Beyoncé's New Year's Eve Outfit Was Preppy-Glam Perfection

(Image credit: Courtesy of @beyonce)

Beyoncé is what we call a style chameleon. Most fashion icons have this title (it’s what makes them icons, after all) because they've mastered the art of shape-shifting into any aesthetic while still feeling authentic and inventive. For example, a true-to-form Beyoncé outfit will always have a touch of her signature glam, no matter the aesthetic or silhouette. Take Beyoncé's New Year's Eve outfit, for example: Where most rang in the New Year in silver sequins or an LBD, Beyoncé subverted our style expectations with an unexpected yet very on-brand look (because stepping out in an all-chrome look is so 2023.)

Instead of adopting what was her year-long signature look of all-silver-everything, the Rennaisance singer styled a Cher Horowitz-inspired gray plaid skirt and blazer set with a sultry and sheer corset. Think if your favorite prepsters (á la Charlotte York) got ahold of 2016’s very own Anatasia Beverly Hills highlighter palette. Although the preppy-glam look sounds straight out of a Los Angeles private school, because it's Beyoncé, the outfit has an undeniable cool factor.

To usher in the New Year, Beyoncé graced our timelines with her celebratory fit—a good omen that we can expect 2024 to be filled with fun style. On her Instagram, the icon showed off her matching gray Thom Browne set she wore to ring in the New Year that channeled a high fashion take on an all-girls school uniform. The set had an all-over plaid print (a brand staple), but instead of leaning into Browne’s uptown-eclectic aesthetic, the singer paired it with a sleek white bustier top that gave the outfit a high–glam energy.

The bustier and blazer pairing sounds like it would be an awkward match, but the singer proves it’s all in the details. Her white GCDS pumps matched the bustier, adding to the overall glamorous feel. For accessories, she added white-framed Oscar and Frank square sunglasses, a Maison Margiela top-handle purse, and a blinged-out Prada phone case featured in her mirror selfies. She wore her now-staple golden locks in soft curls with a fleck of silver sparkles on her lids and a golden-peachy lip.

Did you catch this one festive detail? The fourth-to-last slide features Beyoncé's seasonal nail art, a red French tip in the style of a Santa hat that you can faintly notice in the rest of her OOTD photos. Here's another adorable detail: Beyoncé's mani was chosen by Blue Ivy.

As we look ahead to the trends that will dominate this year, the mega-star makes a case for a preppy-core comeback. Thanks to Beyoncé’s high-glam take on the age-old blazer and plaid skirt uniform, the pairing looks fresh and exciting. You've heard of dweeb-chic and grunge grandma. Now, may we introduce you to prep-school glam? If anything, the look proves the Grammy-award-winning singer can make any style cool: From edgy Alïa leggings to her signature Rennaisance chrome, and now, a prep-school uniform.

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Kaitlin is a Los Angeles-based freelance writer specializing in fashion, beauty, and culture. Her work is also featured in Editorialist, The Everygirl, Bustle, The Zoe Report, and i-D Magazine.