress Event. I wore the same dress I wore to the office all day. In fact, it was the same dress I wore to the event last year. Because the LBD is all about versatility.


Dress, Banana Republic. Turquoise necklace, Serket Jewelry. Coral beaded necklace, vintage. Shoes, BCBGeneration. Clutch, Carlos Santana. Cuff and rings, vintage and/or gift.

Office to cocktail:

2011 and 2012:

To differentiate this year’s look, I changed up the accessories. And I ended up wearing a jacket much of the night because this year’s event was much cooler!




I also changed up my date. My friend Colette got to trot out her LBD (and Little Black Bag or LBB), too.



Photos by Beefy Muchacho with the Nikon DX AF-S Nikkor 35 mm 1:1.8G lens

As an Honorary Fashionista, I circulated among the crowd, photographing my favorite LBDs.


Lauren, pictured here with her boyfriend, had a glamorous, 30’s look.


Leslie, of Shoefessional, took a picture of my shoes. I wish I’d gotten a close up of hers. They were fabulous!


Danielle wins the award for both “sexiest LBD look” and “awesomest hair.” I was so impressed with her ‘do that I took two pictures of Danielle.



Ok, “sexiest LBD look” and “awesomest hair” weren’t actual prize categories, but “best dressed” was and I nominated Sophia. Her dress had beautiful movement and her hair was also “awesome.”


This trio caught my eye. Ilene of 513 Eats was wearing an Amy Kirchen original. Bernard (center) might have been wearing the best shoes of the event. Del impressed me with his western hat.


Holly gets my vote for “looks most like an American movie star.”


Colette thought that Christine looked like an Italian movie star, so we chased her down and took her picture.


Charlotte won the “best dressed” grand prize: a Jaguar for the weekend. The cut-outs on her dress and her accessories were so on trend. Although you can’t see it in the photo, she was wearing one of her own necklace creations.
I had such a wonderful time meeting all these well-dressed ladies. I can’t wait for next year.

Biz and Caz

When I travel, the dress code is business casual, with at least one casual evening event. Instead of packing a second outfit for dinner, I choose pieces that do double duty. This dress can be made suitable for work or play.

Work mode:


Jacket, Forever 21 (embellished by me). Dress, Mossimo. Shoes, New York and Co. Necklace, Anthropologie. Bracelets, The Bead Factory and Claire’s.



For dinner, I removed the blazer, traded my flats for cowboy boots, and added hat:


Here I come, Atlanta!