ZOE FRALEY
THE BELLINGHAM HERALD

A great pair of jeans can get you by for just about any event Bellingham has to offer, but if you’re trying to ring in the New Year, you might as well do it in a new dress.

And since it’s going to be a long night, you might as well make that dress short.

“Short is definitely what’s popular right now — fingertip length or right above knee,” says Jessica Nelson, co-owner of Fairhaven dress shop Ooh La La. “I think in the cold weather lots of people pair it with boots, which is really cute.”

New Year’s Eve is a night to get noticed, so bold colors and eye-catching details can help assure that you’ve got someone to smooch when the clock strikes midnight.

Big blocks of solid color make an outfit pop like a champagne cork — try jewel tones such as plum, sapphire and garnet; sleek silver, bronze and gold metallics; and the always classic black, white and red.

Body skimming A-line shapes, delicate knife pleats and flouncy bubble hems lend swish, while sequins, rhinestones and brooches give sparkle.

But as gorgeous as that new dress may be, it’s got to be comfortable. Add a shawl or cute jacket to get you from the chilly streets to the steamy party.

“That’s always a challenge, finding something to put over a dress with out ruining the look,” Nelson says. When it comes to shoes, those mile-high spikes of glitter might make your legs look killer, but they’ll kill your feet before the ball even drops. Try a boot or a more modest heel that you know won’t make your feet ache. “Make sure the shoes you pick out are comfortable,” she says. “You might look great, but if you’re hobbling around it’s going to be obvious to everyone. It just ruins the look.”

And since most dresses don’t come with pockets, a decent-sized evening clutch is a great place to stow away a cell phone, some lip gloss and cash for a cab home.

Because what’s the use of being sexy if you can’t be smart, too.



Reach Zoe Fraley at zoe.fraley@bellinghamherald.com or 715-2234.