Fashion notes: Begin the new year afresh with a dress

New Year's Eve marks a closing of chapters, and the potential dawn of a new era – a different you. It’s a chance to start the year with a better version of yourself, and how can you do that in last year’s dress?

There’s one occasion that warrants a new dress: New Year’s Eve. Frazer Harrison / Getty Images for Mercedes-Benz

I’m a big proponent of re-wearing clothes, or outfit repeating as it is commonly called. It’s sad that this has somewhat derogatory connotations. These days, once an outfit is posted on Instagram, we often feel a certain stigma associated to re-wearing it. I don’t let myself get sucked into that pressure of buying a new outfit for every occasion – rather, I try to restyle my existing garments in new ways each time I wear them.

That being said, there’s one occasion (besides one’s own wedding) that warrants a new dress: New Year’s Eve. The night marks a closing of chapters, and the potential dawn of a new era – a different you. It’s a chance to start the year with a better version of yourself, and how can you do that in last year’s dress?

I’m not talking from purely a fashion aficionado standpoint – surely, there can be psychological repercussions, too, from wearing an outfit that’s old news, not to mention any possible spiritual bearings that an old garment, with potentially negative energy, may have.

When hunting for the dress of all New Year’s Eve dresses, look for sparkle and shimmer. Don’t settle for a typical black dress, even if it does have a touch of lace – these styles, after all, can be worn at any evening events throughout the year. Metallic, iridescent dresses, on the other hand, can tend to be too bold (for some).

This isn’t a dress to stress over, and it isn’t worth scouring the shopping malls for hours for it. You won’t be wearing it too long, so don’t spend too much – the high street will do just fine.

And once you’ve found it, accessorise. Pair your dress with a snazzy choker necklace or chandelier earrings, pile on some cocktail rings and finish the look with statement shoes, whether they’re strappy stilettos or velveteen ankle boots.