What do I look for in a new, go-to, party-season dress?

The criterion for the perfect party dress is that it resemble something you might feasibly end up dancing to Sabrina Carpenter’s Espresso or Kendrick Lamar’s Not Like Us in: you must be able to move in it. Even if, in reality, you’ve no intention of stepping away from the entrance to the kitchen and missing first dibs on the trays of canapés, your outfit must, at least, appear to be, one, festive at first sight and, two, modesty-preserving were you, in fact, to raise both hands in the air like you just don’t care. We know you care.

Party season is no time for subtlety, so say it – well, scream it – with sequins. When you’re glittering like a disco ball, it’s clear that you haven’t come straight from the office and, moreover, you’re not intending to be home in time for the late news.

And sequins can be great for office parties. There’s none of the awkwardness that can arise from dipping into the boudoir trend and getting stuck talking to the CEO in a slip dress that keeps sliding off one shoulder and has a lace trim that’s just too … bedtime. Additionally, sequinned fabrics don’t crease and there’s little need to overload with accessories that will inevitably be left on the back of a chair or Uber.

Rather than going for complete gold, though, accessorise with black shoes and a clutch to ensure your dress remains the centre of attention. And if you’re really committed to the cause, take black sunglasses: they might come in handy on the journey home.

Got a style conundrum? Email damien.woolnough@nine.com.au

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