Chic, day to night

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