Embracing a New Year, a New Vibe. Here’s to breaking away from sequins and exploring a different style canvas.

As the clock strikes midnight on New Year’s Eve, amidst the chorus of “Happy New Year!” and the clinking of glasses, many will be dressed to the nines, bedecked in sequins and shimmering metallics. However, count me out of that sparkling spectacle. It’s not that I’m a holiday Grinch—I’m genuinely excited about ringing in 2024. Yet, the idea of conforming to the unofficial dress code of glitz and glam doesn’t quite align with my style philosophy.

My wardrobe is a daily celebration of shimmering crystals and dazzling metallics. Whether it’s my metallic Saint Laurent boots for the office or grosgrain-trimmed trousers and a velvet blazer for happy hour with friends, I revel in dressing snazzy year-round. Wearing sequins on New Year’s Eve, a night when it’s expected, feels a bit anticlimactic when I already embrace such attire routinely. Shouldn’t stepping into a new year symbolize a fresh, unexpected version of oneself?

I don’t discredit those who relish the glitzy style on the 31st. If that’s their way of feeling renewed, by all means, rock it! However, for me, experimenting with a different fashion vibe on this occasion feels more fitting. So, what’s my alternative to the disco-ball dressing? Well, it begins by considering the New Year’s Eve ambiance and location.

This year, I’ll be in Tokyo with friends, surrounded by the city’s sleek, avant-garde fashion scene. To sync with Tokyo’s vibe, I’ve got my eye on a fringed, knit Comme des Garçons dress I recently snagged from The RealReal. My plan? To transform it into a chic top paired with my favorite black dress pants. This ensemble symbolizes stepping into 2024 as a different version of myself—a nod to a new fashion identity.

Come January 1st, my sequins will likely make a comeback. But for that pivotal countdown moment, I want to capture a unique essence, an expression of reinvention and personal evolution through style.