How to Wear Sequins

Thanks to top designers such as Isaac Mizrahi, Marc Jacobs, and Phillip Lim, sequins are having their shining moment this season with everything from dresses to shoes to bags getting a bedazzling touch.

"It's about embellishment, and it's a way for women to find something new and different that they don't already have in their wardrobes," says Gregg Andrews, national fashion director for Nordstrom. "The great thing about all the embellishment is that it's almost like built-in jewelry. The outfit comes with its own accessories."

Although you might not think it, sequins can be quite versatile, too.

"We're seeing it for day and for evening," Andrews says. "The easiest way to wear sequins is to dress it down, so wear it with denim, wear it with knitwear. But you can still take a sequin top and wear it with a pair of silk pants, or with a short skirt and wear it for the holidays, too."

Worried about pulling off this sparkle-worthy trend? Here are a few tips from our experts:

• Mix and match. When you're dealing with sequin apparel, if you want to go over the top with a stand-out piece such as a sequin mini, pair it with a simple, plain top, Nordstrom's Andrews says. Conversely, if you're wearing a sequin or heavily embellished or jeweled top, wear it with something simple on the bottom. "The sequins and embellishment really need to be the star of the outfit," he says, adding that juxtaposing simplicity with glitz gives a more modern look with a "cleaner sensibility to it."
• Try an accessory. If a sequined top or blazer is too over-the-top for you, there are plenty of less overt options out there, says Sonya Consentini, style expert for Marshalls and T.J. Maxx. "Try a fun pair of flats or heels with sequin details to top off a classic office look of a blazer and pencil skirt for a subtle touch of glimmer." For a night out, Consentini suggests trying designer denim with a flirty sequined blouse or shimmery clutch.
• Keep lines simple. "Look for simple silhouettes – such as T-shirts, drape-front jerseys and halters – that are accented with or covered in sequins," Diane Manley, design director of Worth, tells StyleList. "Wear sequined tops with skinny pants or jeans and the highest heels you can muster."
• Look beyond black. "The great thing about sequins," Nordstrom's Andrews says, "is they don't have to be black. I think some of the more unexpected metallic colors look wonderful: the pewter and the bronze rather than silver and gold."
• Don't overdo it. There is such a thing as sequin overload. "Just like too much sugar, there certainly can be too many sequins," Manley says. "In general, it's best to keep sequins to just one piece per outfit. You want sequins to look as though they are natural to your style, not that you're trying too hard to sparkle."