Life is unpredictable. Whether you are running late from work and do not have time to go home to get ready for a date, scheduled your reservation too close to when you get off work, or got stuck in traffic while and have almost no time left to fully redo your look – time gets the best of all of us.
However, your date night appearance does not have to suffer because of that. Here are some quick, useful tips on how you can transform your work place business casual attire into a date night ready look.
Go darker and bolder on the makeup
If you are coming from an office or from work, chances are, you probably have on minimal or very natural makeup. If you do not have a bold lipstick or a black/dark brown kohl eyeliner pencil in your purse, you can drop into literally any drugstore – Walgreens, CVS, Rite Aide – and buy one of those for less than $3. Popular drugstore brands such as Wet n’ Wild and E.L.F. usually have these makeup essentials for $0.99. Decide on whether you want to rock a bold lip or play up your eyes – never both. Remember, you are going on a date and will be at a close distance with your date, not clubbing in the dark or taking glamour shots.
www.walgreens.com
If you are going for some bold lips, make sure you line your lips with a lipliner pencil and then fill in your lips with the lipliner first so the lipstick does not smudge on your teeth or bleed out of your mouth. Apply the lipstick, blot onto a napkin, and then reapply a second coat so it will last all night. If the color has faded, blot and reapply. A good tip to make sure you will not get your lipstick on your teeth is to put your finger in your mouth, close your lips around your finger, and pull your finger out with your lips in an ‘O’ still around it.
walgreens.com
If you want to play up your eyes, you can use your kohl liner as an eyeshadow and an eyeliner. If you have darker hair, such as black or dark brown, use a black kohl pencil. If you are blonde or have red hair, use a brown kohl pencil. Draw a couple of lines with your pencil on the black of your hands to warm up the kohl. Then line your eyes with it, making sure you get the waterline. It does not matter if the liner is not neat. The next step is to take your ring finger and smudge the eyeliner over your lids so that it creates a smokey effect. When you are done, clean up the edges with a napkin and then tight line your eyes to create the illusion of fuller eyelashes. You can also buy a cheap eyeshadow if you do not want to use your eyeliner or feel that it is too harsh.
Change the shoes
If you are near a shoe store or just keep a spare pair in your office or car, you can quickly buy another pair to replace those office kitten heels or penny loafers. A pair of knee high boots or some platform pumps can easily transform any workplace attire you have to a more night look. Look for more flashy shoes, such as those with some sparkle or an unconventional color, like red or blue.
Put on a statement piece
One word that describes work place attire? Boring. Everyone is wearing the same style blouse or button down, slacks or pencil skirt, and blazer. When you go out for the evening, you need something that draws attention to you and gives your look some personality. One way to do this is to throw on a statement necklace or earrings. These are usually cheap and easy to find at department store outlets or in stores such as H&M or Forever 21. You’re wearing it for one night, so do not worry much about quality. Look for a metal or a jewel that matches your outfit.
www.forever21.com
Another way to add a statement is to find a clutch or a small purse that has a metallic sheen or some sort of embellishment – fringe, sequins, animal print, chain link straps – to put some personality into your bland office outfit.
Tousle your hair
walgreens.com
If you are leaving work, chances are, your hair is neatly tied into a pony tail or down with fly-aways kept nicely in place with hairspray and meticulous combing. Dress down your look a little and a little fun to your hair with some mousse if you have straight to wavy hair. If you can, dampen your hair. You can go into your office bathroom and just run wet fingers through your hair a couple of times. Spray a generous amount of mousse into your hand. With your hair still still damp (turn your head upside down if your hair is longer than chin length), and start tousling your hair. Remember not to go too crazy, you want to look casual, not like you just outran a tornado. You can usually find hair mousse at Target or any drugstore for less than $5 from brands.
Life is spontaneous. Embrace it and use what you have in your hands to make the most of the spontaneity in life! Even though you may not have had time to prep for your date, remember to have fun.
Images from walgreens, forever21, pexels
