AT THIS TIME OF YEAR, a wonderfully crammed social calendar and the not-so-wonderfully crammed realities of commuting can mean having to go to elegant parties direct from the workplace.  While the task of transforming yourself with 15 minutes of styling and the use of an office bathroom for your boudoir might seem challenging, by keeping the focus on impactful accessories—those key finishing touches—it’s entirely possible to achieve a sophisticated party look that’s built around your regular work clothes.  After all, what constitutes being dressed up is changing. “The idea of a party dress or a cocktail dress is not super-modern,” says Laura Larbalestier, women’s buying director at Browns, the influential boutique on London’s South Molton Street. “People still want to wear really nice clothes, but it’s not gown-y,” she says. “We see women using accessories to personalize their look. They’ll add jewelry to make it more festive, or use headbands or a fur collar in pretty colors—when I see people wearing that in the evening with really nice day clothes, I think that’s really modern.”  Besides being a portable and cost-efficient way to convert an ensemble from day to night, accessories are relatively fail-safe to buy online, and can be an accessible entry-point into designer dressing. Moreover, an innovative piece of jewelry, a new shade of lipstick or a beautiful hair accessory can be an instant mood-booster—perhaps, even, reason enough to feel excited about going out when you might otherwise feel like going home.  When it comes to choosing party pieces, Justin O’Shea, buying director for online retailer Mytheresa, expects hair accessories—headbands, clips and slides—to be particularly in demand over the holidays. He also likes the trend for gratifyingly indulgent tiny handbags, which will continue well into spring. “The [spring] runway had a few very small bags which are purely for phones or credit cards—completely impractical but very expensive and desirable.”  For fashion consultant Caroline Sieber, who has styled impeccably glamorous clients like Emma Watson for the red carpet and who, as a Chanel ambassador, has attended an awful lot of parties, shoes are one of the most important elements to update.  “You can wear a beautiful dress season after season,” Ms. Sieber says, “but where you should really consider the mood of the moment is shoes.”  This doesn’t mean cleaving closely to the latest trends, but considering context and surroundings: Louis Vuitton Mary Janes with tweed straps for a night out in London, for instance, or Manolo Blahnik satin flats for a more elegant party. “I’m not big on ‘man-repellent’ shoes,” Ms. Sieber adds. “They shouldn’t jump out at you.”  Leith Clark, a London-based fashion stylist and editor in chief of new fashion magazine Violet Book, seeks out shoes by Miu Miu or Charlotte Olympia for instant party chic. “Gold shoes are my favorite right now, and mixing deep purple with hints of red, and vice versa,” she says.  When putting the finishing touches on a party outfit, remember to edit out telltale indicators of office dressing: “Changing opaque tights for sheer or lace tights makes quite a difference to a look,” says Ms. Sieber. Similarly, swap your Sherpa Tenzing-worthy day bag for a bijou little purse. “I’m always confused when I see people coming to very elegant parties wearing a beautiful dress and a big clunky bag,” she adds.  Relying on accessories to transform a look doesn’t necessarily mean an accessories free-for-all is in order. “For me, being chic implies a certain minimalism,” says Ms. Sieber. “I always try to keep in mind that it’s not a costume. You can have fun and experiment, but it should be in keeping with how you dress in real life.”  When in doubt, keep jewelry uncomplicated—Ms. Clark favors “minimal to no jewelry with metallic accessories.” And in general, don’t try too hard.  “Without authenticity and a sense of self, there is nothing unique or special about dressing up, and you will only be uncomfortable,” says Ms. Clark. “You aim to dress how you feel or, better yet, how you want to feel—but it’s important to always feel authentic in what you wear.”  Her formula for a slick party transformation is resoundingly simple: “Add red lipstick, add gold shoes, lose a layer—a cardigan or blazer—and take a taxi.”  THE GUIDE // Three Chic Office-to-Evening Looks  Leather is a good option for day-to-night dressing and Helmut Lang’s pencil skirt is a great, versatile piece (£565; mytheresa.com ). Counterbalance its toughness with soft textures—a silk blouse or fluffy sweater such as Fausto Puglisi’s color block sweater (£487; farfetch.com )—during the day, then amplify its rock ’n’ roll overtones for evening by adding spiky heels and metallic accessories like Saint Laurent’s Lulu Bunny glittery bag (£790; mytheresa.com ).  Give your cozy sweater a more structured look by adding a faux collar. The best ones have unexpected details: embroidery, luxe fabrications or unorthodox proportions. Carven’s asymmetric Peter Pan collar plays the trick perfectly (£115; farfetch.com ). For a break from red lips, try a fuchsia or mauve, especially with blue-toned clothes. Serge Lutens’ lipstick, though pricey, stays on all night until you make serious efforts to remove it (£56; sergelutens.com ).  With brogues and a blazer, a billowy floral or printed dress, such as Valentino’s butterfly print baby-doll dress (£2,175; brownsfashion.com ) can be a sweetly demure look for the office. For evening, though, you can easily give your silhouette sex appeal by cinching the waist with a ribbon-tied belt in a plush, touchable velvet like Maison Martin Margiela’s, in festive red (£180; luisaviaroma.com ).  Pull on a pair of suede over-the-knee boots, such as Gianvito Rossi’s (£1,030; mytheresa.com ), which work perfectly with minidresses or other suede or matte-textured items. A shearling collar adds drama (and warmth) to a basic coat or long-sleeved dress—Miu Miu’s lustrous version with a ribbon tie is top of the pile (£415; mytheresa.com ). And for a bit of seasonal shimmer, Fiorella Galli’s glamorous, gold-plated silver leaf earrings sway gently as you move (£525; net-a-porter.com ).  Lace lends a touch of femininity to a slouchy, mannish suit, and translates well into an evening wear context. Pair Erdem’s heavy-lace Deacon blouse (£453; matchesfashion.com ) with black wool trousers by Versus (£395; brownsfashion.com ). Throw Stella McCartney’s gray Della wool blazer over it for a modern boy-meets-girl tale (£995; mytheresa.com )  Then, to keep that classic tailoring fresh and fun, add eccentric or girlie elements. Charlotte Olympia’s handbags—like the What a Peach clutch (£1,245; net-a-porter.com )—have a cool, quirky sensibility that’s perfect for kick-starting any party look. They meet their dazzling match in Sophia Webster’s luxuriously detailed shoes, such as these Cherub heels in rose-gold and silver (£325; fwrd.com ). Dolce & Gabbana’s oversize crystal blooms, crowded onto a double cocktail ring, are the perfect hit of concentrated opulence (£660; farfetch.com ).
‘Tis the season to get dressed for glamorous post-work parties in 15 minutes flat. Our guide to looking fab without the fuss.