Office Christmas parties are happening all over the country from the start of December right through until January. The office party is an excellent chance to celebrate the successes of the year, let go of the failures and get to know the people you work with a little better. It’s a rare chance to let your hair down and have a great time with the people you spend large parts of your life with.
If you are lucky enough to have the day of the party off, or even to get an early finish, it’s fantastic. You can spend hours preparing, keen as you are to show your workmates who you really are and how fabulous you look when you aren’t in work clothes. But, what about the rest of us? A huge portion of people attending office Christmas parties find themselves in the shocking situation of having to attend straight from work. This means they have to get ready at their desks with just a trip to the toilets to offer privacy.
Don’t worry. It’s perfectly possible to arrive at your office party gorgeous, dressed to impress and raring to go, even if you end up doing your makeup at your desk. Here’s how.
A Festival Shower
The first thing you want before a night out when you’ve been at work all day is a shower. Even if you work in a nice clean environment, it can help to wake you up after a long day. If your work building has showers, awesome, just take a towel and some soap. But, most don’t. In this case, you’ll need some baby wipes to wash the essential areas, and some baby powder so you can make sure you’re dry and fresh before dressing.
A Mirror
You are probably well practiced in doing your makeup anywhere you can. Most of us are. But, one thing office buildings can lack is a good mirror. If you’ve got a small mirror you can fit into your bag, take it with you.
Makeup
If you are in a hurry to get ready, you might not have time to complete your usual night out makeup routine. So, prepare. Use a primer in the morning, to help your makeup last all day. But, keep your daytime look simple. Stick to a long-lasting foundation, so that you don’t need to reapply and just a touch of mascara and lip gloss.
That way, when it comes to getting ready, you’ve already got a base to work with, but nothing needs removing. Go for smoky eyes, a fresh lick of mascara, a sweep of blush and a bright lipstick for a look that takes 5 minutes but looks sexy and sophisticated.
Mints
You may not get a chance to brush your teeth, but a mint can help you feel fresh and clean. Just make sure there’s nothing stuck it between your teeth too.
Hair
Hair can be the biggest worry when it comes to getting ready in a hurry, without all of your usual products and supplies. But, it doesn’t have to be. Dry shampoo can be a lifesaver, easily adding volume and making your hair look freshly washed. You can even use a root concealer if you didn’t have time to head to the salon.
When it comes to style, you need to think about it before you leave for work that morning. Updos are perhaps your best option. If you’ve had your hair in a ponytail all day, you won’t be able to achieve sleek and straight without the help of straighteners; you can, however, create a stylish updo with just a few bobby pins and some dry shampoo for added volume.
Braids can be another excellent option. Either braid in the morning to create gorgeous tousled waves for your evening look. Or, turn a smart Dutch braid into a fun crown braid for a party
look.
Day to Night Outfits
If you can take a clean outfit to work, and have somewhere safe to hang it all day and time to change, go for it. If you haven’t, you’ll need the perfect day to night outfit. Think a plain dress, that can easily be glammed up by removing the opaque tights and adding some sparkly accessories and a glamorous clutch.
Underwear
Even if you don’t have a chance to change, it’s amazing how much fresher you can feel with just a change of underwear. You will have to conceal them in your bag all day, but it’s worth it to feel clean and fresh when you head to the party.
