Planning your party outfits? The grown-up girls guide to sparkles

If you're planning your party outfits already, you have no doubt come across the sparkles and sequins dilemma. 

Yes, they look great (especially for Christmas time), but there's a fine line between looking chic and looking like you crawled out of a 7-year-old's wardrobes. 

So, to avoid any style disasters, follow this handy guide to grown-up sparkles:

1. Go for sophisticated styles

It's not all about the sparkle here, and one way to really avoid looking childish is to don an unusual and sophisticated outfit.

Tap into different decades, like Fei Fei Sun did here wearing Michael Kors. The Forties-meets-Eighties dress is a PERFECT base to show off gold sequins. 

 

2. If unsure, wear on just ONE piece of clothing

Yes, we can all doubt our outfit choices sometimes, and they best way to be confident (in this regard) is to stick with something low-key. Agyness Deyn displayed this perfectly by only wearing sequins on the arms of her jacket/dress. 

It's chic enough to stand out from the crowd, but also paired-back enough to be comfortable.  

 

3. Opt for vertical lines

If you really want to show off your figure, go for sequins that fall in a vertical line rather than horizontal as it will give you a more slimline shape.

As seen on Kate, the dress flatters her in all the right places and the light catches off the sequins for a really elegant look.

 

4. How to make it sexy

If you want a more glamorous, sexy look, the mini is the way to go. As seen on this Michael Kors (he really has a thing for sparkle this season) dress, the shorter the better.

A slouchy fit and not showing too much skin up top is a great way to add just the right amount of hotness to your outfit. Showing too much skin could be a little OTT.