Dress to Impress With these Top Looks

Tis the season, as they say – but if that’s more a stifling combination of a floor-drobe, champagne haze and late nights, embracing a sparkling party wardrobe may seem like another task on your to do list.Our stylist to the Stars Emma Read has distilled the party wardrobe into three gorgeous go to looks. Her low fuss and high impact outfits will take you from 9am until whenever the champagne stops flowing (never!).

Image via pinterest

The LBD

She’s a keeper, the LBD. Always the cool, calm, collected one, ready to step in when things are in dire straights. She does have a little stiff upper lip reputation in terms of styling – which is surprisingly easy to shake off paired back with the right accessories and outerwear.

Wear it to work with a mule heel (it’s the new pump – all the class with a little more personality) and a neutral tote as a base accessory duo; best to keep it slick between office hours. Black on black is the perfect base to build on accessory-wise – a mix of textures is going to elevate your look here, so pairing matte with shine (say, a silk dress with a suede heel, or crepe with patent) adds a bit of much-needed depth to your look.

Clocked off? Perfection – you packed your statement clutch in your work tote, right? If you know you’re going to be pressed for time, pre-pack a party bag for a quick and easy transition into evening along with after-hours jewellery options inside to seamlessly switch it up. Leave the blazer at your desk unless absolutely required to shake off the corporate persona.

If it’s Saturday morning and coffee is desperately required, tone the accessories right down to casual mode. If you’re working with a slip or sleeveless number, throw on a slouchy white tee underneath to bring it into weekender-mode. A black leather slide or crisp white sneaker adds instant freshness (often needed over December when you’re definitely not feeling it internally). Add your signature eyewear of choice (our tip: black or a clean metal frame ties back in perfectly with an athletic shoe) and caffeinate, caffeinate, caffeinate.

Country Road Wrap Dress, $179, and Maxi Slip Dress, $199, countryroad.com.au

Wittner Roswel Mules, $189.95, wittner.com.au

Tabitha Simmons Velvet Mules, approx. $995, tabithasimmons.com

bassike Vintage Neck T-Shirt, $90, bassike.com.

Ray-Ban Aviators, $198, rayban.com

Cara NY Shapes Drop Earrings, $20, asos.com.

The Long-Line Skirt

Be it a maxi, a wrap, a tulip – you name it, a skirt is on the RSVP ‘yes’ list. Colour-wise, look to whites or subtle prints for 100% versatility – it’s here for a good time and a long time, so best to kick off your styling with the ultimate party partner.

Keep it simple in the morning commute and dress tonally – so all white-on-white in this instance (or a complementary colour should you be working with a print). Much like it’s sister neutral black, having a clean base palette of tones allows you to play up or down your outfit at your leisure (not that we’re getting much of that lately, but a gal can dream). A silk camisole or shell top under a blazer is perfect to get the ball rolling pre-accessorising – look to a simple strappy metallic heel to bring the oomph. If that’s a little skimpy for the office, pair one under a silk blouse or shirt that you can ditch after 5:30pm.

Cab’s here! Time to disrobe that shirt and switch it up into that camisole or shell-top. Bonus points if you play up the metallic through your accessories in outerwear, too – think metallic fabrics, or hardware that catches the light. A bare neckline loves a little attention, so a mixture of finely layered jewellery and a statement earring should do the trick. As your hemline is on the longer side, don’t overwhelm your silhouette with a larger than life bag – a teeny clutch or minaudiere with the essentials is best (here’s a bonus little beauty tip: set your make-up with a setting spray before leaving, so you can downsize on the cosmetics front).

If the clock’s now ticked over into brunch hour, rest easy: any long-line skirt is simple to trick down into casual mode. A strappy gladiator-style sandal and folksy blouse exudes ease with no effort required.

Zimmermann Crepe Skirt, $295, zimmermannwear.com.

camilla and marc Statice Skirt, $499, camillaandmarc.com

By Malene Birger Silk Camisole, $285, mytheresa.com.

Trenery Shell Top, $149, trenery.com.au.

Tony Bianco Komma Heels, $199.95, tonybianco.com.au

Samantha Wills Parisian Dusk Neck Cuff, $249, samanthawills.com.au

The Jeans

If there’s one item from every wardrobe that’s the real MVP, the actual life of the party, it’s jeans – and the most unassuming, funnily enough. A proper 24/7 piece that can double as sleepwear if you’re not careful, a hero jean flits from the office out into the night as fast as your legs can take you.

Blue jeans, white shirt – it’s been immortalized into song for a reason, so take the no-brainer route and stick to the classics for the office. As always, it requires a little polish to carry into a work wear zone, so a pump and blazer most certainly don’t go astray here. Add a red lip and some shades and you’re ready to rock and roll.

Pining for a wine? We hear you – throw off the blazer and roll up your sleeves to loosen that outfit on up. Make the most of that forearm now on show with an arm party of bracelets, along with a statement necklace or earring for good measure. It’s your accessories that are going to lift these more traditional classics, so dive anywhere from boho to eclectic depending on your mood – layering is your key buzzword here.

Off-duty has rolled around once again, so switch from high to low in a poppy sneaker to get you in the mood for round 2. Add a neutral slouchy bomber and you’re set for a breezy Saturday.