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Chic, day to night

Work clothes that, when time is short, can be dressed up to step out at holiday parties.

What do you do when you don't have time to schlep home after work and change before the holiday party? Or if your early-morning kid drop-offs, workouts, mid-afternoon power meetings, and late-day deadlines mean you have little time to think about chic holiday outfits?

Not to worry. "Mirror Mirror" is here to help maximize holiday sparkle.

We picked three of this fall's core looks and gave them a fierce, celebratory twist that you can wear to work and then out on the town. We also made sure that these looks were appropriate for real women living real, busy lives. Our basics: a black-and-white color-blocked sheath, a jewel-toned day dress, and a blush-colored, bell-sleeved suit.

"The best way to update your daytime look is through accessorizing," said Bloomingdale's fashion expert Noelle Cutler. "And that can easily be done with a clutch, earrings, or a great statement necklace."

And don't forget the shoes: ballet flat, kitten heel, or (our favorite), the sparkling pump. They are to your feet what bows are to presents.

Our best advice for this year's holiday season? Take advantage of color. Up until this fall, we safely built our wardrobes around black, gray, and chocolate brown. But now your core piece can be a bold color.

Try a pencil skirt or tailored slacks in brilliant blue, deep green, or electric eggplant. Add a nude cardigan during the day, or cover your shoulders with a fuzzy shrug in an unexpected shade such as red or forest green.

Vary your color palette for optimal Christmas cheer.

Core pieces

Blush bell-sleeved suit jacket (Schumacher, $699, Knit Wit); matching pencil skirt (Schumacher, $402, Knit Wit).

We love the blushness of this suit, but that gives it an unmistakably winter feel. Winter nude? We'll take it. "Nude is so fresh right now," said Ann Gitter, owner of Knit Wit. "This is so classic, but the sleeves . . . make it special."

Daytime

"Mirror Mirror" added a long-sleeved blue-print blouse for a touch of always-right retro. (Tucker, $294, Knit Wit) Adding to that old-school feel is a layered silver necklace (Janis Savitt, $665, Knit Wit), mother-of-pearl and black resin earrings (Ippolita, $250, Bernie Robbins Jewelers), and silver bangles ($325-$550, courtesy of Bernie Robbins.) We added an olive-green patent leather purse (Sorrento, $345, ViVi G).

Evening

We glammed up this suit with a jeweled halter (Haute Hippe, $495, Knit Wit). "You can wear it as a shirt and over a black turtleneck as a necklace," Gitter said. And since you can never have too much sparkle, we added open-toed gold pumps (Badgley Mischka, $200, Bloomingdale's).

 Core piece

Elie Tahari eggplant sheath, $298, available at Bloomingdale's.

 Not only is this dress a great color, but this silhouette is friendly to all shapes and sizes. Arm issues? Don't worry, it looks great with a cardigan.

"It's an easy piece for work because it's conservative, but it has a bit of peekaboo sexiness to it," Cutler said. "Mirror Mirror" paired it with black tights and pumps. That's not the only fashionable option: "This looks great with a tall, flat boot, too," Cutler said.

Daytime

We warmed the dress up with a classic knit tam (Nirvana Designs, $56, Pileggi Boutique) and gloves (Autumn Cashmere, $120, Knit Wit). We love this luxe gray cashmere cape (C by Bloomingdale's, $295). Bold amethyst jewelry reflects the winter sun. (Venus Lionette Necklace, $200, Knit Wit; amethyst cuff, Calleen Cordero, $250, Knit Wit.) For ultramodern spin, we finished the look with dangling feather earrings (Presh, $48, Pileggi Boutique).

Evening

Less is more, so we decided to let this sheath stand on its own to maximize curves. We added a fiery red mink cape with pompom drawstring (Maximilian, $995, available at Bloomingdale's. Ippolita black resin and mother-of-pearl necklace, $1,495, Bernie Robbins Jewelers).

     Core Piece

Color-blocked scoop-neck sheath: The Annella by Anne Dunwoody, $319, available at annedunwoody.com

Black and white is the sleekest of color combinations, said Samuel Borges, head designer at Manayunk's Anne Dunwoody Collection. Not to mention, you can add many different colors to the mix. "We like this dress because the black along the perimeter is slimming," Borges said.

Daytime

We softened the frock with a sparkling nude cable-knit cardigan (Schumacher, $430, Knit Wit). Black tights and pumps help create a lean silhouette. The envelope clutch finishes it off nicely. (Elaine Turner Bella Zig Zag silver and gold, $175, ViVi G.) The set of vintage pearls lends class.

Evening

A high ponytail is holiday-party dramatic. We focused on jewelry: leopard enamel and multicolor sapphire bangles ($1,195), a silver turquoise necklace ($8,765), Roberto Coin 18-karat ring ($8,900), and drop earrings ($4,100), all from Bernie Robbins Jewelers.