auld lang chic: 7 ways to make your New Year’s Eve outfit stand out

Tis the season for sparkle and shine, especially on New Year’s Eve. But when everyone around you is dressed their best in shimmering shifts and marvelous metallics, how can you possibly stand out? Try one (or all) of these 7 ideas to ring in 2013 while looking uniquely chic:

1. Bold gold lashes. Skip the red lip that everyone dons around the holiday season and opt for glittering lashes. Gold-flecked mascara or false lashes (like these from Glad Lash) are sure to captivate and capture attention at any New Year’s party. Plus, with the focus up north, there’s no fear of smudging your perfectly painted lips during that long-awaited countdown kiss.

2. Jazzy jewel tones. For parties, most tend to gravitate toward silver and gold sparkles, but if you want to stray from the New Year’s norm then grab a daring jewel tone. Fortunately, two of the hottest colors right now are dazzling emerald and luxuriously rich burgundy, so you won’t have to look far for this style. As an added plus, jewel tones look extra chic with black, so shrug on a black jacket to look effortlessly cool.

3. Star-studded. Stars are such a hot motif for the holiday season, so why not tuck a few sparkling 5-pointers inside a chic chignon? This lovely tutorial from She Lets Her Hair Down shows a detailed step-by-step process to get this enchanting result. You’ll be the star of the party.

4. Work the fireworks. Nevermind all the clamor and noise of exploding gunpowder. With this playful MSGM print, you’ll be the real firework spectacular. Feel free to play around with exciting holiday-inspired patterns and prints rather than the typical sequin route.

5. Slip into sparkles. If it’s not too chilly where you’re celebrating, try some twinkling tights on for size. Stick with a simple black shift dress, something short and sweet, and let your glamorous gams take center stage. Just steer clear of fishnets or anything with rips.

6. Shimmer velvet. If there’s anything that screams “holiday season” more than sparkles, its velvet. So why not combine the two for a smashing composite? Stick to a simple color scheme (black and gold is a surefire hit) and pull your hair back in a chic updo.

7. Top it off. If you’re not one for ballerina buns and complicated chignons, wear your lush locks down and top it off with a twinkling topper. A golden oversized bow makes the perfect playful statement when paired with a flirty skirt.

Photos from: Hello Splendor, Harper’s Bazaar, Gal Meets Glam, She Lets Her Hair Down, BHS online store, Bryant Eslava, Blogkeen,