My Best Friend Asked Me What to Wear for Her Birthday—I Told Her These 5 Looks

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(Image credit: @hoskelsa; Pictured: Magda Butrym set)

I think we can all agree that celebrating your friends' birthdays can be a lot more fun than celebrating your own. When you think about it, it's the best excuse to get all dressed up and go to that fancy bar or restaurant that you have been eyeing for so long, waiting for the exact right moment to try. And the best part is there is none of that new-age anxiety or "all eyes on you" feeling that sometimes comes with one's birthday. You also get to have a little more champagne than usual and have the best excuse in the world for it. Right now, I have two friends, both with birthdays on the horizon, who have asked me so many times, What should I wear on my birthday this year? Luckily for them, I have five outfit formulas that are my go-tos for birthday looks, and trust me—they're so good. I have all the outfit inspo you could dream of, including a classic sparkly minidress and some bodysuit-and-skirt pairings that I know you're going to love.

Keep scrolling to see some of my favorite birthday looks that I have a feeling you're going to be just as obsessed with as I am.

Sparkly Minidress

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(Image credit: @gracejoshua13; Pictured: Retrofête dress; Cult Gaia bag)

Whenever I think of a birthday look, my mind goes straight for something sparkly. I wore this Retrofête minidress to New York Fashion Week back in September, and the first thing I thought was, "This would be great for a birthday look." If I'm being honest, I'll take any excuse I can get to throw on something short and sparkly.

Lace Top + Maxi Skirt + Feather Jacket

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(Image credit: @emmaleger)

This look is such a showstopper. I love the simple sexiness of the black lace top paired with a black maxi skirt. The feather jacket is the perfect touch of fun and personalit. I'd definitely wear this look for a birthday dinner. 

Sequin Two-Piece Set

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(Image credit: @hoskelsa; Pictured: Magda Butrym set)

In my opinion, this outfit is the most "birthday" of them all. As I mentioned before, I love a sequin moment, and when you're celebrating a birthday, it's the perfect time to bust out your favorite sparkly look. I'm drooling over this Magda Burtrym set on Elsa Hosk above—it's so good.

Black Top + Statement Skirt

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(Image credit: @emilisindlev)

This outfit is perfect for a birthday dinner or party with friends. The best thing about this look is that you probably already have a great black bodysuit in your wardrobe. Just add a statement sequin skirt, and voilà—you look great.

Matching Top and Pants

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(Image credit: @nitsanraiter; Pictured: Fancì Club set)

For those of you who prefer a great pair of pants to a dress, don't worry. I've got you covered. A two-piece set is always a guaranteed crowd-pleaser, and wearing a two-piece look with pants on the bottom is a great way to still look dressy while avoiding a dress or a skirt. I love this all-black look above on Nitsan.

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Assistant Editor

Originally from Chicago, Illinois, Grace has always been a lover of all things fashion and beauty. Upon receiving her first degree in visual communications from FIDM in Los Angeles, she moved to New York City and continued her education at LIM College, majoring in fashion media with a minor in society and culture. Grace has worked for PhotoBook magazine, Insider, and Harper's Bazaar. As a writer, Grace has had pieces published covering topics including racial justice, fashion, politics, and current events. During her free time, she loves wine tasting, creating content for her social media, spending time with friends, traveling to new places, and Pilates, and has a love for reality television, especially The Real Housewives. Grace is the person in your friend group everyone goes to for recommendations for the best place to grab drinks in NYC on a Friday night or the best hotels and restaurants to try when traveling to a new city. While fashion is her main love, she loves all things wellness and lifestyle as well. Her ideal sunday is brunching with friends then walking around furniture shopping and listening to a podcast. As the assistant shopping editor at Who What Wear, Grace loves finding the best buys out there for the WWW readers.