Desk to dinner

Fold writer Alice Olins is a Contributing Fashion Editor at Red Magazine
and co-founder of women’s careers network, the Step Up Club.

SHOP EDIT

Desk to dinner

It’s a quandary that generations of working women have grappled with. The eternal search for clothes that allow us to enhance our workwear so that we can feel appropriate during the day, and on point for what the evening has in store. In my opinion, the answer lies in a little personal fashion assessment: what actually makes you feel glamorous?

Boswell Top, £165

Start with the silhouette

Many of us feel perfectly notched up when the outline of our clothes tell an interesting story. Dresses that drape indulgently at the neck, or skirts with an intriguing peplum are often enough of a nod to eveningwear to feel just as fitting in the office and as they do by candlelight.

Try blouses and shift dresses that twist and turn or features that rise up into soft, architectural folds, if a strong silhouette is your thing.

Waverley Dress, £295

Focus on fabric

Another facet of successful work-to-party dressing, is fabric. Even the simplest shift or top can masquerade as something a lot dressier if it arrives in an unexpected and quietly luxurious fabric.

If you’re worried about overheating, stick to silk. A little slither of silk under a blazer is just right for board meetings, and can be fully revealed when you clock off at the end of the day. Especially if you draw colour into your equation: rich claret next to a soft blush is a sumptuous combination. Go tonal or be wildly dramatic in your colour combinations; both colour routes feel modern and will boost your work-to-evening efforts.

Almeida Silk Jacket, £395

Work from the waist up

That’s the thing about work-to-wine dressing; at its heart it is about enhancing your top half. There is a certain type of sartorial power in an intricate blouse that can’t be matched by trousers or a skirt. Never fret about creating a complete outfit overhaul before you leave the office, rather work from the waist up and boost your best bits. Now, where’s the red lippie…

Arlington dress, £295

The cocktail coat

Outerwear might not seem like an obvious route to evening success, after all you’re likely to slip off your coat once you’ve arrived, but don’t underestimate the power of your entrance. A cocktail coat, a piece loved by the style greats will get all the glances when you arrive, and for very formal occasions can happily remain buttoned up all night.

Napier trench coat, £395

Identify your ace of spades

When it comes to making a smooth progression from working day to playful night, you need to stay true to your usual style choices and then enhance the best bits, whether that’s the silhouette, texture or your make-an-entrance coat.

Then, once you have identified your ace of spades, as it were, you can employ a few speedy hacks for maximum effect. A little more kohl around the eye, or a killer lip if that’s your thing works wonders.

Camelot dress, £365

Modern shortcuts

Last but not least, think accessories. In terms of jewellery, we are living in a moment that has been almost entirely dominated by mega-earrings. Whether you prefer something neat and sparkly at the lobe, or are happy to swoosh beaded fringing around your shoulders, earrings are a modern shortcut to adding some va-va-voom to your everyday. Slip them into a small dust pouch and then store inside a zipped section of your handbag and they’ll remain protected until you need them later on.

Bowery silk blouse, £165