The first time I saw someone in my workplace wearing sequins in the daytime, I was torn between asking whether they were channeling Liberace at the Bellagio or whether they were nattily dressing early for an after-work cocktail party. As time went on, I saw more and more glitz in the office and started to wonder whether someone had hidden Bedazzlers in corporate restrooms.

Ladies and gentlemen, the daytime sequin has well and truly arrived.

Maybe people are saying, “By gum, I deserve a little glamour in my every day life; I refuse to wait until the cocktail hour.” Maybe they’re worried there won’t be a cocktail hour, which is a fair point. How often does an invitation to a cocktail party turn out to be beer, wine and soft drinks with people wearing their work clothes without even changing their belt? Criminally often. But I digress.

Where will this new trend end? With strapless velvet in the boardroom? A bird-cage veil at the supermarket checkout? Embarrassed by the absence of a fur stole at your next job interview?

But let’s live in the now. Rather than trying to stem the tide of sparkle, how can we accept and transcend this curious trend? Own it and make it as elegant as we can. Some thoughts on how to execute the workplace sequin with restrained elegance:

1. Choose a decent sequined piece. There’s a difference between a racer back singlet with sequins pasted on in a sweatshop and an elegant blouse with sewn-on jewels. Investigate it.

2. As usual: less is more. Do not wear more than one piece at a time that reminds you of Liza Minelli. It would be hard, for example, to pull off a sequined singlet with a sequined cardigan, sequined clutch and sequined leggings. You’re better than that.

3. Trousers with a sequined top will say “Hand me my gin and tonic” much less than a bejewelled top and a pencil skirt. Avoid club clichés: flats are your friend here.

4. You still want to look like you could eat your opponent on toast in a tough negotiation. If the sequined piece says, ‘flirty pushover,’ take it off and replace with something crisp, white and foreboding.

Ultimately, use glitter clothing cautiously, particularly if you want to be taken seriously; and remember: true glamour comes from within (and from perfect skin on high cheek bones).

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