Dress to impress in trousers and slacks this New Year

Who says you have to wear a little black dress tomorrow? Whether trousers or a jumpsuit – cut yourself some slacks, says Naomi Attwood

Jacket, £199, trousers, £130, shirt, £145, shoes, £199, karenmillen.com

Even harder than deciding how to ring in the New Year is choosing what to do it in. Requirements for the perfect party outfit include, but are not limited to: a nod to the trends without being too 2014; comfortable enough to dance in; and being a touch different than your everyday attire.

You’ll note though, that nowhere is it written that only a little sparkly dress will do all that, so why is it so hard to move beyond the default setting?

This has been a big year for trousers - Raf Simons’ winter Dior collection was full of them and they cropped up at shows as varied as Christopher Kane and Givenchy. Party-appropriate versions could incorporate a bright colour or a directional shape – wide leg Bugsy Malone numbers or even generous culottes provide optimum shimmying capacity on the dance floor.

And on top? Blouses are having a bit of a moment and one with a bit of detail – maybe a ruffle or relaxed pussy bow – is best here. Finish the ensemble with some shiny brogues or pony skin slip-ons - your feet will thank you at 3am.

For those not ready to go the top-to-toe tailoring route but don’t want to be stuck in a dress, a good compromise is an evening jumpsuit in a dark colour or light-reflecting fabric like brocade or lurex. Simply add heels for a complete look without complications.

A cocktail jacket is another way to make party dressing easy-peasy. Hanging to the knee, or hovering just above, the jacket can be slung over whatever comes to hand, be it jeans and a T-shirt or a slinky slip dress.

Now the only hard choice to make should be who’ll be seeing the New Year in with you.