After all the glitz and sparkle of the Christmas party season, we’re craving some minimalism for 2012.

A fresh, clean start to the year is what we’re looking for, and so too are our wardrobes as we push those party dresses to the back of the closet and start to refresh our looks for the new season ahead.

So, what better way to convey a new beginning than with a simple pure white dress?

This shift dress from Topshop looks box-fresh for the new year ahead. It’s plain, pure and simply white, referencing the minimalist style of top designers such as Celine. Its stepped hem style – with a longer hem at the back than the front – is a cut that we saw on many a SS12 runway at London Fashion Week, with this dress itself looking like a dead ringer for some of the white pieces that we saw at new Korean design talent, J JS Lee’s SS12 show.

We have the feeling that minimalism is going to be big in 2012, so why not start early with this little white dress? Plus, it’s one of the first pieces from Topshop’s highly anticipated SS12 collection. A new dress for a new year – every girl needs one!

Topshop Stepped Hem Dress, £50, available from Topshop.