'This 3-word hack has changed the way I dress for events like New Year's Eve.'

New Year's Eve is upon us, and nothing says outfit pressure like what's supposed to be the biggest party of the year.

At a moment when everyone is celebrating, it can be hard to conjure up a 'fit that, well… befits the festivities. Should you wear something sparkly? Something bright? Should you be in heels?? Come to think of it, when was the last time you wore heels?!?

Ease up, turbo. Put down the sequin accessory and let's take a beat.

Thankfully for all of us, there's plenty of advice on the internet to help at times of (outfit) crisis. One person I regularly turn to when I need a fashion pep-talk is Allison Bornstein, the wardrobe stylist and author who I have definitely developed a one-sided parasocial relationship with.

As the woman behind the viral 'three-word method', Bornstein has come up with an easy hack to help you deal with the styling head noise this time of year can bring.

I don't throw the words "game-changing" around lightly, but this tip is definitely going to make you rethink both how you shop and style yourself for events like NYE. I've been a fashion editor for years, and it absolutely blew my mind.

In a TikTok video, Bornstein explained that we tend to put the focus on where we're going and who's going to be there, which can often create that sense of confusion and overwhelm… and lead to bad choices at the checkout.

We've all been there, shopping for a last-minute dress for a function and looking for that very specific thing. When you don't find it, you head home empty-handed and end up settling for something you always fall back on anyway (for me, it's one of my many black dresses.)

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Nod if this sounds familiar.

That pressure you feel to change up your aesthetic on a whim? (See: a rainbow sparkly kaftan you'd never usually wear) — that's something you want to avoid, Bornstein said.

"Typically when we're shopping for an event like a wedding, a party or even a vacation, we ask ourselves, 'Where am I going?'" she explained.

"So then as a result, our look is sort of informed by the place that we're going, and what we perceive that kind of theme to be."

Instead, Bornstein said that it's much more helpful to ask yourself: "Who am I?"

Three little words. BIG difference.

"If you buy something that feels like you, and that aligns with your personal style, you'll feel cool no matter where you go," she added.

Clever, right? And definitely something to think about ahead of New Year's.

@allisonbornstein6

#greenscreen #summerwedding #styletips #stylist

♬ original sound - Allison Bornstein

Because the thing is, dress codes will always differ, as will the environment and people around you at any given function. But the one thing that remains consistent is… you.

It would be exhausting, not to mention expensive, to change up your entire look with every appearance.

And to Bornstein's point, if you do focus on the destination, you might find yourself cos-playing like a person going to a wedding in Italy. You could also end up with a closet full of one-off pieces that aren't super workable for different destinations or dress-codes.

In my twenties, that was me. A decade on, I'm still trying to exorcise my wardrobe of the many dated little numbers I wore once.

Obviously, if the theme is "white party", you're obligated not to show up in a red dress. But you get the gist: it makes much more sense, financially and practically, to use your own sense of style as the compass, rather than the details on the bottom of the invite.

Bornstein's advice prompted me to reflect on the times I'd been guided by event pressure, rather than my own taste, in the past.

Looking back, I wish I'd worn something different to my hen's party. I thought that because I was the bride, I had to wear something bright, sparkly and eye-catching — that's what brides do, yes? So I chose a flirty pink set teamed with glittery accessories.

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It was cute, but all night, I couldn't shake the feeling that I didn't look like me. I wish I'd worn something sleeker.

It's for this very reason that I chose a black silk slip dress for my baby shower, even when it was suggested that I go for something lighter. Demure florals and pastels are just not me.

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While New Year's Eve has its own generic dress code, which is something like "channel a firework", and it's totally okay to dress on theme, you can also resist the urge for a last-minute party frock — and instead wear that printed mididress you feel great in. Or the sleek pantsuit that rakes in the compliments.

I mean, you can always do a glittery eye, right?

Feature image: Supplied.