Day to Night: Tunic Top

As any college girl knows, it can get quite hectic maintaining a school/career life along with a social life. There's barely enough hours in the day to work that internships, finish your school work, sleep, and go out with friends, so the last thing you should have to fret about is what to wear.

I will be starting a series called Day to Night, in which I will feature an item - whether it be clothing, accessories, or makeup - that can easily be transformed from a day in the office to a night out at the clubs. In this article, the main topic is The Jersey Tunic.

I am a huge fan of tunics because they have the three essential qualities that I look for in a piece of clothing: style, versatility, and comfort. They look chic but effortless, they can be worn in the summer as dresses and in the winter with leggings, and come on, they're so much more comfortable than those skinny jeans. And jersey is a great material because it can be worn during day or night and doesn't tend to crease after a long day like cotton or silk.

I bought this black jersey tunic from Bluefly a while ago and it has definitely served me well. I wore it to my internship last week with a pair of leggings and flats (my workplace is very casual, though this is something you could wear to work, unless you job requires business instead of business-casual).

Come 5 p.m., I get a text from a good friend from high school asking me to the mall. This outfit took me straight from the office to my shopping trip. After a couple of hours, we were headed to a good old house party. I didn't really have much time to change, so I ditched the leggings (it's been 90 degrees lately where I live), threw on my new Steve Madden Tobbi pumps (which I love so much that I will do a review soon), switched into some fun earrings, belted my tunic, and traded my bag for a cute clutch.

Easy breezy. After a five minute pit stop at my house, we were ready to go out for the night.

Pretty much any tunic can be paired with leggings, flats, a messenger bag for the day and pumps, a waist-cinching belt, and a clutch for a stylish going-out look. Just make sure that the tunic is either in a dark wash or slightly thicker material so it isn't see-through when you're going out sans-leggings.

Style Guide: Boots Boots Boots!

Boots boots boots. From the hate-em-or-love-em Uggs to Miley Cyrus' cowboy boots in Party in the USA to the kelly green Hunters that gets me through those gloomy, rainy days, I love them all. In the harsh Chicago winters, boots are a must-have for me.

Lately I've developed an adoration for those mile-high over the knee boots, which I first coveted after seeing them on Louis Vuitton's fall 2009 show. To my joy, various designers and fashion companies have made affordable versions this fall. Here's some of my favorites:

I'm a huge fan of the gray Chinese Laundry suede boots on the top right. Suede is such a versatile material and is great when you want to appear effortlessly chic on your way to class. It can also be dressed up for a night out when paired with a minidress or a tunic top. The top also folds down and can be cuffed into a knee-high boot.

Below are three possible outfits: one for going to class on a cold winter day, the other two for a night out in town. The color and fabric of these boots work with almost anything. I stuck with mostly neutral tones although they'll also look great with a pop of color.

Going to class look

Going out looks

Over the knee boots are an excellent investment as they can be worn in the fall, winter, and spring. With so many varieties out there, there's something for everyone. Steve Madden and Chinese Laundry carry many great styles in under $100. One warning of advice though: be careful about buying a pair with high heels. While the Boutique 9 above is very classic, a pair with a leathery exterior and pointy heels can easily appear trashy-girl-does-Halloween.

Would you wear over the knee boots? Do you have a favorite pair?