Dec. 3, 2014

By Jordan Gitten

“Tis the season to be jolly, fa la la la la, la la la la.”

What it isn’t the season to be, is tacky. Everyone seems to think just because Christmas is around the corner, it is acceptable to wear sequined any and everything.

This includes UGGs, which are just ugh, unacceptable. You may wear your ugly Christmas sweaters whenever you want, but that’s a lie you have probably been telling yourself for years,  especially, when it comes to sequins. Those red and green sequined sweaters that sit in the back of your closet all year should stay there.

There are appropriate colors for sequins this season. They are gold, silver and black. Anything other than that truly does overpower an outfit and makes you look like a walking Christmas decoration.

The secret to wearing sequins successfully is layering.

To wear a sequined cardigan you have to wear a solid colored blazer over the top. However, you must also make sure there is very little color in your outfit so it doesn’t clash.

Say you have a silver sequined cardigan you’ve been wanting to wear for a while but couldn’t find the right thing to wear with it. Try a black blazer over the top, black tee shirt or tank underneath and a pair of black jeans with either knee high boots, ankle boots or a pair of open-toed heels. The knee-high boots will add a layer of sexy while the ankle boots and heels will give you a more professional or adult look and feel.

If you don’t want to layer the blazer and cardigan together, choose a sequined blazer. For an extra twist, if you want to protest the cold weather, find a pair of loose sequined shorts that match the blazer.

To find the perfect fit for the shorts, you must do two things:

First, make sure the blazer and shorts run together, because it helps you color match the outfit perfectly.

Second, make sure the shorts are long enough to come to the tips of your fingertips when worn. If they are too long or too short it can go disastrously. Too long gives you that decoration look mentioned earlier, and too short is just that – too short. Pair this with a loose, light shirt. If you’re a daring and trendsetting fashionista, you can wear a pair of sneakers. Doing this can serve New York or Mumbai street realness.

If you like to wear sequins but don’t like drawing attention with your outfits, try blazers and cardigans that have sequined linings. The best place for sequined pops of color are blazers on the pockets, lapels and wrists of the sleeves.

Remember, too much color or too many sequins – especially pieces that have two separate colored sequins –  can overpower anyone. Your outfit should be an extension of you and shouldn’t overpower the person wearing it.