I’ve always been one who enjoys getting all dressed up when I have somewhere to go. Heading out to dinner to celebrate our first year anniversary, I decided on this lovely little black dress with sheer sleeves. Dotted tights, smokey eyes and my new favorite hairstyle, the sock bun, complete the look.

To get the smokey eye, I actually started with a bronze MAC pigment to get some extra dimension then layered a dark navy eyeshadow over it (also MAC). I prefer using navy instead of black since I have such fair skin. I used a full brush and smudged some extra on my bottom lashes, then lined them with a soft pencil. I exaggerated the top lids with a hint of cat eye and finished with two coats of trusty Maybelline mascara. Voilà!

Since this dress has a high neckline, I went with a messy yet polished up-do. For this, I must thank Hello Giggles’ tutorial, DIY Sock Bun. It looks tricky but is actually very simple and easy to pull off…even for someone who is not an up-do guru (like myself).

Hair, makeup, outfit and all, I was ready in less than 30 minutes and on my way to celebrate with my handsome husband. Cheers!

Dress: Ani Lee. Tights: Wolford. Shoes: Derek Lam.