Awards season has just passed—the Golden Globes, the Grammys, and the Oscars have all been given out. Wasn’t it fun to ogle the perfectly coiffed and expertly made-up celebs in their zillion-dollar couture gowns and priceless jewels? But we shouldn’t let them hog all the glam! Even if your next night out is just a movie date with your sweetie or low-key drinks with the girls, it’ll be more fun if you take a little extra time to primp and prepare. And if it’s a big event, that’s all the more reason to bring the red carpet into your night!

I’m no celebrity glamazon; as a working mama, I’m usually in jeans with my hair in a messy ponytail. But I do love going out, and as an editor I do have occasion now and then to get all dressed up with someplace to go!

Here are my five tips for taking your night from so-so to super-glam—and having fun the whole time:

1. Be prepared!
That’s right—like a good little scout, it pays to plan ahead. On a recent Friday night, I had a SUPER fun and truly glitzy event to go to. I managed to organize a babysitter in advance, but somehow a whole week flew by without my having time to think about what I was going to wear. Friday after work dawned and I was so exhausted from the week I barely had the energy to take a shower, let alone magically procure something amazing from my closet. I was so mad at myself—if only I had just taken some time during the week to borrow a dress or go shopping! Instead I was flustered, tired, and grouchy AND HAD NOTHING TO WEAR. No fun!

It’s worth taking the time to organize a fab outfit in advance so you can enjoy getting ready and not spend precious flat-iron time rooting through drawers looking for that pair of black tights that’s actually sitting in the bottom of your laundry hamper. Trust me—I speak from experience.

2. Be adventurous.
Now’s not the time for your same old mascara and lip-gloss routine, ladies! Add something fun and splashy to your beauty mix. Why not? We only live once. I love fake eyelashes—they add the perfect oomph of glamour. Other ideas: a hint of shimmering body lotion, gorgeous metallic blue eyeliner, or a bold lipstick you’d never wear during the day.

The caveat: don’t wait until ten minutes before you have to leave to try false eyelashes for the first time or to experiment with bright red lipstick. If you do, chances are you’ll be cursing me!

3. What do you have on under there?
It is truly impossible to feel sexy and confident wearing unlovely undergarments. Even if you don’t plan on anyone else seeing what’s underneath your dress, it makes a world of difference to have on matching, pretty lingerie that—key point!—works for the outfit you have on. You do have a full-length mirror, right? And if you feel better in Spanx or another line of shapewear, that’s great too—especially since these days you can buy shapewear that’s actually attractive!

4. Take a picture—it’ll last longer.
I snap photos all the time, but they’re usually of my daughter! And when I do see a photo of myself, I’m generally pretty critical—ooh my hair looks flat, ooh that sweater looks terrible … BLAH BLAH BLAH. Since there probably won’t be any paparazzi on your night out, take advantage of getting all gussied up to set the timer and take some glamour shots of your own.

5. HAVE FUN!
Yes, that’s right! Getting ready is half the fun of going out (remember prom?). If you give yourself enough time, you can make a little mini-event out of getting ready for your event! Put some music on, have a little snack and a glass of wine or sparkling water with lime, and just enjoy the fact that you’ve got fun plans. So much of the time we’re so stressed out that even the things that are supposed to be fun become a source of anxiety. And that’s just nuts!

Tell us: what do you do to get “red carpet” ready?

Originally published on BettyConfidential