Were these celebrities' New Year's Eve celebrations tacky or classy? One etiquette expert gives her verdict
SOURCE:Daily Mail
And speaking to the Daily Mail, the Queen of Etiquette, Laura Windsor has delivered her verdict on the celebrities who nailed bringing in the next 12 months in style...
A host of celebrities shared their New Year's Eve celebrations with the world today.
While some, including presenter Amanda Holden opted to glam up to the nines and greet 2026 in spirit, glass of champagne in hand, others like model Liz Hurley were more lowkey with a cosy home dinner.
Speaking to the Daily Mail, etiquette expert Laura Windsor delivers her verdict on those who nailed bringing in the next 12 months in style - and whose revelry left her wincing...
Amanda Holden
Amanda Holden commanded attention in a plunging blue dress from Victoria Beckham as she celebrated New Year's Eve with husband Chris Hughes and their daughters, Lexi and Hollie in front of stunning home decor
Laura: New Year’s celebrations are clearly an elegant occasion for Amanda Holden and she pulled off that dress beautifully. Celebrating at home with her family is an elegant choice—and proof that this is one tight-knit, loving unit - who definitely know how to do cosy and classy. Definitely a class act.
Verdict: Classy
Alan Carr
Amanda and her family partied with the presenter's best friend Alan Carr as they ushered in the New Year by quaffing flutes of champagne
The BGT judge looked like she was having a great time as she quaffed back champagne with Alan
Laura: Alan Carr’s look certainly shows off his personality. It works for him in a way it likely wouldn’t for others. While it’s not exactly elegant, it suits him well and feels festive, thanks to the red jacket. Please hold your champagne glass as it’s meant to be held, Alan—follow Amanda’s elegant example.
Verdict: Charming
Liz Hurley
Elizabeth Hurley put on a loved-up display with boyfriend Billy as they joined her son Damian for a dinner by the fire
Laura: While the rest of the family kept it relaxed , Liz Hurley chose to add some glamour to the evening’s celebrations. You don’t need a special reason to dress up; even at home, it shouts 'I’m ready to celebrate!’ Honestly, what more could you want - all loved up with the most important people in her life, dressed to impress, I wouldn’t be surprised to see the red carpet in the living room! Definitely classy.
Verdict: Sophisticated
Stacey Solomon
Stacey covered the ceiling with balloons, put up disco balls and donned a sequin sparkly outfit to see in the New Year with her sister Gemma
Laura: She definitely loves to go all out! From balloon-covered ceilings to disco balls and a full-on sequin outfit, Stacey Solomon seems fully committed to having a sparkly new year. Enthusiastic? Definitely, perhaps a little OTT for my taste, but very much on brand!
Dua Lipa enjoyed a cocktail after jetting back from Mexico to see in the New Year in the chilly UK
Laura: Dua Lipa seems to have swapped Mexico for the UK—and whatever her reasons, most of us would call it brave (or slightly mad!) to trade sunshine for a bitterly cold British winter. It looks like she’s spending a chilled New Year’s Eve - so relaxed that it could easily be any other day. Not elegant, but understated—and sometimes less really is more, even for a celebrity. It beats the performative, over-the-top, show-off style most celebrities go for.
Verdict: Understated
Lily Allen
Opting to celebrate the New Year in a more lowkey fashion, Lily Allen opted for cosy pyjamas as she rung in 2026 from her bed
However, it appears the bedtime festivities came after a night of partying in a bright pink dress for Lily
Laura: Lily Allen’s cosy pyjama celebration is intimate and relatable, but the festive energy is MIA. While it’s charming with its low-key vibes, there’s very little to engage or excite the audience. It seems more like a personal snapshot than a festive moment.
Verdict: Bland
Ashley Roberts
Ashley Roberts slipped into a plunging purple dress after jetting to Mauritius to ring in 2026 this week
Laura: Ashley Roberts’ plunging purple dress in Mauritius makes for a glamorous holiday snapshot that perfectly shows off her style… but where’s the New Year’s celebration? It reads more like a fashion post than a NYE moment—where are the party vibes, festive energy, or any sense of storytelling?
Verdict: Bland
Kate Ferdinand
Kate and Rio Ferdinand are spending New Year's in Dubai after relocating to the UAE. The former TOWIE star, 34, spared no expense as she covered their pool in candles
Laura: Kate decided to keep her NYE celebrations low-key with family and friends. Most celebs could take notes: joy, peace, love and family first. The pool salute? OTT alert. And the candles? A disaster just waiting to happen….Less is always more.
