What To Wear For New Year’s Eve? Disco Comfort

You can tell how old someone is by the way they feel about New Year’s Eve. If they display even a modicum of excitement, then they’re under 25.

The older we become the more we tend to dread it – it can be anti-climatic, high-pressurised and it’s dependably expensive. NYE can be lonely and, whether you go out or not, it nearly always results in a hangover which makes the first of January a miserable experience, mired in existential angst.

It’s an unpopular opinion especially as someone in their mid-30s, but I like New Year’s Eve. The trick is lowering expectations; I no longer predict that it will be a night to end all others, but I am intentional about how I spend it. I use it as an excuse to do something; it doesn’t have to be a spectacle. If anything, the more low-key the better – you can’t go wrong if you’re surrounded by close friends, champagne and a takeaway. NYE is the last big celebration before the gloom of January, and, unlike Christmas, you don’t have to buy a single gift to mark it. Do whatever your idea of a good time is; ignore what Instagram expects of you and choose good company, good music and too much food. 

PIN IT

Sleeper autumn/winter 2024 collection

The same rules apply when it comes to style. See out the new year wearing whatever is your idea of a dream outfit, but NYE has an adults-only razzmatazz that eludes Christmas, so embrace the disco appeal. Whereas the festive season is geared towards family, New Year’s Eve is a grown-up celebration. There’s less people to appease – no office parties where you must straddle the balance between glamorous and professional, no family members that might be affronted by a super short hemline or plunging neckline. On NYE, you can wear whatever you damn want. Whether you go for high-octane or low-key, the sweet spot is comfort and glamour. This is probably, January being the dreary month that it is, the last excuse you’ll have to dress up for a while, so give a final nod to the bling. If clothes have the power to transform moods and make us feel our best, then surely disco comfort is the only way forward for NYE.

Slouchy silhouettes feel nonchalantly stylish and allow enough room for festive indulgence. A special piece of knitwear is great for offsetting a party trouser or skirt, and a cape brings drama to denim and T-shirts. Amp up the details – never underestimate the power of a great piece of jewellery or satin, embellished shoe to elevate an outfit. If you’re staying at hone in your PJs, give your look a sparkly glow-up with a pair of dangling crystal earrings, or a feathered slipper. A faux, shaggy fur coat always adds fabulous in an Anita Pallenberg-meets-Carrie Bradshaw way. Silver is a good way of dipping your toe into metallics without looking like a Quality Street wrapper, although, honestly, this is the season where the latter is a positive rather than a style misstep.

New Year’s Eve says goodbye to the old and welcomes the new. Start like you mean to go on for 2025 and give your outfit a dose of disco comfort optimism.