I have an affinity with Chinese New Year.  The only reason I think this white girl from New Jersey feels connected to it (aside from the fact that I am a bit hippy-dippy when it comes to anything astrological, new age or “fringe-y”) is because for a decade when I was a fashion designer Chinese New Year seriously ran my life.  Due to the fact, that a lot of product is manufactured over in China and because the Chinese New Year is celebrated for weeks and closes down a lot of industry in China, most fashion designers need to be extremely conscious of getting work done before the Chinese New Year close deadline or they risk being S.O.L. (sh*t out of luck) to get things shipped in time for the new season.  In addition, when you work closely with Chinese factories, like I did when I was a designer, you make friends with the people you work with in China, even if it is only via email.  We’d always get gifts from our factories overseas and well wishes for a prosperous New Year!  That was the fun part, and now that I am no longer a fashion designer, I enjoy the fun aspects of the holiday because I don’t have a burdensome deadline hanging over my head.

Celebrating CNY with my husband and friends a few years ago.

So, in honor of if being the Eve of the Chinese New Year, I thought I’d do a special post about fashion and the New Year we’re entering into (according to the Chinese Zodiac), the year of the dragon:

If you’re new on Chinese New Year Tradition, the year of the dragon is a time that we should be bold, not humble.  It’s time of great deeds, of innovation, to begin new business projects, to get out there and shine!  The year of the dragon gives happiness and success to all honest people (I hope you’ve been working on your past karma or you are screwed, apparently.)  If you can ride the ups and downs, and go with the flow of how life will more this year, this year can be yours!  Are you ready?

There is actually advice on what to wear for the New Year of the Dragon. The three color of intense green, bright red and yellow, usually grounded in black.   Additionally, it’s all about splendor and grandeur, which is so refreshing to hear because I think most of us have been thinking more conservatively with fashion…afraid to step out and be brash.  In hard economic times many become more practical.  However, now is the time to step into more exuberance.  I don’t know about you, but I am feeling good about that.  Speaking of which, now where is my bedazzler???

Now, you can take this color combination to extremes like the the Nike Zoom Kobe 7 Supreme “Year of the Dragon” sneaker that was designed specifically to celebrate the year of the Dragon or you can be a bit less literal and find inspiration in it.

 

On that note, I looked around for some looks that can capture the year of the dragon based.  Have fun, live long and prosper…oh wait, that’s Spock, not Chinese New Year.  Anyway, you get my point.

Here is a fun play on the Chinese Slipper in a bold “Year of the Dragon” red by
Gabriella Rocha.

Embrace the bright green “Year of the Dragon” trend with this Asian-inspired dress by Trina Turk.

Add a punch of yellow through the way of a necklace to your look.  Not only will it celebrate the Chinese New Year, but you will also be very trendy with your yellow accessories!

Whether or not you believe in Chinese Zodiac, that it really is the New Year or if none of this means a hill of beans, consider what the message is saying.  Who can’t use a little boldness, a little exuberance, innovative thinking and the opportunity to step into a bigger way of thinking and living?  It just feels so refreshing to think this way!