As the sky goes dark and the commotion of the day settles down, fashion remains wide-awake. The fashion industry has created tools that allow even the busiest consumer to transform their appearance from working-style to runway ready. The secret to this: versatile items and a pair of stilettos.

So what differentiates a daytime look from a statement fit for nighttime? Within the fashion world, there is a major misconception that you need to spend hundreds of dollars to look chic and classy. The truth is, all you need is key, staple clothing items and your imagination to tailor an outfit to fit your style. Fashion, while fun, has to also be functional, making classic items in your closet essential.

Daytime looks should revolve around the idea of “functional fashion.” They tend to be sophisticated, sharp, classy, and practical, but should still be adaptable for a day-night shift. The nighttime is when fashion forward individuals can truly come alive. Nighttime looks air on the side of sleek, sexy, dark, and mysterious. They can be edgy and reveal more about yourself and your identity. Turning a day-look to a night-look allows for fluidity in style and expression which is, in my opinion, the true meaning of fashion.

Dressing fashion forward requires less effort than one would think. A pair of slacks and a t-shirt can be easily dressed up with an oversized blazer and some gold accessories. Thoughtful accessorizing is the secret to perfecting your look. Bags, shoes, jewelry, sunglasses, and hats are just some of the routes that are available to up your style game. Utilize accessories as a way to add some extra spice to any look. My personal go-to accessory that can truly revamp any look from casual to elegant is a pair of stilettos.

We all grew up being taught that if we click the heels of our stilettos together, something magical will happen to us. In some sense, this idea is not so far off. Something about slipping into a pair of stilettos allows a woman to regain a sense of power in herself that she may have lost during a hectic work day. Whether you decide to throw on a pair of heels for aesthetic, femininity, or to dress up a look, stilettos are always there to boost your confidence, and your height. There is truly no better accessory than one that makes you feel sexy and in control while also giving you the ability to command the attention of a room. Stilettos have been turning heads since Marilyn Monroe celebrated them back in the ‘50s when she famously stated, “Give a girl the right shoes and she can conquer the world." While Marilyn wore heels to capture the attention of men, Madonna paved the way for heels in the ‘80s and transformed them into a fashion statement in their own right.

There may be many ways to spice up everyday looks but a true fashionista embraces fluidity and chooses pieces that can work with different outfits and in a variety of settings. Having your own staple pair of “magical slippers” that allow you to feel confident strutting into any room is the ultimate finishing touch, and one of the keys to a nighttime look.