Now that Thanksgiving is over and done with, and the leftovers have all been gobbled up, it’s time to transition into full-on shopping mode.  Once you check everyone off your list, why not treat yourself to something special… and what better way to do that than with a dazzling little number that you’ll be wearing into 2011?

The perfect New Years Eve dress has got to be the sequined mini.  Like Lilliana, I lust after sequins, and what I love most about these cocktail dresses is that they leave a lot to the imagination. They’re stunning, memorable and eye-catching, they show a lot of leg (but not too much), yet they abide by one of my #1 rules: if there’s a lot of skin on the bottom, keep the skin on the top to a minimum, and vice versa.

Balmain never ceases to amaze us with their mind-blowing sequin designs: from blazers to tops, and of course, to dresses, these collections are always a celeb favorite (mine too; just wish I could afford it!).

Each season, my favorite piece from Balmain is almost always their fresh take on the sequined cocktail dress.  But I have to say that right now, I am absolutely loving this long-sleeved mini from French Connection.  It’s almost a carbon copy of a Balmain design, but I have to say that as much as I can’t get enough them, the French Connection dress is a heck of a lot more practical.

However, at a price tag of $298 + tax, it may exceed your budget, so I managed to find some other fabulous options at a fraction of the cost. Forever 21 has this one and this one for under $30 and I love the look of an asymmetrical sequin dress!

Can I also add that ASOS has come out with a dead-ringer for the Alice + Olivia sequined mini-dress that was spotted on so many fabulous ladies from Lauren Conrad to Marissa Miller last year?  I know it’s a tad bit early to start the hunt for the perfect New Years Eve dress, but this really is perfect, and what better way to count down to the new year than in a sparkly cocktail dress?  I can’t think of any better way, myself…

-Lilliana Vazquez
Lilliana is a nationally known style expert and television host.  You’ve seen her work on NBC, ABC, The Style Network, and We TV.  She is also the editor of The CheapChica’s Guide to Style, the go-to destination for fashionistas on a budget, and a contributor to Philadelphia Magazine.
(all photos courtesy of Lilliana and The CheapChica’s Guide to Style)