Fashion’s taken a turn for the flashy lately (witness the Balmain and Givenchy fall 2009 runways), and frankly, I’m all for it. The sartorial equivalent of dancing your pants off to Donna Summer’s Greatest Hits, I’m convinced a little glitz is good for the soul. Take sequined leggings for example. They say: Let’s stop taking personal style so seriously for a moment and belt out “Bad Girls” at the top of our lungs.

I’m not going to lie to you: pants with allover sequins are, in the words of the venerable Tim Gunn, “a lot of look.” The key to pulling them off is to think of them as exceptionally shiny skinny jeans, or an amped-up version of latex leggings, and go from there. Styling these silver Alice + Olivia numbers with a Theory blazer, a vintage concert tee, and Alexander Wang choked pumps makes the look more downtown rocker, less roller disco.

Be warned: it’s a bit of a letdown to go back to leggings crafted from non-reflective materials after a night in these. Which has me wondering: Could I get away with a black sequined pair for day if I wore it with a sweater coat and booties? (See Amie’s post for more tips on how to wear sequins for day.)

--Maureen