Step 4: Makeup

Oh Girl A, you are so smart! You get to do things like draw on a cat eye, or throw down a super-daring red lip, all because you went to bed at a reasonable hour! Girl B isn't just short on time, here--if she was really was partying until dawn, the steady hand required for precision lip- and eye-lining is not available. Girl B should stick with a smoky eye and a nude-ish lip. (Nude-ish = natural and pretty, not a corpse-like matching of lip color to skintone.)

Achieve a smoky eye, fast, with Almay's Intense I-Color Smoky-I Kit ($8 at drugstores) or pick up Sonia Kashuk's four-piece Smoky Eye Brush Kit ($15 at Targe), which helps you translate any palette you own into a smoky eye look. A fast, easy lip isn't just about how you look when you walk out the door--it's about ease of application throughout the night. Effortless, polished lips can be achieved with lip crayons--chubby sticks that apply like balm, and don't require precise application. The new Napoleon Paradis Cotton Butter Lip Balms (3 for $45, napoleonperdis.com) come in three, wearable neutral shades that are perfect for slipping into an evening bag. Lip gloss is another option that is easier than a traditional lipstick; Chanel Glossimers ($30 at Chanel counters) are always amazing.

Step 5: Accessorize

Mademoiselle (as in, Chanel) advised that ladies remove one accessory before leaving the house, so as to look elegant in a minimalistic way rather than a Christmas tree tipping with ornaments. Decide what your dress needs--a plunging neckline calls for a necklace, sleeveless arms for bracelets--and then decide if the total look can support more. Grandma's cameo can come in handy here--loop it onto a chain and wear it around your neck--or reach for a trusty set of pearls, your car keys, and head out the door.