Let's just say it: The New Year's Eve dress is just as important as your plans for the night.
This particular evening warrants an outfit you’d never normally wear, so throw all your style rules out the door and bring on the sparkle and shine because it’s almost 2014!
With the help of Hollywood’s best dressed, we reveal some perfect New Year’s Eve dresses guaranteed to get you smooched at midnight.
Story continues below slideshow:
New Year's Eve Dresses
Red Dress
If you usually fly under the radar, New Year's Eve is a great time to stand out. That’s why a red dress could be just the thing you’re searching for. Take Selena Gomez, whose sparkly red dress is a prime example of how to turn heads. Pair with neutral heels and long luscious locks to amp up the sex appeal.
Little Black Dress
Sick of dress hunting? So are we. Good thing you have your trusty LBD freshly dry-cleaned. It takes minimal effort to style a little black dress since you can really pair it with anything from neutral colours to patters to loud sequins. Anything goes! Celebrities like models Brooklyn Decker and Heidi Klum and actresses Sofia Vergara and Sarah Jessica Parker showed us a wide variety of LBD looks that range from classic to edgy.
Metallic
Trust us, we won’t let you walk out looking like Foxy Cleopatra. Metallics will be huge in 2014 so why not be an early adopter? Avoid dresses that resemble tin foil and try mimicking Nicole Richie and actresses Emily Blunt and Kirsten Dunst who successfully navigated the metallic trend.
One-Of-A-Kind
No one likes seeing another woman wear the exact same dress you're sporting, but this can be avoided by getting a custom dress made. Look around for a style you like and pick which details you want to include in your unique frock. For some inspiration, check out the epic bow on Lily Collins' slinky Paule Ka dress. You'll definitely stand out in a showstopping, one-of-a-kind ensemble.
Sequins
Sequins are the quintessential New Year's Eve embellishment because they draw all attention on you (so we hope you can handle it!). Designer Lauren Conrad and her bestie, Lauren ‘Lo’ Bosworth, wore matching Alice and Olivia mini sequin dresses with keyhole backs. Notice how both gals chose to tone down the look with simple up 'dos? Perfection.
Leather
Wear leather and wear it in a multitude of colours. (After all, it is one of the most popular fashion trends of 2013.) This can be a tricky look to pull off but not if you follow the lead of actresses Blake Lively and Zoe Saldana who wore it in toned-down colours and flattering silhouettes to show off the leather itself. We guarantee NYE revelers will be admiring your outfit all night.
Full Skirt
NYE is a time to celebrate and what says celebration better than dancing? No other dress will let you twirl the night away like a dramatic full skirt. Taylor Swift is the queen of all demure pouffy skirts so we weren't surprised to see her rocking a deep v-neck red dress with a full tulle skirt that is perfect for the dance floor.
Radiant Orchid
Guess what? “Radiant Orchid” is the new Pantone colour for 2014! Get a head start by wearing a dress in the pretty purple tone for NYE like Salma Hayek’s bejewelled Bottega Veneta. The colour is soft and feminine and you'll definitely stand out in a sea of blacks.
Tuxedo-Inspired
Borrow from the boys and wear a tuxedo-inspired dress like “12 Years a Slave” actress Lupita Nyong’o, who rocked a sleek Prabal Gurung that featured an inverted V slit. A monochromatic dress like this calls for some bright beauty looks so feel free to experiment with a bold lip. Colourful accessories will also add additional edge to the ensemble.
Long Skirt
New Year's Eve is your big chance to wear something bold so experiment with a long skirt since it’s not something we get to wear regularly. Try this great all-white look by “Glee” star Lea Michele who shook things up in a strapless textured dress that looked especially stunning with her golden tanned skin.
Lace
If your end goal is to look ultra feminine, a lace dress will do the job. Actress Olivia Wilde wore a black-and-white Jason Wu dress with lace detailing that added a flirty element to an elegant look.
Pattern
When is pattern ever inappropriate? Never. Model Alexa Chung wore a conversation-starting dress that featured a leather neckline and a beautiful constellation print. (No wonder they call it the "Galaxy dress"!)
For a more traditional pattern, actress Zoe Saldana sported a conservative silhouette which can look super fun when patterns are involved.