The Ultimate New Year’s Eve Survival Kit

New Year’s Eve, that magical evening of potential meet-cute romance, doesn’t become a glittery night without a little prior planning. You can’t just pull any old dress from your closet, choose a random bar, and expect to have the night of your life. This isn’t an episode of Sex and the City. In order to make your New Year’s Eve party dream a reality, you need the following essentials.

What You’ll Need:

The Perfect Partner in Crime

Sure, it’s cool to have someone to kiss at midnight, but you don’t exactly have to have a person locked in ahead of time. Don’t worry about the pair of lips you’ll be smooching. Instead, make sure you have the right girlfriend by your side through the night. Your best friend is the ideal choice of course, but if that’s not possible, then make plans with a friend you know you can trust (just in case you get a little out of hand, which is entirely possible).

I’ve had one New Year’s kiss in my life, and it was one of the most lackluster celebrations I’ve ever been a part of. The years when I was with my girl squad however, have been nights to remember (even though parts of them were blurry). Plus, having a counterpart to rely on for bathroom trips, wing womaning, and taking care of you is irreplaceable. It’s kind of hard to reminisce on the night with a stranger or a guy you regret kissing. You can talk to your friends about it for years, though.

A Killer Outfit

I know most girls tend to go for New Year’s dresses, but that doesn’t have to be your only option. It’s winter after all, and sequin dresses don’t exactly hold in body heat. You can wear pants, a nice top, edgy jacket, and heels, and look every bit as celebratory. Not to mention you’ll stand out amongst the sea of dresses.

Honestly, it doesn’t matter what you choose to wear as long as you feel like the bad bitch you are. Nothing against sequined dresses, but they’re kind of uncomfortable. Sequins are itchy and can scratch the life out of your skin, so I highly recommend choosing a dress that isn’t covered in the shiny little buggers. Go for something more doable, like leather, instead.

P.S. Make sure your outfit is comfortable from head to toe. You won’t care how good you look if you’re in pain the whole night.

A Designated Drink for the Night

And stick to it. Every woman should have a signature drink for their life (mine’s a mojito), but you can also choose a signature drink for a specific event. Decide what you want to drink on New Year’s Eve, and then only have that for the night. This is useful because a) you won’t stand at the bar for five minutes deciding what you want, and b) it’ll make the inevitable hangover a little less painful the next day. Plus, when a cute guys asks if he can buy you a drink, you’ll have your order ready.

Choose a drink that isn’t too sweet so you can drink it all night without becoming bored with it, and with a liquor that you like in shot form. You know you’ll take at least one shot on New Year’s Eve, and it’ll hurt less if you choose a shot that compliments your cocktail. So even though I love mojitos, I won’t be drinking them on New Year’s Eve (because there’s nothing worse than shooting rum).

Sustenance

I understand how easy it is to rationalize skipping food before going out for the night. You think you’ll consume fewer calories and won’t be bloated, but I’ve learned it’s pretty much a recipe for disaster. If you don’t eat, you’ll be much more intoxicated in a much shorter amount of time, which can lead to a plethora of bad decisions, including, but not limited to, kissing a guy you definitely don’t want to encourage, starting a fight with your best friend, eating three chicken quesadillas from Taco Bell, and suffering from a raging hangover the next day.

Girl bosses don’t skip meals and get slammed at New Year’s Eve parties, so eat a full dinner before heading out to celebrate.

A Well-Stocked Clutch

You need more than just your phone, lipstick, and ID. You’re going out, and that means you need to be prepared for all possibilities—because not bringing the right items could lead to catastrophe.

The Basics:

• ID
• Keys
• Phone
• Lipstick
• Cash
• Concealer

The Emergency Items:

• Band-aids for blisters
• Gum/mints for right before midnight
• Safety pins for the chance something rips or snaps
• A dryer sheet for any static cling

These items are all small, so they’ll fit perfectly in your clutch without making it bulky or heavy. You might not need these extras, but I promise you’ll regret not carrying them if something goes wrong.

As long as you have these items, especially the partner in crime, you’re guaranteed to have the best New Year’s Eve celebration—no matter what. Not even a broken heel, snapped strap, or lack of hunk to kiss can ruin your last night of 2015.

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