As we say farewell to this old year, and ring in the new, we offer up some fashionable ways for you to Rock the Cloth and do it in style using velvet, satin, sequins and feathers. If you’re getting really dressed up this New Year’s Eve, but are on a budget, here’s some advice: maintain a simple silhouette but use a luxurious, textured or embellished fabric to get the look.

This week, Pulse CMS winner Sashauna Robinson and finalist Latoya Lemard are ready to party in our four featured looks.

LOOK 1

Several years ago this unusual fabric caught our attention in a bulk bin at Ping’s, and we hadn’t done a thing with it … until now. It’s velvet flowers on a black sheer, which, when seen at different angles, reflects different colours. This very unusual fabric, which to some eyes may harken to Victorian drapery or upholstery, to us needed a simple, yet sexy silhouette to really pull it off. So we chose to do a drennaLUNA signature: the backless gown. Latoya adds the finishing touches to her look with feathered hair clips.

LOOK 2

Left: Sashauna wears a simple black tube top with a black ruffled skirt. The fabric used to make the skirt has a series of 1-inch frills running horizontally, and the ends of the frills are sewn with metallic threads so they shimmer. Horizontal frills are expected, so we turned them vertical instead. We finished Sashauna’s look with feathered clips in her hair.

LOOK 3

Sequin and satin are what we used for Latoya’s second look. A dramatic mermaid-style skirt in a deep purple (a hot colour for Christmas) is paired with a gold sequinned blouse. The great thing about separates is that each piece forms a part of many other looks as this blouse can be worn with countless other bottoms (as it has) and this top can be paired with many other tops and belts.

LOOK 4

Sashauna tries a different skirt for her night out. This time, she wears a long sequinned skirt we made from a fabric we found flung in a bulk bin. Gold and silver sequins shimmer for a dramatic look.

So as you bid farewell to the old year, do it in style. We wish you a very prosperous and blessed 2013.