I love a writing assignment that makes me look at something I normally wouldn’t. This month Walmart asked how I would take a “Daytime” outfit and as a busy back to school mom on the go switch it up with minimal fuss for a “Date Night” with the hubs.
Interesting thought eh? Well first I needed a daytime outfit that was comfortable for running errands in town while the kids are in school and wasn’t too “fussy”. It needed to be something I could attend a meeting with a teacher in or sit on the sidelines at soccer with too!
I started with a pair of dark denim capris I bought for my “Fun Spring Fashion” post. These have turned out to be my favorite pants to wear all spring and summer, and I can’t see that fall will be any different. They are comfortable and the dark wash makes them look a bit more dressy.
Of course I could just throw a patterned top over the capris and call it an outfit–but for my day to date night change up I wanted not only to have a bit more of a difference in the look, but I also wanted to make sure my top wasn’t looking worse for the wear after having it on all day. So I chose a patterned blouse (which helps hide any minor stains) in a wrinkle free fabric at Walmart and then topped it with a light 3/4 sleeve cardigan.
The cardigan keeps the look pretty casual but tied together, and helps keep the blouse covered up and hopefully a bit cleaner during my day. Also–when you are going in and out of stores and such it’s hard to know what the temperature will be. It might be pleasantly in the high 70’s, but when you step into a store they have the air cranked up to arctic proportions. At times like that a sweater is a practical matter!
My makeup was my daytime basic–just a brown eyeliner and some mauve-ish lipstick that matches my natural lip tone, just a bit darker. Some loose powder to knock down the shine and I’m good for a typical day.
To switch things up from day to night on the go I need a few supplies and items:
A woman suffers from two major fashion flaws at the end of the day. 1) Her hair is typically a bit worse for the wear, and 2) Her makeup could use some freshening up.
To be ready for dinner out with Yankee Bill the first thing I do is wipe the slate clean. If I was home and had all the time in the word I’d just take a shower, wash my face and restyle my hair–but that’s not always an option for an on the go mom. In a hurried situation some Equate makeup remover cleaning wipes are an easy way to whisk off all your old makeup along with the day’s grime.
For your hair, some dry shampoo can be just the thing. This is a spray powder that you aim at the oily roots and then distribute it through your hair to soak up oils. I like to use my hands to rub it through my hair and then brush it with a real boar bristle brush to smooth everything down.
Now it’s time to apply some date night makeup. Usually for the evening I choose something a bit more fun and/or dramatic. I tamped down the shine, evened out my skin tone and gave myself a bit of a smoother surface to start with using the Covergirl Ready Set Gorgeous powder foundation. I like a compact rather than a liquid when I may be leaving the makeup bag in a hot car.
For the eyes I used a bright teal eyeliner that matched my outfit and darkened the creases of my lids with an eyeshadow pencil.
Finally I brightened up my lips with a shade far darker than one I’d typically wear in the day. I must admit I was a bit nervous about the shade, but I knew since Walmart has a 90 day return policy, even on makeup, that if I didn’t like how it looked I could take the lipstick in with my receipt and either exchange it or get a refund.
To finish my daytime to date night transformation I made two very simple wardrobe changes. I removed the sweater and then glammed things up a bit with a statement necklace and earrings set from Walmart.
Here’s the finished look, both with and without glasses (since my glasses turn a goofy amber outside).
So remember, taking your day time outfit to date night ready doesn’t have to be hard. Pick something that will stand up to the day’s wear and still look fresh for your outfit (adding or subtracting a blazer or cardigan can make a big difference), and then bring along some accessories to dress it up. Have a way to repair damage done to your hair and makeup, and bring some darker more dramatic tones for your makeup to change your look into a bit of nighttime drama.
Crystal says
You look great! Jewelry is a nice way to dress up an outfit!
Lori Cunningham says
You look great, Jenn! Fun article.
Peg Marr says
You did great, Jenn! Lookin’ good!
Kaye Swain says
Hi Jenn – How are you doing? So fun to see you! And what a spiffy outfit. Very handy for on the go. Thanks for a lovely visit and have a great weekend.
Kaye