There's a distinct moment, usually midway through Christmas dinner, when the festive facade crumbles. The cracker hats are askew, shoes are kicked off under the table, and belts are loosened. This signals the official end of the season of effort – the frenzied month of hurried makeup applications and shivering commutes in fancy coats. It's over, burnt away like the Christmas pudding brandy. It's time to exhale, slow down, and embrace the sacred interlude of cheese, television, half-eaten chocolate, and incomplete jigsaw puzzles that is Twixmas.
So, it can feel a little challenging to suddenly shift gears a few days later and go all-out for New Year's Eve. Yet, that's exactly what we're doing.
This year, I've decided we're dressing up for New Year. And yes, that includes you. All of us. Okay, calm down, not absolutely everyone. I'm not the fun police. If you've injured yourself, are dealing with a sleepless baby, or have to work, I'll look the other way. But for the rest of us, it's time for one final push. No excuses. Before we know it, it will be January, and we'll all be beached at home, with the wind whistling through our empty diaries.
New Year's Eve is the grand finale of the festive season. It's the fireworks display that marks the end of party time. It's only fitting to go out with a bang. But if squeezing back into a little black dress feels like too much at this point, there's an alternative: the Party Jean.
The Party Jean is a brilliant choice for New Year's parties. Take, for example, Zara's sequined jeans. Wear them, and you're transformed into a dancing glitter ball. But the best part isn't the sparkle. It's the fact that they're jeans! Life is simply easier in jeans. You're never too hot or too cold. You don't need to overthink the rest of your outfit; a nice top with jeans is always a winning formula. You hardly need a bag if you can fit your phone and card in your pocket. And even the dressiest jeans feel relaxed.
Jeans never appear overly precious, even when they're pure gold, like the M&S Metallic Wide Leg Jean. They caught my eye months ago as new year-worthy. For something prettier, there are the Kenna High Rise jeans by Pilcro from Anthropologie with a soft, barrel leg shape and small black bows all over.
Good American, a brand known for their size-inclusive denim, offers rhinestone-embellished jeans. While these might seem extravagant for something unlikely to be worn in January, a more versatile option is classic black leather – or faux leather – like Mango's Mid-Rise Leather Effect Trousers. They work as well with a chunky sweater and a parka as they do with a bodysuit and a leopard-print coat.
Have you ever noticed how people stand differently in jeans? There's something about the feel of classic five-pocket jeans that makes us tuck a thumb into a pocket and jut out a hip. Jeans appear nonchalant, even when they're dazzling. We have one last hurrah before hibernation. A party jean will help us do it in style.