Sparkly New Year's dress in lurex knit, mini or midi

The shine on our sparkly New Year’s dress comes from lurex, metallic thread knitted right into the fabric, so you don’t need sequins or a heavy necklace. Nearly every one has long sleeves, which helps when the party spills out onto a cold balcony at midnight.

Bright shine or a quieter glow

Some colors are loud. The black and silver mini with a triangle V-neck shimmers in two tones. Our electric blue midi wrap is easy to spot across a restaurant even when the lights go low. Purple comes in mini and midi, both fitted with a round neck. We’d take the short one to a club and the longer one to a dinner or an anniversary.

Others glow softly. Powder pink lurex works where silver or gold would feel like too much, say a New Year’s dinner at home with family. Beige has a warm shine that looks good by candlelight. The gray midi with a slit keeps the sparkle muted, and you can make it brighter with silver earrings.

Emerald and green suit gold jewelry. Black suits nearly anything.

Our sparkly New Year’s dress in powder pink also has a practical side. Its long sleeves make it warmer than it looks, and the mini hem leaves your legs free for heels in nude or gold.

Wraps, slits and what goes on your legs

A lot of these are wraps, which you can loosen or tighten at the waist, and the stretchy knit doesn’t press when you sit at a long table for hours. Want to dance? The black off-shoulder midi and the gray one both have a slit at the leg, and heels with thin straps show it off.

Lurex already shines, so we’d keep the tights matte. Sheer nude or thin black works, and glittery tights next to metallic thread are one shine too many.

For a coat, think simple. A straight black one or a short faux fur jacket covers you on the way there and doesn’t fight with the fabric.

Plan ahead. These are cold-season styles, and you’ll want time to try yours on with the actual shoes before the night. If you’re between sizes in a fitted cut, a manager can check your measurements first. The midis end below the knee, and a few go down to mid-calf, which suits a family party with grandparents at the table.

Not sure it’s lurex you’re after? See velvet and satin for the countdown too, more shimmering dresses for other holidays, or glitter with long sleeves.