December 30th, 2009 by The Barefoot Blogger: Laura Kleinbaum

New Years Eve!

This is a tough one, as there are so many options for New Years (some would argue, none of them good.)  Many have found New Years to be a notoriously bad night, as the pressure to have a good time has never been higher, the partiers have never been drunker, and it’s outright impossible to hail a cab.  So always remember, New Years is just another night out, not some epic extravaganza.  If it turns out that way, great.  If it doesn’t, who cares?  The most important thing is that you love your shoes.

The New Years Gala: If there’s one word to describe this night, it’s fabulous.  You’ll wear a gown and dance all night in a sea of jewels, up-do’s and tuxedos.  Both caviar and lobster will be served and someone will make a big show of proposing to his girlfriend who will will either say yes or run out crying.  Regardless, the band will play on and you’ll take another turn on the floor.  Like your gown and the evening, your shoes should be fancy and fab.

The New Years House Party: This is going to be nothing but wild.  Replace the cheap beer in solo cups with cheap champagne right out of the bottle and there’s your night.  The sweaty dancing bodies will be packed tight, someone will inevitably convince everyone else that it’s OK to smoke inside, and you will see at least three people take a tumble down the stairs.  Ah, to be young.  You can literally wear whatever you want– it’s the nature of the night.  I would recommend something with a little more sparkle than your go-to house party outfit, paired with shoes that say, “I’m a lot of fun!” (They should not be too fragile, as there’s nothing like an out of control party to ruin your favorite new shoes–no suede!)

The New Years Dinner Party: This is much more civilized than the house party.  There are a select number of guests and they’ll all wear suits and dresses and bring a hostess gift.  Like any dinner party, the whole evening is meant to be intimate and lovely.  But this is New Years Eve after all, so don’t be surprised if the gathering devolves into something more raucous a few hours in–you’ll blame it on the champagne.  Feel free to wear heels of any height, as you’ll be sitting for most of the night and comfort won’t be an issue.  Like the setting, the shoes should be lovely.

The New Years Street Party: Watching the ball drop and partying with strangers is a once in a lifetime experience, i.e. you’ll have a blast and walk away saying, “Awesome, but once was enough. Never again.”  The most important thing is to stay warm.  It would be a shame for the weather to ruin your time.  Luckily you can still look cute while doing so.

The Shoes (From top to bottom):

The Something Bleu ‘Cloud’, The Madden Girl ‘Century‘, The Something Bleu ‘Cafe’, The Koolaburra ‘Erika’