Sequins, velvet and feathers take centre stage for the party season

After two years of low-key celebrations, it's time to bust out sequins and sparkles this holiday season. Image: Shutterstock

Overshadowed for two years by the pandemic, this year's holiday celebrations will be more vibrant and festive than ever. In the fashion world, that spells the return of quirky and uplifting party outfits, covered in sequins, rhinestones and feathers. Let the festivities commence!

Five, four, three, two, one... Happy New Year! Forget the sofa and TV NYE vibe we embraced for the past two years, as the party spirit returns to the holidays. With this festive mood comes colorful make-up and nails, and lashings of sparkle and shimmer. It's official—sequins and rhinestones will be out in force this season, bringing with them the return of all things disco-inspired. In addition, feathers and velvet will be among the season's essentials, as if to help everyone forget that coats, puffer vests and capes were the last year's holiday must-haves.

Back to the dance floor

This holiday, it's time to party. And that means getting back on the dance floor with a wardrobe to match. According to the global fashion search engine Stylight*, sequin dresses are particularly popular this year, with a 211% increase in search interest in November 2022 compared to the same period last year. This is also the case for disco pants—preferably in metallic or brightly colored versions—with clicks up 206%. But if there's one category that takes the lead this year, it's velvet, with a jump in searches of over 700% for velvet dresses, and 146% for velvet blazers.

As seen during the last round of fashion shows, for the spring-summer 2023 season, transparency is one of the major upcoming fashion trends. And this has not gone unnoticed, with some fashion fans ready to embrace the trend this holiday season. As a result, dresses, tops and other see-through pieces are already proving popular with people around the world. In fact, search interest for transparent or sheer bodysuits has increased by 42% compared to last year. Finally, the party season also means feathers. With retro inspirations, black dresses trimmed with feathers have seen twice as many Google searches as last year.

Time to shine from head to toe

But sequin-covered clothes aren't the only things set to sparkle this season. Shoppers are also falling for rhinestone accessories, starting with rhinestone handbags (+80% clicks). This trend is also being seen in beauty, with a 22% increase in searches for facial rhinestones. When it comes to make-up, bright, flashy colors will dominate, channeling trends like the neon hues of LED eyeliner and the rainbow effect of Skittles nails, named after the colorful candy.