15 Party-Ready Frocks That Ensure A Fashionable New Year’s Eve Fête

Excited to bid 2014 adieu and start a brand new year? Then make sure to look your best as you clink those champagne glasses at the stroke of midnight!  When it comes to New Year’s Eve attire, I’m partial to dresses since they exude femininity and a soft sensuality in a way that’s hard to achieve with separates. Think about it: would that climactic scene in When Harry Met Sally have felt as special if she, too, had been wearing jeans and sneakers? Doubtful. So, with that in mind, below you’ll find 15 gorgeous dresses that will make you feel like the belle of the ball and, hopefully, help you experience your own romantic comedy-worthy moment.

Alice + Olivia Lilyanne Puff Mini Dress, $797. Available at Alice + Olivia boutiques and AliceAndOlivia.com

The fit-and-flare silhouette of this Alice + Olivia dress will prove flattering on most women, and it reads as classically feminine, but what makes this frock so fanciful are the golden butterflies seemingly fluttering along the hemline and the boatneck bodice. These details add a charm that’s almost reminiscent of a fairy tale.

Clover Canyon Rose Matador Dress, $315. Available at WestLABoutique.com

There’s no need to steer away from prints for New Year’s Eve! The key is to make sure the print feels festive and joyful. This body-hugging Clover Canyon dress gets it just right with an elaborate print that pays homage to the classic ensembles worn by Spanish toreros — particularly their chaquetillas with their strong shoulders and ornate golden embroidered details, while also celebrating the women of Seville with lush red roses along the hemline.

Rebecca Minkoff Gretta Dress, $185. Available at RebeccaMinkoff.com

Since it might be chilly in your area, a sweater dress in a stretchy but thicker material could be the answer to your New Year’s Eve style quandaries. If you’re celebrating indoors, you can simply wear the dress over black tights and add ankle booties or pumps, while if you’re heading out to a restaurant or lounge, you can add such layers as a waterfall cardigan and shawl neck coat.

BCBGMAXAZRIA Korina Pleated Tulle Overlay Sequined Dress, $498. Available at BCBGMAXAZRIA stores and BCBG.com

On an evening in which glittery party hats, foil fringed squawkers, and metallic party horns are ubiquitous, add a bit of sparkle to your own look with a sequined number like this va-va-va-voom, sugarplum-colored BCBGMAXAZRIA dress. The bustier-like bodice features row after row of metallic purple sequins meticulously arranged to create a molded effect, while the tulle overlay along the yoke adds a fun peek-a-boo effect and also provides a bit more support (so you won’t have to pull your dress up all night in fear of a Nipplegate moment!). The skirt, meanwhile, is encrusted with glitter and features a pleated tulle overlay that lends itself to dancing and twirling the night away.

Ted Baker Isslay Metallic Houndstooth Dress, $177. Available at TedBaker.com

Blair Waldorf would swoon over this cap-sleeved, A-line Ted Baker dress, which features a classic houndstooth print — one of the patterns we most closely associate with fall and winter — but in a more demure pink-and-cream color combination. The fabric’s metallic sheen, meanwhile, succeeds in infusing the necessary holiday cheer to the design.

Rebecca Taylor Foil Halter Dress, $595. Available at RebeccaTaylor.com

House of Holland Metallic Snake-Jacquard Dress, $830. Available at Net-a-Porter.com

How can animal prints feel luxurious and elegant? Well, look to this House of Holland dress as an example. The princess-worthy piece incorporates a pleated skirt that creates volume along the lower half of the body, slimming the waist and bodice area, and the tea-length hemline feels prim and polished. But what makes this a knockout is the snake-jacquard print, with its striking teal, crimson, and indigo blue hues.

French Connection Sirius Sequined Dress, $169.99. Available at French Connection stores and USA.FrenchConnection.com

Channel Diana Ross’s disco diva spirit in this shimmering dress, featuring teal, turquoise, and cobalt blue sequins. The V-shaped neckline reveals just the right amount of skin while the flared skirt gives the frock movement.

Cynthia Rowley Silk Wool Party Dress with Necklace Beading, $495. Available at CynthiaRowley.com

If you deem sequins a bit too showy, then opt for a dress that makes a statement in a much more demure fashion. This silk wool  A-line dress accomplishes that feat via a regal neckline embellished with gold-toned beads and clear stones that create a starburst-like effect.

Topshop Embellished Jacquard Shift Dress, $115. Available at Topshop stores and US.Topshop.com

Take a cue from Olivia Pope and dare to don a winter white dress this New Year’s Eve. Sure, you’ll have to steer clear of the Pinot Noir, but the evening calls for champagne anyway! This particular shift dress feels all the more apropos for a holiday soirée given the embroidered jacquard fabric, which instantly conjures an opulent feel, and the gem-embellished neckline, with its pearl and rhinestone details.

Nicole Miller Jessi Ombre Feather Dress, $486.50. Available at NicoleMiller.com

Warehouse Glitter Neoprene Dress, $99. Available at Warehouse.co.uk

Made of a flexible neoprene fabric (the very same material used to fashion wetsuits and scuba gear), this gold glitter dress will hug your bodice perfectly and keep your upper body toasty, while the nipped-in waist and skater skirt will give you an enviable hourglass figure. You’ll look and feel as golden as an Oscar statue!

GAP Tank Fit & Flared Dress, $62.99. Available at GAP stores and GAP.com

Mysterious and artful, this fit-and-flare dress features an oversize cobalt blue rose print against a black backdrop, as well as a round neckline and tank-like straps and a full skirt given all the more volume through the use of inverted pleating.

Chagoury Multi-Panel Lace Dress, $579. Available at Scoop stores and  ScoopNYC.com

There’s a reason why couturiers have maintained a love affair with lace for centuries: depending on the way it’s used, the openwork fabric can convey everything from sophistication and stature to innocence, virginity, mysteriousness, romance, femininity, sensuality, and seduction. This Chagoury dress employs lace to craft a fashion narrative about ladylike charm and the inevitable infatuation it inspires. This demure number features a nude-colored shell with a black lace overlay, ribbon-like strips of lace and velvet along the yoke, a banded waist, and a slightly fluted skirt.

H&M Sequined Embroidered Dress, $69.95. Available at H&M stores and HM.com

No need to break the bank on your New Year’s Eve outfit! This H&M dress is priced at well under $100 and will effectively capture the celebratory spirit of the evening thanks to its silver sequined embroidery and black jersey base, which together create an Art Deco-worthy color combination. The abstract pattern created by the placement of the sequins, meanwhile, feels modern and fresh,