How You Can Wear Sparkle During the Day

How can you wear sparkle during the day? Sparkle associates with Christmas. On second thought, it reminds us of the 1970s music TV shows moderators in their sequin mini or maxi gowns. Even the male moderators occasionally wore a blazer covered with the reflective plastic discs. Today these little discs are no longer for night only. This post shows how to wear them in daylight.

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To Wear Sparkle during the Day Is a Thing

Sparkle like sequins, pearls, and shiny, metallic shoes, bags, belts or brocade clothes had been reserved for centuries for the Aristocrats. Their sparkling daytime outfits distinguished them from the working underlings. The ones in power even created Sumptuary Laws to ensure everyday luxe just for them.

Later the Rich, celebrities, entertainment people and alike joined the privilege, dimmed down during the day, full on sparkle at night. High Society sparkled in night bars, theaters, and even at State banquets. In the last century, metallic threads in knitwear, sequins, pearls, and shiny, metallic shoes, bags, belts or brocade clothes conquered the Middle Class. They wore sparking clothes as trendy Must-haves for going out. In this century, everything sparkle has invaded day wear as a trend. It’s a big thing. It’s a risky trend, hard to pull off, but everyone loves it. However, it’s a trend that you can wear well in midlife.

Sparkle Is Chic, Posh, and Ups the Mood

Why does everyone love the sparkle trend? It’s about memories, and feeling good. We all associate sparkles with joy. Blame the twinkling holidays lights, we admired as kids when mom and dad went shopping with us during Christmas time. Another reason might be that big fat wedding, we saw from far with sequin gowns sparkling all over the dance floor. It may be the figure skaters’ sequin-and-crystal embroidered dresses, we saw on TV when watching the Olympic Games as kids. Or just the photos of gowns of Princesses and Hollywood celebrities on the red carpet pictured in Granny’s magazines. Oh, yes, don’t forget Sunday’s Best dress. I had a brown fit-and-flare velvet dress with fake pearls embroidered over the chest and a white lace collar.

Sparkle Draws Attention – Look at Me

Even though I am a logical person, I love the magic of sparkle. Everything that sparkles has a high reflection. No matter whether it is a diamond, Czech crystal, sequin disc or metallic threads like in a brocade fabric. When a piece returns a light beam, it draws the attention to the wearer … and the part of the body where you wear the piece.

Sparkle screams “look here”.

It really sets the focus point. Especially, when the reflector even breaks the light into all colors of the rainbow. Sparkling is too fascinating than to be worn just for holidays, at the opera or theater, for going out.

When Wearing Sequins during the Day, Dim Them Down

The following photos show outfit inspirations how to wear sparkle during the day. They all have one thing in common. The sparkling piece is combined with everyday pieces.

Stylist’s Secrets to Wear Sparkle at Day

Here are my five tips how to wear sparkle during the day without looking over-the-top or like trying too hard.

1. Just two items of sparkle, glitter, or shine per outfit. In other words, avoid over-bling. Go for items that have sequins or reflective embellishment or fabric just as an accent, e.g., a T-shirt with sequin stripes, a skirt with sequins in a floral print, a jacket with sequin trim, a brocade skirt or jacket. At maximum, do only add one more shine/sparkle to this item. For instance, a sparkle necklace or metallic pumps with a sequin skirt.
2. Keep your sparkle grounded. Sparkle and sequins are a girl’s thing. Thus, to stay looking grown up add menswear pieces. For instance, a pencil sequin skirt with a white button-down shirt fully-buttoned up or a cable-knit sweater, a sequin blazer or jacket with chinos and a T-shirt, silver pants with a V-neck or college style sweater, a tweed skirt with a silver thread sweater, a brocade skirt with a (leather) bomber or motorcycle jacket.
3. Create a color-coordinated outfit. Glitter is a statement already. Thus, pairing with neutrals is a safe bet as is staying in the same color family of the sparkly piece. A monochromatic look with sparkle looks elegant, sophisticated and work appropriate in neutral colors like navy, brown, gray, black or even teal. Read more on styling interesting monochromatic looks in the guide at the link.
4. Small is better than big, overlapping is better than side-by-side. Look for small sequins or crystals of the size of pin heads. Sequins the size of a dime or even a quarter look plain cheap. Reflective pieces that are attached in an overlapping way look more expensive and polished than those attached side-by-side.
5. Go for a perfect fit. Fit and cut is key when wearing sparkling clothes. Anything reflective grabs attention, and shows any bump and bulge. Go for tailored items. Stay away from anything that reflects light and is tight at the same time. It is a recipe to visually add 10 pounds. Who needs that?

Sparkly Outfit Ideas

Here are further outfit inspirations how to style this trend.

Use Sequins to Create an Interesting Look with Light and Shadow

Sequins are a great way to imitate the display of light vs. shadow. Ever since I drove down the autoroute du solei in spring at age 19, I am in love with the play of light and shadow. In springtime in the Interior, sunny days produce a light and shadow display like  in the Provence. However, while sycamores cause the shadows on the streets of southern France, in Alaska, black and white spruce, birch, and alder cause shadows on icy roads. Furthermore, in Alaska, the Sun is much lower in the sky than in southern France. However, including the long subarctic twilight, now the time of daylight already exceed that of darkness despite the official date of spring onset is still about a week to go. Due to the low sun zenith angle in the subarctic, the shadows are also much longer than they are in southern France in spring. Another big difference are the temperatures and hence how to dress. 😉

Sequin Outfit Examples Explained

The look above features a black sequin top – another form of light and shadow ;). The plaid blouse under a black cotton cardigan with a black leather pencil skirt, black tights, Harley Davidson booties, and a blue and green necklace picks up the colors of the plaid shirt.

Sequins, stripes, and leather together? Why not? This combination is one of my favorite Casual Friday outfits. Despite it sounds quite unusual, it works. This is due to the fact that the sequins on the black cardigan reflect the light, while the leather is matt and all is dimmed down in black (shadow). The striped sweater just sticks to an neutral outfit in all black and white thin stripes. Tough booties and as costume necklace make great finishing touches. The booties pick up the touch rocker theme once more, while the necklace repeats the glam theme. Keeping the makeup natural conveys the casual vibe of the outfit. Therefore, these elements support the “black color” in pulling the outfit together. This monochromatic look works because the pieces differ in texture and shine like light and shadow.

Risky: Sequin Patches

Every now and then sequin patches are a Do. Whether or not sequin-patched clothes work depend on the motif of the patches, the fabric they are patched on and how you style it.

When? As Casual Friday outfit idea or on the weekend! Go for a lace skirt in a classic cut and neutral color. Add a neutral solid color top like a white or gray T-shirt. Then add one of the trendy denim jackets with sequin embellishments or patches. Go for pumps in the color of your flesh. The wood watch works here because it has a color close to my flesh. Finish with pearls in the color of the top to look professional.

Why the all neutrals? In the outfit, there is a lot going on: Play with texture (lace, sequins), mate (top, lace skirt, pumps, basket) vs. shine (sequins, pearls). Therefore, the neutrals (nude, black, white, denim) balance the colors of the sequins and build a canvas for the shine of the pearls and sequins.

Photos: G. Kramm

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