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The Best New Year’s Eve Party Looks Inspired By Classic Films

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Cary Grant And Deborah Kerr In 'An Affair To Remember'
Cary Grant And Deborah Kerr embrace in a scene from the film 'An Affair To Remember', 1957. (Photo by 20th Century-Fox/Getty Images)Archive Photos—Getty Images
By Andrea Cheng / InStyle

New Year’s Eve scenes are almost always the most climactic in movies: Will the guy show up to profess his love before midnight? Will the New Year’s kiss be the start of something more? Will Carrie Bradshaw make it in time to Miranda’s — and did she just take the subway?! Unfortunately, the countdown to the new year isn’t as cinematic IRL — but at least your outfit can be.

In the name of research, we watched a marathon of iconic films with the most memorable New Year’s Eve scenes that made us laugh, weep, sartorially envious, or a combination of all three. For some serious style inspiration, keep scrolling to see the most stylish on-screen New Year’s Eve moments — though we can’t promise the drama to go with it.

1. An Affair to Remember, 1957

AN AFFAIR TO REMEMBER, from left: Cary Grant, Deborah Kerr, 1957, TM & Copyright (c) 20th Century Fo
Cary Grant and Deborah Kerr in An Affair to Remember, 1957, TM & Copyright (c) 20th Century Fox Film Corp./courtesy Everett Collection20thCentFox/Everett Collection

The moment: Nickie Ferrante (played by Cary Grant) and Terry McKay (played by Deborah Kerr) are both engaged to other people, but they meet on a ship and fall in love—with their first kiss on New Year’s Eve.

Her outfit: An incredibly elegant pleated cream dress woven with coral accents.

2. Bridget Jones’s Diary, 2001

BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY, Renee Zellweger, 2001. (c) Universal Pictures/ Courtesy: Everett Collection.
BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY, Renee Zellweger, 2001. (c) Universal Pictures/ Courtesy: Everett Collection.©Universal/Courtesy Everett Col—©Universal/Courtesy Everett Col

The moment: Bridget Jones (played by Renée Zellweger) ends up alone and sad in her apartment on New Year’s Eve, drunkenly singing to Celine Dion‘s “All by Myself,” all of which prompts her to make over and improve herself in the new year.

Her outfit: A cute penguin-print red pajama set.

3. When Harry Met Sally, 1989

WHEN HARRY MET SALLY..., Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, 1993, (c) Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection
WHEN HARRY MET SALLY..., Billy Crystal, Meg Ryan, 1993, (c) Columbia/courtesy Everett Collection©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Eve—©Columbia Pictures/Courtesy Eve

The moment: After years of being friends, Harry Burns (played by Billy Crystal) professes his love to Sally Albright (played by Meg Ryan) in what is possibly the most iconic New Year’s Eve scene in cinematic history.

Her outfit: A strapless dress with matching opera gloves—elegant and dramatic.

4. About a Boy, 2002

ABOUT A BOY, Hugh Grant, Rachel Weisz, 2002 (c) Universal Pictures. Courtesy Everett Collection.
ABOUT A BOY, Hugh Grant, Rachel Weisz, 2002 (c) Universal Pictures. Courtesy Everett Collection.©Universal/Courtesy Everett Col—©Universal/Courtesy Everett Col

The moment: When Will Freeman (played by Hugh Grant), a shallow, immature man, meets Rachel (played by Rachel Weisz) at a New Year’s Eve dinner party, he finally starts to grow up.

Her outfit: A graphic embellished one-shoulder number that complements her beauty.

Read about the rest of the best New Year’s looks from films on InStyle.com

This article originally appeared on InStyle.com

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