Verdict: It started elegantly. Pool salute happened. Elegance: cancelled.
Molly-Mae Hague
Molly-Mae Hague and Tommy Fury jetted to the Maldives with their daughter Bambi, two, and posed up on the beach for family photos
Laura: Casually dressed with a touch of elegance, they’re just enjoying family time—understated, relaxed, and effortlessly chic without showing off. A wholesome way to bringing in the New Year.
Verdict: Chic
Anaïs Gallagher
Anaïs Gallagher celebrated the New Year abroad - looking elegant at a light display on the beach
Laura: Anaïs Gallagher celebrates abroad with a beach photo. While most of us are freezing in the UK, another celebrity is soaking up the sun with sand between their toes. Elegantly dressed, Anaïs opted for a glittery setting with just the right amount of glam, making the moment festive yet refined.
Verdict: Effortlessly chic
Jenni Falconer
Jenni Falconer posed for a snap with her husband James and daughter Ella wrote: 'Happy Hogmanay to you, wherever you are, whoever you are with and whatever you’re doing'
Laura: Jenni Falconer kept her Hogmanay Instagram post understated and very Scottish in tone. Rather than a flashy, OTT celebration, she posted a simple family photo with her husband and daughter. This was accompanied by a warm, sincere but low-key message in the Scottish style, and captures the spirit of a normal, relatable family celebrating the New Year in an authentic way.
Verdict: Understated and heartfelt
Binky Felstead
Binky Felstead sparked weather envy for Britons dealing with the chilly weather as she posted sunny photos from her family holiday
Laura: A photo of her husband and children on a boat could be from any holiday—it doesn’t say anything about New Year, tell a story, or show any effort. There is no context, no visible excitement or celebration, it comes off as pointless rather than festive. It seems to be more of a ‘look at my life’ moment rather than a thoughtful New Year greeting.
Verdict: Bland - did I miss something?
Mrs Hinch
Mrs Hinch welcomed the New Year with a deep clean of her kitchen, taking viewers through her impressively spotless counters
Laura: Mrs Hinch’s spotless kitchen story is quite unexpected for a New Year’s post. It subtly signals she’s skipping a big NY celebration while still acknowledging the occasion. It’s elegant and relatable, but emotionally muted.
Verdict: Unusual and elegantly bland
Natalya Wright
Natalya Wright brought 2026 in with what appears to be a night out, feeling 'lucky to have her people' around
Laura: Yes there’s dancing, drinks and a glitzy nightclub, but does it have a NYE vibe? Not really. It could easily be any night out.
Verdict: Bland and uneventful
Sophie Kasaei
Sophie Kasaei seemed to enjoy a family dinner as she brought the New Year in in an all-white ensemble
She and partner Jordan Brooks - who are expecting a baby together - posed for a loved-up selfie together
Laura: I tried to follow the action but ended up more tired than entertained. Festive? Perhaps, but a bit confusing and my eyes needed a break after all those jumps!
Verdict: Chaos Overload/tacky
Billie Shepherd
Billie Shepherd and her husband Greg took their children on a sun-soaked family beach holiday for NYE
Laura: Chic and romantic with a lovely setting - but no festive vibes. Simple and tasteful, yet uninspiring.
Verdict: Bland
Gemma Collins
Gemma Collins joined the slew of celebs taking to warmer shores to bring in the New Year with a beach day
Laura: Gemma Collins’ post feels pointless—bikini, luxury location, but no NYE vibes or story. It’s glossy but ultimately forgettable.
Verdict: Tacky
Kelly Osbourne
Kelly Osbourne huddled up with a chicken and other animals as she documented a farm visit on New Year's Eve
Laura: Kelly Osbourne at a farm? Shocked, horrified - perhaps they should have rehearsed something beforehand. Tacky tacky and tacky.
Verdict: Tacky
Fearne Cotton
Fearne Cotton admitted she was 'feeling s***e' as she laid in bed for New Year's Eve and huddled her cat
Laura: Fearne Cotton’s NY post in bed, looking unwell, is intimate yet relatable. Amid a social media landscape of celebrity oversharing their lives—from post-baby reveals to personal relationship dramas, this feels the least offensive.
Verdict: Bland
Dame Kelly Holmes
Dame Kelly Holmes joked that she was 'smoking' as she sipped on a fun cocktail from The Alchemist for New Year's Eve
Laura: Dame Kelly Holmes’ Instagram post enjoying novelty cocktails is fun for cocktail enthusiasts, but what about the rest of us? Interesting if that’s your thing, but it doesn’t offer much beyond that…