Looking fabulous for date night when you’re on the run from work doesn’t have to be a challenge.  But how do you pull off the day to night outfit transformation?  My favorite trick is to make my date night dress play double duty.  It starts off the day as a skirt, paired with a structured shirt.  But when the work day is over, I remove the layered shirt, and poof, it turns back into a stunning dress for evening.  Here’s how to get a fabulous day to night look, perfect for Valentine’s Day and beyond:

I’m not a tall girl, but I’d like to pretend I am.  So I do whatever I can to visually add height - add high heels, think vertical lines, and avoid anything that visually widens me.  I also like to, where possible, dress (nearly) monochromatically do give myself a long, lean line.  But keeping your look in the same color family doesn’t have to look repetitive.  All you have to do is mix it up with texture to give your look a whole new dimension.  Here’s how to get the look:

Part of what makes fashion so fun is the way an outfit looks - but the way an outfit feels to the touch also adds to the delight.  The beauty of playing with textures is that it’s so subtle - it’s only when you see the pieces up close that you fully appreciate the intricacy of the look.  I layered up three key textures in this look - a traditional lace, a snazzy tweed, and leather cutouts - for a look that’s as fun to touch as it is to look at.

Personal style is about taking something and making it your own.  You can mix silhouettes, you can mix pieces from different eras, you can mix pieces with opposing style sensibilities.  But as long as you have a point of view about how they mix, you’re good to go. 

Case in point?  This look, which juxtaposes traditional and bohemian style.  The chunky sweater is classic, while the flowy floor length maxi skirt reads more bohemian.  Likewise, the mixture of accessories toe the line between the classic and the free spirited.  What I love about this look is how the pieces come together to create something larger than the sum of their parts - something that’s at once traditional and non-conformist.  Here’s how to get the look:

One of the key silhouettes of the season is the high-low look: a piece that’s higher in the front and lower in the back.  (Yes, it’s the fashion version of the mullet, but it’s much more fetching.)  You’ll see it on tops, you’ll see it on skirts, and here, you see it on a basic black tee/dress.  What I love about this silhouette is that it’s accessible for women of all heights - it works just as well on a tall woman as it does on one who is petite. 

Based on this playfulness of the high-low silhouette, I thought it’d be appropriate to add another light layer to the dress - a patterned blouse that adds visual interest to the look.  (As it’s the middle of winter, you’ll probably also want to throw on a jacket when you head outdoors.)  Here’s how to get the look:

You don’t have to be a lady who lunches to sport this prim & polished (yet effortlessly chic) look.  What I love about this look is that it’s perfectly put together, yet it doesn’t take itself too seriously.  Yes, it features a gorgeous tweed skirt - but that tweed skirt is paired with a military inspired smock shirt (and a pair of patterned sunglasses to boot!).  Here’s how to get the look:

Detachable collars have been on the style radar since Miu Miu Spring ‘10, and they’ve steadily been migrating from the province of fashion stylists to the Real World.  The beauty of these detachable collars is that they finish off your look by adding visual depth - without the bulk of a full shirt.  Here’s how to get the look:

It’s an oft-cited fashion rule that you shouldn’t combine black and brown, whether it’s on your clothes or with your accessories.  But rules are made to be broken, with beautiful consequences.  The trick to getting the black and brown look right is proportion and keeping color contrasts to a minimum.  We kept the proportions of black and brown such that they were both well represented in the look - so it didn’t look like one of the colors was a mistake.  Secondly, we paired the black accessories with a rich shade of brown that complemented the deep black of the handbag and hat.  Here’s how to get the look:

You may have bought a sequinned dress over the holidays.  If you’re me, you may have bought two.  But now that the holidays are long over, you may be wondering how do you get more mileage out of your sequinned dress.  It’s simple - be bold and just wear it, paired with daytime appropriate pieces.  We took inspiration from the embellished texture of the dress and paired it with complementary textures that play well with daytime - knit, denim, and suede.  Here’s how to get the look:

1. Start with your foundation piece: your sequinned dress.  It’s still chilly out, so layer it over a pair of leggings to keep your legs warm.
2. Wrap yourself in a sweater (or a sweatertrench) to keep you nice and cozy.  I love how the soft knit of the sweater pairs with the hard, glam look of the sequins.
3. Accessorize with a pair of boots or booties (suede adds a nice third texture), and grab a snakeskin clutch before you head out the door to finish off the look.

Today, we’ll outline the 16 key pieces you’ll want this month to keep your closet on point.  And for the rest of February, we’ll show you how to mix and match these pieces into key looks that you can recreate with your own wardrobe.  From left to right, top to bottom, here are the 16 pieces you’ll want to have in your closet this month. 

The Open Blazer
Co-ord Navy Blazer | $130 at Topshop
The open front makes this navy blazer all the more easy to layer.

The Sweep Me Up Trench
Bottega Veneta Gabardine and Knitted Cotton Trench Coat | $1,950 at Net-a-Porter
This knit trench is a cozy alternative to a winter coat - and it looks fabulous both indoors and outdoors.

The Embellished Dress
Native Dress | $495 at AllSaints Spitalfields
Sequins and beading make this dress a true standout.  Plus, the tribal inspired pattern is perfectly on trend.

The High-Low Dress
Knitted Side Stripe Tee | $84 at Topshop
What I love about this dress is how well it layers, thanks to the high front and the low back. 

The Cropped Sweater
Alexander Wang Cropped Jacquard Sweater | $385 at Net-a-Porter
This cropped textured sweater pairs especially well with high waisted skirts and pants. 

The Oversized Sweater
Adam Chunky Knit Cotton Sweater | $395 at Net-a-Porter
Cozy and oversized are the hallmarks of this perfectly proportioned grey sweater.

The Pilot Shirt
Pilot Smock Shirt | $175 at AllSaints Spitalfields
Military inspired, but decidedly feminine, this shirt works just as well layered as it does alone.

The Tribal Shirt
Elizabeth and James Beaded Silk Satin Blouse | $365 at Net-a-Porter
Tribal inspired detailing at the cuffs and hem make an ordinary white shirt something extraordinary.

The Slinky Tee
Raquel Allegra Shredded Cotton Jersey Top | $275 at Net-a-Porter
Shredded detailing on this drapey tee gives it such a sensual texture.

The Silk Tank
Kain Classic Washed Silk Tank | $155 at Net-a-Porter
The classic black silk tank.  Nothing more, nothing less.

The Lace Shell
Lace Mix Shell Vest | $64 at Topshop
Lace brings refinement to any outfit, casual or dressy.

The Denim Leggings
Black Denim Leggings | $40 at Topshop
Go black when you wear your denim skintight - and you’ll get double duty out of them, wearing them in place of jeans and leggings.

The Tweed Skirt
Lanvin Neon Tweed Mini Skirt | $1,190 at Net-a-Porter
Don’t you love neon green?  This surely isn’t your grandmother’s tweed skirt.

The Leather Skirt
Michael by Michael Kors Chain Detail Leather Mini Skirt | $300 at Net-a-Porter
Make sure that your skirt isn’t super skintight - or too short.  Keep it classy.

The Sequinned Skirt
Juicy Couture Sequined Mini Skirt | $250 at Net-a-Porter
Because everyone could use a little sparkle in their lives.

The Maxi Skirt
Maison Martin Margiela Brushed Matte Satin Maxi Skirt | $640 at Net-a-Porter
Drapey, effortless, and elegant, this maxi skirt can go from day to night.