Bar none, the hardest thing about holiday parties (well, those that occur mid-week) is managing to look fly at them–when you’re coming right from the office. As someone who worked at many a conservative day job environ where every night came down to a choice between looking appropriately boring at the office and dowdy post-work OR totally tarty at the office and glamazing after hours (I always chose the latter, obv), I’ve mastered this art. Actually, it’s a science AND an art. 

The key is in rocking a chic LBD in a perhaps less fancy fabric so you won’t look TOO scandalous at work nor too out-of-place afterwards, and pairing that with absolutely epic special occasion hair. Your hair is your best accessory and the easiest way to transition from day to night. No updos though–you don’t want to look like you’re logging onto trytoohard.com. A professional blow-out and fresh color touch-up will do the trick. The blow-out is the art, the color touch-up is the science and I recommend you invest in L’Oréal Paris Root Rescue 10 Minute Root Coloring Kit to freshen up your follicular situation, stat. This products boasts a breakthrough applicator, guaranteed shade matching and a conditioning formula to make covering grays and roots easy as pie. Just mix and color your way to seamless coverage in just 10 minutes. Featuring a conditioning low-ammonia formulation that protects strands with a revolutionary, flow-through, self-contained root applicator brush, this product eliminates the mess associated with the standard at-home color bowl and brush. 

The L’Oreal Paris Root Rescue 10 Minute Root Coloring Kit is available in 12 shades and will set you back just $8 at drugstores everywhere.