The end of the semester means the end of four glorious months of me spewing out my opinions on everything from runway shows to Bumpits. But despite losing my soap box, it also means holiday parties. And holiday parties in Fashionista-land generally mean two things: sequins and champagne. But what does one wear to such events? Certainly not a T-shirt and jeans! Certainly not an ill-fitting suit! And hopefully not an empire-waist dress from Forever 21! LetâÄôs convene and concoct some fabulous ensembles for you to cocktail in all night long. Ladies The holiday season is the best excuse to wear as many sparkly things as you want and get away with it. That being said, there are a few tips and tricks to making sequins and glitter look classy âÄî far from the realm of disco ball. Glitz 101 1. Keep your sequins/glitter in the color palette of black, dark charcoal gray, subtle silver or navy. Pink sequins? Only in very serious moderation. 2. Keep sparkles relatively small. Chunky sequins are tacky, especially when poorly sewn. 3. No boleros. (You might remember them as âÄúshrugs.âÄù) 4. Limit one, maximum two, pieces to light up the night. I like sequin miniskirts with blazers or glitzy cardigans with skinny black jeans. If youâÄôre adventurous, swap the jeans for faux-leather pants like this pair from Blank Denim, available on shopbop.com. (DonâÄôt buy out my size!) Or do a black sequin legging with a menâÄôs white shirt. 5. Sequin tops are tricky. This is something IâÄôd advise you buy vintage. The heft is better, the quality far superior. 6. If youâÄôre scared of sparkle, do a cocktail ring or a jeweled bib necklace. IâÄôd pair this Forever 21 sequin zigzag mini ($19.80) with a loose white T-shirt and a fitted black motorcycle jacket, black tights and a super-high pair of booties. Or, follow the flawless Olivia PalermoâÄôs lead and do a patterned jacket with a pair of black shorts (add tights for Minnesota, duh) and white shirt. IâÄôd swap her boots for this pair of Dolce Vita YSL-esque pumps from Covered Uptown. Holiday beauty tips 1. Lipstick is essential for big nights out. My red standby is (currently) M.A.C. Red. 2. If you want to go glitter glamorous on your face instead of with your outfit, remember that subtle sparkle is always better than hardcore glitter. Do a sweep of BenefitâÄôs new One Hot Minute, best on a paler skin tone. 3. For holiday parties, eschew the typical loose VictoriaâÄôs Secret curls for a high, tight ponytail or a chignon. Men OK, boys. A new year means itâÄôs time to step it up. If your girlfriend is decked out in sequins, shouldnâÄôt you be donning something to complement her? (Note: DonâÄôt wear sequins.) Never-fail ensembles for males 1. Start with a pair of very slim, dark jeans. I like G-Star, Helmut Lang and Cheap Monday for dudes. 2. Add a pair of fantastic simple sneakers. IâÄôm kind of obsessed with these Generic Surplus gray hi-tops from Revolve Clothing ($72). 3. Cardigans are essential layering pieces, and rest assured, they ARE masculine. Fred Perry makes them in gorgeous marino wool. Do a black or charcoal gray. 4. If sweaters arenâÄôt your thing, do a slim-cut blazer. I like them from Acne, but theyâÄôre kind of expensive so check out H&M, and remember, the tailor is your friend. You can pin a little sequin rosette on the lapel to match that aforementioned sparkly girlfriend. 5. YouâÄôre done! WasnâÄôt that easy?