Looking for Lunar New Year outfits to give you some inspiration on what to wear this year?
My family isn’t super traditional, so we’ve never really done much for Lunar New Year.
For my family, Lunar New Year has always just been about spending time with family and eating lots of food.
We did sort of follow some superstitions growing up, like wearing brand new outfits for the new year and not cleaning on actual new year.
You might commonly hear LNY referred to as “Chinese New Year”, but the more appropriate term when referring to the celebration as a whole is Lunar New Year, because a number of different Asian cultures celebrate the occasion!
Without further ado, here are some Lunar New Year outfit ideas to wear to celebrate the 2024 year of the dragon!
If you’re looking for what to eat this Lunar New Year, check out these Lunar New Year dinners in Toronto!
Be sure to also follow me on Instagram and TikTok – I share a lot more content on those platforms that don’t make it to the blog!
More winter fashion
- Shopping for winter wear? Check out the best Canadian outerwear brands or winter boot brands.
- Putting together your capsule wardrobe? Here’s the perfect winter capsule wardrobe.
Lunar New Year outfits
Red turtleneck + slip skirt
Red is a lucky colour in Chinese culture, which is why you’ll see so many Lunar New Year decorations in red (and gold!)
Black is typically a no-no for Lunar New Year as it’s seen as a colour for funerals, but my family has never followed that superstition.
We did follow the superstition of not wearing white, because it’s the colour of death in Chinese culture.
I’m actually wearing an Aritzia dress that I folded into a skirt, but they do have an actual slip skirt version of the dress!
Red sweater + black skirt
You can’t go wrong with a good sweater and skirt combo, and it’s a super easy outfit to throw on for Lunar New Year.
Keep it festive by wearing a red sweater!
If you’re looking to make the outfit more conservative, wear a pair of sheer or opaque tights!
I adore these Sheertex tights, which are nearly impossible to break, AKA you can wear them many times instead of just once.
Black top + red skirt
Instead of a red top and black skirt, a black top with a red skirt works as well.
I absolutely adore this vintage red leather skirt, and I made it the star of the show by pairing it with a simple black turtleneck and black Chelsea booties.
Sadly, the vintage store I got the skirt from closed down, but there are plenty of amazing vintage clothing stores in Toronto where you can find unique pieces like this!
Black top + gold midi skirt
Red and gold is the ultimate Lunar New Year combo if you’re looking to go all out, but if you’re not looking to be super bold, just gold will be enough.
You can’t go wrong with black and gold together, and it makes the gold stand out even more!
I’m wearing a wrap top with a gold midi skirt and some knee-high boots.
Red turtleneck + trousers
If you’re someone who prefers a simple pop of colour with a more basic outfit, you can easily just wear a red turtleneck underneath an all-black outfit.
I literally live in turtlenecks all fall and winter season, and I love how chic and elevated they make any outfit.
Wear a nice pair of trousers with a red turtleneck for an office-friendly look!
Red turtleneck + leather trousers
A chic pair of leather trousers like the Aritzia Melina pants would also be super cute with a red turtleneck.
It’s a super easy outfit to take from the office to your Lunar New Year dinner celebrations!
Red bomber jacket + black outfit
If you’re feeling a bit more bold, you can wear a red jacket over an all-black outfit instead.
I adore this Alpha Industries MA-1 bomber jacket – it’s actually reversible, so it can be worn as red or orange!
Turtleneck + jeans + red booties
If you’re going out for any Lunar New Year celebrations, you can just wear red shoes as part of your festive look.
A pair of bold red booties or shoes can easily be paired with any casual outfit like a turtleneck with blue jeans.
Just be sure not to wear white, which is the colour of death in Chinese!
Red turtleneck + blazer + jeans
If you’re dressing for the office, you can throw on a blazer over your red turtleneck!
Alternatively, you can wear a red blazer over a neutral turtleneck.
I paired the outfit with jeans and sneakers, but you can wear trousers and booties instead if you office isn’t as casual.
Red turtleneck + slip dress
I adore wearing slip dresses because they’re so versatile for any occasion.
And the best part of wearing looser dresses like this? You’ll still be able to breathe after eating all the tasty Lunar New Year food!
I layered this black midi slip dress from Aritzia on top of this red turtleneck from UNIQLO to make it more casual and family-friendly.
Of course, you’ve gotta add some red lipstick to finish off the look!
I also paired the outfit with this crossbody bag from JW PEI and black booties from Poppy Barley.
Red dress + blazer
If you happen to have a red slip dress, you can wear that and throw on a blazer to make it more conservative and family-friendly.
I’m wearing the Wilfred Only Slip Dress from Aritzia, but they no longer have the red colour on the site!
P.S. I know this photo is from the holidays, but the outfit would still be cute for Lunar New Year, and we’re all about re-wearing outfits over here!
Red beanie + turtleneck dress
If you don’t really have any red pieces of clothing, you can throw on a red hat or beanie.
I’m wearing a simple grey turtleneck dress with a leather jacket and black booties – one of my go-to fall/winter outfits!
My beanie is from American Apparel, and I think they make probably the best-fitting and looking beanies out there.
Lunar New Year outfits to wear:
- Red turtleneck + slip skirt
- Red sweater + black skirt
- Black top + red skirt
- Red turtleneck + gold midi skirt
- Turtleneck + trousers
- Turtleneck + leather trousers
- Red bomber jacket + black outfit
- Turtleneck + jeans + red booties
- Red turtleneck + blazer + jeans
- Red turtleneck + slip dress
- Dress + blazer
- Red beanie + turtleneck dress
These were some Lunar New Year outfits to give you some inspiration on what to wear to celebrate the year of the dragon!
Of course, you’ll also want to throw on some gold jewelry for extra good luck for the new year.
You can wear a cheongsam (traditional Chinese dress) if you want, but people usually wear a red one for their wedding day.
A cheongsam is usually in a similar print to my outfit above!
I got the outfit a bajillion years ago from an online shop called O-Mighty, and I honestly never wore it anywhere ’cause it ain’t family-appropriate or even appropriate to wear outside (maybe at a music festival?)
Anyway, hopefully this post gave you some inspo on your outfits for Lunar New Year this year!
Will you be celebrating Lunar New Year this year? What will you be wearing for LNY? Let me know on Twitter or Instagram!
More winter fashion
- Shopping for winter wear? Check out the best Canadian outerwear brands or winter boot brands.
- Putting together your capsule wardrobe? Here’s the perfect winter capsule wardrobe.
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