day to night

Minimalist gold jewelry brand AUrate asked me, how do you transition from day to night? Great prompt. How to take a makeup or style look from day to night is such a useful tool to have in your belt, and one so often used, so relevant. It’s something I determine on a case by case, outfit by outfit, mood by mood basis but, thinking about it, there are a few underlying principles that simplify the process.

Let’s take this typical summer day look to start.

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A loose, high waisted pant, neutral color palette, casual bag and sandals, jewelry either small or natural in material (leather, bone beads), light, natural makeup. This lip is Colour Pop lip liner in Frida, so pretty. The blush is Becca Pamplemousse, a vibrant pink that adds instant life to the face. I love these linen pants, old school H&M.

This necklace is a constellation piece I picked up from an Ebay shop, but I like any dainty gold piece like this with a simple white shirt. Something like this clean gold bar necklace  is a great substitute (I appreciate that AUrate pieces are solid gold, which I splash out for when I can), which is the kind of piece it’s great to layer but which I also love alone, a slight glimmer to draw attention to the throat and collarbone, accessories in themselves.

For a day to night transition [if I am indeed bothering to change anything at all] I think about amping things up somehow. I often remove the more delicate or casual elements of the look and replace them with a bolder option. Sometimes, rather than remove, I’ll just layer more on. With makeup, where desired, I darken and intensify (or add where before there was nothing).

I like to change small things in a big way, and leave the big things as they are.

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Heels, an easy one. Shoes are a quick way to dramatically shift to the mood of a look. These heeled huarache sandals (Cole Haan) still feel summery but suddenly I seem a lot more dressed up, even though the basic foundation of a simple tank and trousers hasn’t changed.

Jewelry a little bigger, a little louder. Still in line with the look but with more weight, literally and figuratively heavier. That statement ring added in. Lips darker, blush brighter, eyeshadow (only wearing mascara on the eyes above, Amaterasu Silk Mascara combined with L’Oreal Clump Crusher) and liner. This is MAC Chili lipstick, a great rusty red, Becca Wild Honey blush darkening things up to balance out the lip, Charlotte Tilbury cream shadow in Bette to give a little interest to the eyes, and a purple Tarte liner under the eyes.

The liner is a little obvious, actually. I would have been happier here with the lip/blush/shadow only…but it’s fine. It’s getting the job done. A clutch in place of the tote. I’ll give my hair a shake as well.

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That’s pretty much it. I can fit everything I need to make the transition in my tote or even a medium sized bag; a few makeup bits I’d be dragging around anyway, some jewelry I can easily carry with me, a spare pair of shoes…nothing too tiresome or time-consuming, otherwise I wouldn’t do it.

 

What about you, any tips to make that day-to-night transition seamless?

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Altuzarra is killin’ it

Joseph Altuzarra has turned out a stunning collection for SS 2015, where by stunning I mean just what I want. He’s such a wonderful young designer, and a prime example of what the Vogue Fashion Fund (he won their award/grant in 2011) can do for a designer and so for the world of fashion. He’s been turning out solid collections for years but this is the first one to actively catch my attention.

Great use of asymmetry in diagonally placed stripes and angled vents and cut-outs. Soft, suede-like material here, leather there, lovely draping. A clean black and white palette with touches of cognac and a saturated cornflower, gold.  Wonderful use of layers (love the sheer tops) and simple ribbon belts.

He shows—at least, for the most part— that often rare yet, when honorably implemented, irresistible element in the circus of fashion week: realistically ready to wear designs. Transposed onto the street most of these women would stand out, sure, but for the best reasons. Reasons like, because you appreciate their style, because you, too, aspire to wear designs that trumpet confidence and character, because the colors and lines please your eye.

Highlights:

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Actually I’ve always had a soft spot for gingham.

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This is a sublime V-neck situation.

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I want something very much exactly like this. I should be able to make something like this, it seems. Ish.

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This deep toffee color is everything I want it to be. This ties in to my taste for rust and sepia shades at the moment, to be sure. This sudden injection of texture in the narrative of the show is a wonderful, softening surprise.

I keep trying to remember to wear a button down like this as well, that careless unbuttoned look I find so appealing. I think I could manage it.KIM_0276

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Again this color. I am smitten with this color.

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The draping on this top is a thing of beauty. I like this black bralette peeking through as well. I want to copy elements of this collection outright. These little woven sandals, heeled huaraches, are appealing, too. I like a narrow ankle strap like this these days, there’s a delicacy to it (visually and probably literally).

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Bravo. High marks for color, texture, silhouette…I can’t wait to see what is next from this kid.

images via style.com