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Now that the figure skating is over, you'd think we'd be swearing off sequins till Sochi 2014. Wrong.

Formerly limited to gaudy gowns and cliché disco duds, sequins have found a new home on dressed-down attire.

While T-shirts and knitwear embellished with spangles started appearing a few seasons ago - and quickly became a signature of homegrown designer Erin Kleinberg - these decorative, diminutive discs remain a major motif for spring.

Balmain's Christophe Decarnin created a camo print out of sequins while Miuccia Prada went the ice-dancing route, complete with "nude" panels, for her Miu Miu collection. There's a standout sparkly grey tee at Louis Vuitton and ornament-encrusted tops from Lanvin that look as though they weigh more than the models wearing them. Despite the different applications, the message is the same: These pieces can be worn every day, not just for special occasions.

But chances are your buttoned-up colleagues at work may not know this yet, so it's important to ease into the look. The last thing you want them thinking is that you're wearing last night's date outfit.

Thus, juxtaposition is your best strategy. Balance the shine with matte and keep colours to a minimum. Tone down the glitzy top by pairing with a classic jacket or opting for a conservative bottom such as a charcoal-grey pencil skirt.

In fact, proceed with caution when donning sequin skirts or pants unless it's "Dress like your favourite basketball cheerleader" theme day, in which case, bring it on. Go light on the jewellery; you don't want to blind people with a surfeit of reflective surfaces. And just in case anyone's wondering, sequins remain off limits for men, unless they work in an environment that rewards flamboyance. Or triple Salchows.

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