When Sparkle Misbehaves
From the Sidelines to the Sidewalk, Sequins Are No Longer Waiting For December
Disco balls have always been my accessory. They are radiant, playfully defiant, and just the right kind of extra. I love their shine and their presence on New Year’s Eve, so naturally, we wanted it for our wedding. The date wasn’t available, so we brought the dazzle anyway, showing up on the invite, the centerpieces, the takeaway cookies, and crowning our cake.
Because when have my husband and I ever played by the proper rules?!
This fall, I’ve noticed that sparkle has started to misbehave, especially in the form of sequins. I’ve always saved them for December, but on a recent trip to London, they had me rethinking the rules yet again. The moment I spotted them, they were everywhere. Shimmer scattered across sales floors, taking over window displays, and surfacing across unexpected categories.
Once confined to party dressing, sequins are now creeping into activewear and daytime basics, landing well before the red cups at Starbucks make their debut. Vogue is calling the trend:
ASMR dressing, where high-impact comes by way of all-hours sequins. Choose your power paillette.
And my god, I am absolutely here for all of it.
Sequins on the Sidelines
Sequins don’t just belong to the dance floor anymore. They’re claiming the court, too. She may not have left with the trophy, but at this year’s US Open, Naomi Osaka took our hearts in sequins. She dazzled on and off the court courtesy of Nike and her Labubu, proving that sport and flashiness can absolutely coexist.
They are warming the bench, even from the sidelines, and making activewear truly glisten. In London, sport, athleisure, and gleam collided. These weren’t accents. They were statements. Merchandised from sneakers to track jackets, styled to move from workouts into daily life. You don’t need a custom Nike look to join Sparkle Motion™. These are my favorite pieces that bring shimmer to the court, the gym, and every step in between.
Sports may have set the stage, but it was RTW where sequins truly owned the season.
Daylight Disco
In London, I had to remind myself it was early September. Mannequins and racks shimmied in full daylight: sharp tailoring, dramatic dresses, and twists on casual separates. What stood out was how natural they looked, merchandised as if they’d always belonged beside everyday staples. Forget weddings. These punched-up pieces suddenly feel right for your 9-to-5.
And if you think sparkle stopped there, think again. Are the gentlemen still with me? Armani proved sparkle has no gender this fall, and Dries Van Noten is carrying it forward into spring. You’re invited to play along, too. No explanation required.
New Year’s is a long way off. Take this as your permission to go rogue. The next time you’re tempted to break the rules, reach for what was meant for the holidays and wear it like it was always meant for daylight.
I WILL wear my sequins before December.
The disco ball on your wedding cake + is that a disco ball cookie?! There's a red sequin Rixo mini dress that I've literally been looking at on TRR every single year for like six years straight for holiday parties/NYE, but haven't been able to pull the trigger. Maybe this is my chance.