If New Year’s Eve was a dress, then it would be Emilia Fox’s sparkling sequin gown with shooting stars

Emilia Fox wore a stunning sparkly gown covered with silver shooting stars for a night at the ballet and it would also be perfect for New Year’s Eve.

For weeks we’ve been getting plenty of inspiration for our Christmas party outfits but New Year’s Eve is another brilliant opportunity to get dressed up and look glamorous before we welcome in another year. Not everyone will want to go all-out for New Year’s Eve, but for those that do, it doesn’t come much more magnificent than a sparkly dress and Emilia Fox’s sequin gown is the pinnacle of this. The Silent Witness star wore it earlier this month when she and Jonathan Stadlen were invited by Audi UK to attend the Royal Ballet’s performance of Cinderella.

Her dress was totally in-keeping with the fairytale theme and was the £650 Shooting Stars Long Sleeve Ankle Length Gown from Needle & Thread. Needle & Thread is one of the best British clothing brands if you want meticulously embellished and special occasion outfits and this dress comes in both a pale pink and the beige version Emilia wore.

Shop Emilia Fox's Gown and Other Sparkling Dresses

It has such a feminine silhouette, with the fitted bodice and flared skirt. The design was inspired by the costumes worn by the Follie’s dancers in the early 20th century and it features blouson sleeves and a skirt that has layers of net and tulle to give a full shape and beautiful drape. As the name suggests, running all over Emilia Fox’s sparkling sequin gown were delicate silver star motifs that caught the light beautifully.

The star embellishments were a subtle nod to the festive season without being too seasonally specific and this means that Emilia could easily re-wear a dress like this to another special event outside of December. As well as the silver stars, there were also clusters of sequins that scattered down towards the hem of the dress and the cuffs of the sleeves.

The combination of the pale beige-cream background fabric and the silvery detailing was so pretty and ethereal, though even if you prefer something bolder or a deeper tone then you can still take inspiration from Emilia Fox’s gorgeous gown. For a fabulous festive or New Year’s Eve look, consider adding a sparkly dress to your winter capsule wardrobe that’s in a shade you regularly wear and which goes wonderfully with your favourite accessories.

If sequins aren’t for you then choose an option with other more subtle embellishments that give some added glimmer, like metallic piping, foil detailing or a delicate metallic thread running through the material. No matter the design of the dress, a touch of sparkle in some way always makes it feel that bit more glamorous and special.

For a more dressed-down look you can wear a shimmery dress with knee high or ankle boots, but Emilia opted for some silver open-toe shoes. These had a strap running across her foot and so looked to be sandals of some sort, though any silver heels would complement this sequin-covered dress as well.

The actor also carried a beige crossbody bag with a silver chain strap for her evening at the ballet that matched her Needle & Thread gown. This was a lovely way to complete her outfit and oozed elegance.