One Dress Two Looks. WW

I consider myself to be fashionable.  I mean, I try, I think.  I also hope to think I'm a little fashion savvy when I shop.  You know, making the most out of my purchases.
Like this dress (which was a whopping $26.99).

I wore this dress to a wedding last weekend and it was perfect.  The issue I had was that the wedding was at 2 P.M. and the reception cocktail hour started at 6 P.M.  
There was a bit of time to kill, and definitely enough time to change.  Instead of changing, though, I decided to create two different looks.  
For the wedding, I chose to do a conservative look using a short sleeve blazer, with a belt to pull it together.

For the reception, I let down my hair, and used a colorful scarf instead of the jacket for an evening look.

What are your tips for getting the most out of your wardrobe?