Sarah Jessica Parker just went all out with sparkles in a glimmering midi dress and a matching crossbody bag that made the ultimate date night look.
Party season is long over, but Sarah Jessica Parker isn’t ditching the sparkles just because spring is finally on the horizon. Instead, the Sex and the City star proved that adding some shimmer into your date night outfits is always worth doing and doesn’t have to be overwhelming. She and her husband Matthew Broderick stepped out together for the SNL50: The Anniversary Special in New York on 16th February and SJP’s black and silver outfit caught our eye - and the light - with its embellishments.
Sarah Jessica wore a crew neck midi dress with a black base fabric covered all over with what look to be either tiny silver sequins or crystals. Either way, they transformed what would have otherwise been a pretty dress into a show-stopper worthy of such a special occasion.
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A longline black coat is one of those pieces that you can throw on with any outfit and this one is double breasted like Sarah Jessica Parker's. It has handy flap pockets and a lapel collar that gives it beautiful structure. With a sparkly dress underneath this would be the ultimate date night outfit.
With a feminine cowl neck and ruched detailing at the front and back, this midi dress has a gorgeous draped silhouette. It's sparkly without being overwhelming and is fully lined, with a knitted stretch base that is so comfy. Pair with a black coat and heels to put your own twist on SJP's look.
Available in both silver and gold, this crystal embellished bag is an affordable way to add some sparkle into your date night outfits. It would make a huge impact contrasting against an all-black outfit and has a double shoulder strap and zip closure.
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This sparkling shoulder bag has a double chain shoulder strap and a front flap closure. Throw on with a plain black dress or co-ord and this accessory will do all the talking. If you want to accentuate the glimmer even more, match to your shoes and jewellery.
This bag can be worn in several different ways - as a slouchy pouch, as a shoulder bag, or crossbody - thanks to two removable straps and a clip fastening. It's dazzling with it's embellished design and yet the black base fabric means that it's still on the more subtle side for a sparkly bag.
If you want to add some sparkle to your evening outfits then this affordable clutch bag is a fun option. It comes in so many different colours and is covered in tiny sequins to give it shine and texture. The strap means you can wear it crossbody as well as a clutch.
Having the black and silver together also helped to make this dress more understated and elegant than some full-on sequin dresses can be. Although many of us will have packed away our sparkly dresses after Christmas and been reaching for jeans and our best cashmere jumpers instead, SJP’s look showed that there are still ways to wear them in February. For an evening out or a party, a sequin dress is a striking option that requires minimal styling and is an outfit in itself.
Our favourite way to wear sparkly dresses is with all-black accessories to balance the boldness and this is - almost - what Sarah Jessica did at the SNL50 event. She wore classic black heels and added a crossbody bag with a black strap that was fully embellished all over. This bag coordinated perfectly with her glimmering dress and the crossbody design was a clever choice.
Crossbody bags tend to feel a bit more casual than clutches or top handle bags for special occasions and SJP’s bag brought a contemporary, low-key edge to her outfit. This worked well given how much of a statement the sequins were and she accentuated this with her longline double breasted black coat. The actor wore it open and it had structured lapels and satin covered buttons.
A plain black coat is one of those wardrobe staples you’ll bring back year after year and it’s the perfect neutral piece to throw over a more eye-catching outfit. If you are as entranced by Sarah Jessica Parker’s sparkly outfit as we are, but aren’t as sure about embracing sparkles, then adding a glimmering bag to your collection is an easy way to try it out.
Whether you are drawn to sequins, metallic colours or beaded embellishments, there are so many sparkly handbags out there right now that are fabulous to incorporate into an all-neutral look and which don’t feel specifically seasonal.
When the warmer weather arrives and you find yourself wondering how to style a trench coat and jeans in an evening-appropriate way then a sparkly bag is still a fun choice. As long as the main elements of your outfit are neutral, or a colour that you adore and is timeless for your signature style, a sparkly bag can continue to bring a touch of glamour in spring too without feeling over-powering or too festive.
