There Are Really Only 7 Things to Wear on New Year’s Eve

Your New Year’s Eve wardrobe cravings might shift slightly from year to year, but the basic philosophy never changes. December 31 is always going to call for something slightly more luxurious and confident than the rest of the year. It’s always going to be a big night for black clothes and a good window during which to break out your most wardrobe's rarest treasures: velvet jackets, evening slippers, nice watches, perhaps even a statement hat. If you’re wishing you’d bought something new for this year’s events—don’t! What you need is probably already right there in your closet. Here, a handful of outfits that were cool last year, this year, and will be next year, too.

The Minimalist Suit

A slim-cut black suit is almost never the wrong choice and on New Year’s Eve it’s a guaranteed hit. Even if your plans consist of nothing but sitting on a bar stool alone: wear the black suit. We dig Rami Malek’s white tee and cowboy boots, which are fancy but also rugged enough for a dive. But wear whatever complements your mood and destination—the black suit can handle anything.

The Party Blazer

If you’re going to a proper New Year’s Eve party with champagne and spirited making out, you owe it to the host to wear something properly fancy. There’s no shame in reaching right for a velvet blazer, especially if you wear one with as much self-possession as underage daddy Lucky Blue Smith here. Think: black pants, slip-on loafers, extra hair product, and the best jewelry you own.

Pants That Party

This is New Year’s Eve we’re talking about here and the night demands more than just your go-to jeans. Try wearing your nicest pair of trousers and your coolest pair of shoes and see what you come up with! Once you’ve got the right combination, finish with a black T-shirt or sweater and boom—you’ve become Jeff Goldblum.

A Shirt That Flows

The last few years have been a boom of soft statement shirts so perhaps you want to focus on making an above-the-waist flex this New Year’s Eve instead. Great! Match the silky or satiny shirt in question to the rest of your outfit—whether it's basic navy or Timothee Chalamet raspberry—and vibe-heavy things will happen. Keep the shirt unbuttoned and untucked and you're already living in the year 2020.

All Your Best Black Clothes

If you've gotten this far down the list and still haven't found something you want to wear, it's time to stop thinking about it and just wear black. The chunky sweater, the tailored pants, the lace-up boots. Throw in a cool bag or some hair clips like Luka Sabbat here and you're both disguised enough to sneak out of the party whenever you want, and celebratory enough to be at the center of every group photo.

Novelty Knitwear

Not all New Year's Eve parties look like the prom scene in Footloose. If your plans involve dining in a stone house, playing Yahtzee by the fire, or smoking pot with your high school friends, congratulations for having great New Year's Eve plans. Your prize: wearing the same chunky sweater that got you through Thanksgiving and Christmas. Instead of jeans or cords, step things up with pinstripe pants.

Staying In Sweats

Staying in on New Year’s is especially fun when you make it as sexy as any big party would be. Think: top-shelf liquor, the $$$ sushi sampler, and matching leisurewear. When you need more beer or ice cream, follow Donald Glover’s lead and run down to the deli wearing aviator eyewear, double gold chains, and old school sneakers. Everyone standing in line will wish they’d canceled their plans too.

Originally Appeared on GQ