What to wear New Year’s Eve

What to wear New Year’s Eve

In this post, I provide styling suggestions for six different New Year’s Eve entertainments for different weather regions.

Contents
    1. Adapt your New Year’s Eve look to your plans
      • New Year’s Eve looks for on the town
      • Celebrating at a sports-bar
      • New Year’s Eve dinner at a winter resort
      • Party at a Tropical resort
      • What to wear to the theater or opera
      • NYE dance party
    2. Happy New Year

Adapt your New Year’s Eve look to your plans

As I discuss in my style book How to Dress for Success in Midlife, what to wear on New Year’s Eve depends foremost on your plans. This means where you will you go, what transportation you will use, who will be your company, and of course, and what is in the weather forecast. To get the idea, just imagine wearing a strapless long evening gown with a little faux fur stole and strappy 4 inch (10 cm) heels in a blizzard in Chicago. It’s a perfect recipe to start the New Year with a cold even when it is only four blogs to the opera. Take a cab!

Adapt your New Year's Eve outfit to where you go. #NewYearsEve Click To Tweet

New Year’s Eve looks for on the town

The photos below give suggestions for looks created for walking from one bar to the next when you live some where down south. Take a coat and you have what to wear in cold, wet weather. Add a down coat or shearling and you are good to stay warm at below freezing temperatures. Take a big bag that holds the shoes you want to wear sitting at the bar. Just leave the boots with your coat at the coat clerk’s, if there is one. Otherwise, place the boots under the table. Recall wet boots – no matter whether due to sweating or wet weather – cause cold feet when you go outside.

style blogger in end of year outfit for celebrating in a Western bar London Jean boyfriend jeans with sequin striped tunic shirt, Moda International bomber leather jacket, and high toe-studded heels (all own). Outfit for warm climate regions

midlife blogger in leather dress with layering piece, black and white scarf, animal print tight and white booties Halogen LBD, Fendi boots, GNW tights, unbranded striped scarf, opaque top c/o Cami Condifential for bar hoping in cold climate. Add a down coat as outerwear.

New Year's Eve Going out on the town look Tucker for Target faux fur bomber jacket, London Jean BF, statement studded heels, and striped sequin tunic (all own).Perfect for barhoping in warm climate regions
#styleover50 style blogger playing with the cape of her hooded cardigan in the wind in ablack an white outfit
Notations cardigan worn as top, printed tights (gift from colleague), Oliveo leather shorts, Puma sneakers (all own), Cape hoodie c/o Tricia Tanaka. In warm climate regions the cape hoodie may be enough as outerwear

Celebrating at a sports-bar

The next photos give inspiration for spending the evening celebrating in a sports bar. The long sleeves, buttoned shirt and tights are not overly exposing skin to the cold and the views, and the posh golden shorts are festive, but go well with the more relaxed sport theme of the location.

fashion blogger in golden shorts and shirt for a festive evening at a sports bar Gold shorts with GNW tights, Great Northwest button-down shirt, Steve Madden Mary Janes (all own)

over 50 year old playing in a posh casual outfit in sports bar Riders by Lee black and white Buffalo plaid button-down with own long sleeve Tee, Banana Republic skirt, Jord bamboo watch, GNW tight, and Sanchez riding boots.

casual festive look with jeans for celebration at a sports bar Michael Kors sequin sweater with London boyfriend jeans, Puma sneakers, GNW sweater and statement belt (all own)#midlifestyle mature woman in gym pants and turtleneck sweater Brooks Brothers turtleneck sweater, Adidas gym pants, Harley Davidson booties, baroque pearl necklace, three string pearl necklace (all own), and Akoya pearl necklace c/o The Pearl Source Inc.

New Year’s Eve dinner at a winter resort

Many winter resorts have dinning rooms with an open fire. You never know where the hostess will seat you for dinner. Close to the fire it may be comfortable or even too hot. Far away, it may be too chilly for a cocktail dress. To stay on the safe side and not freeze, wear a lace top under your lace cocktail dress as is shown in the left photo below. An alternative would be a nice stole or cover-up like in the right photo below.

blogger Nicole in the Gold Room in formal attire at the Fairbanks Festival event Self-made turquoise 40s inspired dress with abstract floral print, Hermes collier de chien bangle, statement peridot, amethyst,and citrin necklace with matching earring and bracelet, and Valentino studs (all own)

mature couple in dance clothes Vintage thrifted cover-up, Very Fine Dance Shoes, statement jewelry (all own) and dress c/o JJs House

Do you want more outfit suggestions for various dressing situations? Then my style recipe book “How to Dress for Success in Midlife” is right for you.  Buy it now.

Party at a Tropical resort

A black floral asymmetric hem dress is sultry and cannot be mistaken as your beach dress. Put on some silver or leopard high heels and you are ready for an Argentine Tango with the “macho” of your choice ;). Well, you can’t go wrong with a LBD.

fashionista in floral dress for a NYE party at a Tropical resort Floral dress with asymmetric hem over lace slip with leopard print T-strap Neo Tango heels (all own)

style blogger over 50 walking down a boating deck Banana Republic abstract print fit-and-flare dress, Very Fine Dancing Dancesport shoes, statement panther belt, Hermes collier de chien bangle (all own)

stylist in a little black dress with mesh overlay for New Year's Little black dress with boat neck c/o Covered Perfectly worn under own mesh dress with pumps

over 50 years old style book author in Fashom maxi dress walking in the yard 24/7 Frenzy multicolor dress, Hermes collier de chien bangle, leaf earrings, Madden Girls sandals (all own) and leather pearls necklace c/o Wendy Mignot

See these great outfit inspirations for various New Year's Eve occasions. #NewYearsEve Click To Tweet

What to wear to the theater or opera

The opera and theater are your chance to dress up in an evening gown. Below are some ideas how to accessorize. In cold places like New York, add a long faux fur coat and a hat for the commute. Wear boots and swap them for your evening sandals or pumps at the coat clerk’s.

stylist in lace evening gown Lace evening gown with silver Ralph Lauren pumps (all own)

cocktail lace dress with lace top underneath for December 31 Black lace low-high hem dress (all own)

mature woman in royal blue beaded evening gown Evening gown in various royal blue shades with beaded waves pattern.

fashion blogger over 40 in black velvet ball attire for a winter ball Velvet gown with stole and opera-length leather gloves (all own)

Like these outfit ideas? If so, please feel free to pin them to your own Pinterest board.

NYE dance party

This event is a tricky one. When the party is at a Western bar, roadhouse or dance place. Your best bet is to check whether there is a dress code. If not, go for a notch up of what is worn typically at dances at that place. Another hint for what to wear is the kind of music that is announced. For a Latin dance music, a fancy dress and showing skin strategically is in order. When Swing is announced a retro 50s dress is fine. When music of a special decade is announced, a piece from that decade styled modern is an option. Country and Western music permits jeans and a T-shirt. Try a graphic Tee with dark blue jeans and a leopard print jacket for a casual, but stylish look.

If it’s a private party, ask the host whether there is a theme. Even if not, doing so gives you an idea of what the hostess has in mind.

over 50 years old fashion blogger in red leopard print dance attire Red leopard maxi dress, Chantal Mary Janes, costume jewelry hair pin (all own) and costume jewelry crystal necklace c/o Happiness Boutique
Alaskan woman in dark floral print dress with lace for a social dance Unbranded floral print with lace insets dress and pantyhose, Very Fine Dance Sport sandals (all own)

Happy New Year

What are you planning to do on the last day of the year? Are you throwing a party or go out? Have you made some resolutions? What are they?

Celebrate safely.

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Photos: G. Kramm

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