Sparkly Trousers: 6 Ways to Wear Them This Party Season

Sparkly trousers are trousers made from a fabric that catches the light, with sequins, metallic yarn, lame and lurex threads woven into the cloth as the usual sources of shine. They are the party season’s answer to the dress, and our Christmas party outfits guide shows how a shiny trouser with a simple top covers most invitations. ME+EM has a new metallic boucle trouser, a matching peplum top and a cream crop jacket arriving on Coveti.

This guide explains the main kinds of sparkle, what to look for in a pair you will wear more than once, how the new ME+EM pieces are made and how to style them from December parties to New Year’s Eve.

The four kinds of sparkly trousers

Sequin trousers. Small discs sewn over the whole surface. The most shine, the most weight, and the most care on the hanger.

Metallic knit and lurex. A fine metallic thread runs through the yarn, so the shine is spread evenly and the fabric moves like any knit.

Metallic boucle. A looped, textured surface with a metallic thread woven through it. The sparkle is low and flickers as you move, closer to a glint than a glitter.

Lame and foil. A metallic finish on the surface of the cloth, with a liquid look and a stiffer hand.

What makes good sparkly trousers

The right level of shine. Sequins suit a single big night. A metallic thread through a textured cloth works for dinners, office parties and a smart lunch in the same month.

Comfort. A pull-on waist and some stretch matter in a trouser you will sit, dance and eat in for hours.

A shape that hides nothing awkward. A wide leg skims rather than clings, which keeps a shiny fabric from showing every line.

Easy care. Check the label before you buy. Some metallic fabrics can go in a gentle machine wash, while sequins rarely can.

The new ME+EM AM-PM metallic boucle set

ME+EM, the British brand founded in London in 2009 by Clare Hornby, has made all three new pieces from the same fabric. To be clear about the sparkle: this is not a sequin fabric. It is a cotton-blend jersey tailoring fabric with a textured boucle surface and subtle metallic threading woven throughout. The main fabric is 52% recycled polyester, 47% organic cotton and 1% metallised fibres, and all three pieces are made in Turkiye in UK sizes 4 to 18.

The trouser. The ME+EM AM-PM Boucle Wide-Leg Trouser in Black has a high rise, a wide leg, a tailored crotch and a pull-on waistband, and it comes in two different lengths. The waistband lining is 70% viscose, 24% polyamide and 6% elastane, with a 100% cotton pocket lining. The house describes the metallic threading as giving it eveningwear appeal.

The top. The ME+EM AM-PM Peplum Top in Black has a slim fit, a crew neckline, short sleeves and a peplum hem that sits over a trouser waistband. The contrast fabric is 100% cotton, and it is a gentle machine wash. Our peplum tops guide covers the shape.

The jacket. The ME+EM Boucle Crop Box Jacket in Cream has a straight fit, a crew neckline, long sleeves and a cropped length, and it closes down the front with hook-and-eye fastenings. It is also a gentle machine wash. See our boucle jackets guide for more of the fabric.

For the full ME+EM range, visit the ME+EM brand page.

How to wear sparkly trousers

As a set. Trouser and peplum top together read as a jumpsuit with a waist. Add a heeled sandal and nothing else.

With contrast. Put the cream crop jacket over the black trouser. The cropped length shows the high waist, and the shared fabric ties the two shades together.

With a plain top. Shiny legs need a quiet top half: a silk shirt, a fine black knit and a simple bodysuit all work. Our evening tops guide has more.

For cocktails. A wide-leg sparkly trouser with a tailored jacket meets most cocktail dress codes, as our cocktail attire for women guide explains.

For New Year’s Eve. Turn the shine up with a ME+EM Sequin Midi Skirt in Black on another night, and see our New Year’s Eve outfits edit. Our sequin skirts guide covers that fabric.

Other textures. For a softer evening trouser, see our velvet trousers for women guide, and for a daytime partner, our straight leg trousers for women guide. A jewel-toned jacket from our purple blazers edit also works over black.

Comparison matrix: the ME+EM metallic boucle pieces

Sparkly trousers around the world

UK. Sparkly trousers averages around 3,600 searches a month in Britain, but the figure is sharply seasonal: about 9,900 in November and 14,800 in December. Boucle top draws about 210 searches and boucle trousers about 140.

US. Americans search sparkly pants, around 2,900 times a month on average and about 9,900 in December. A wide leg with a peplum top suits the long run of holiday parties.

EU. In France and Italy evening shine tends to be quieter. A metallic thread through black boucle suits the restrained party dressing of Paris and Milan.

GCC. A full-length wide leg gives coverage, and the cream crop jacket adds long sleeves over the peplum top for evenings in Dubai, Riyadh and Doha.

Frequently asked questions

What are sparkly trousers?

Trousers in a fabric that catches the light, through sequins, metallic yarn, lurex threading and also a foil finish.

Are the ME+EM AM-PM trousers sequinned?

No. They are a cotton-blend boucle jersey with a subtle metallic thread woven through it, so the shine is a low glint, not sequin sparkle.

What do you wear with sparkly trousers?

A plain top in black, cream and also a soft neutral, with a simple heel. Keep one piece shiny and the rest quiet.

Can you wear sparkly trousers in the daytime?

A low-shine fabric like metallic boucle can work with a knit and flat shoes. Sequins are best kept for evening.

How do you wash metallic boucle?

Follow the label. The ME+EM peplum top and crop jacket are a gentle machine wash. The house does not publish care for the trouser on its page.

What sizes do the ME+EM AM-PM pieces come in?

All three are sized UK 4 to 18. The model on the ME+EM pages is a UK size 8 wearing a UK size 8.

Are sparkly trousers appropriate for a Christmas party?

Yes. A sparkly trouser with a simple top is one of the easiest party outfits, with more ideas in our Christmas party outfits guide.

How we measured: fabrics, linings, fit notes, fastenings, care, sizes and country of manufacture come from the three ME+EM product pages; search volumes are DataForSEO Google Ads monthly averages for November 2026. We did not re-measure the garments, and nothing in the matrix is estimated. Read our editorial policy.