The Orange Dress Trend

Trendspotting

The Little Orange Dress



Firstly, I must admit that my least favourite colour is orange. The only thing orange that I own is a pencil, and that wasn't by choice. Secondly, orange, in it's brightest, boldest form is a Huge trend for the upcoming season. Sigh...I'm either going to have to embrace it or put on a pair of dark sunglasses to avoid the orangy glare.



Runway

 Orange dresses made a citrusy splash all over international runways for Spring 2011. The preferred shade by designers was tangerine. Silhouettes were kept simple, without many coloured accessories.

Celeb Style

Reese Witherspoon wears a Hanii Y mini with ruffled collar. Nude Christian Louboutin wedges accompany her dress.

Eva Longoria was spotted in a $35 apricot egg-shaped dress from ASOS, which she paired with matching Brian Atwood pumps. 

Kristen Cavallari glows in Miami, wearing a simple shift dress in fiery orange by Diesel. Her nude sandals are by Sergio Rossi.

Cheryl Cole wears a 3/4 sleeved version of the Little Orange Dress with pockets, which is by Giambattista Valli. Her T-bar sandals are by Giuseppe Zanotti.

Jessica Chastain wears a nectarine orange sheath dress by Bottega Veneta. She spiced it up with a stunning pair of pink & red sandals.

Katie Cassidy in a fruity mango shade, wears a fitted mini by Hervé Legér. Snakeskin Jimmy Choo pumps and clutch accessorized her look.

Emma Stone proves that redheads can also wear orange. Her short-sleeved Luca Luca dress is worn with peachy suede pumps by Brian Atwood.

Kate Bosworth wears a pair of black ankle boots and black sling bag with her persimmon shift dress, by Calvin Klein.

Get The Look

If you find that you're pro-orange, here are a few pretty dresses that you can add to your spring wardrobe.

1. The Office Dress. A tailored cotton sateen dress with pleated collar and cap sleeves. It's nipped in the waist with a matching belt. Wear it with high nude or animal print heels. $105 or R765 from Oasis

2. The Designer Dress. A silk shirtdress featuring epaulets on the shoulders and a tie-up belt. Wear it alone or over a pair of skinny jeans. This 'Jafartha' minidress is by Diane von Furstenberg. $385 or R2747 from Nordstrom

3. The Retro Dress. A youthful take on the orange trend with a 50's style fit and flare mini. This structured skater dress can be paired with black accessories for a retro-rock inspired look. $95 or R678 from Topshop

4. The Weekend Dress. A comfy and casual dress by Whistles, with round neck, 3/4 sleeves, pockets and a gathered skirt. It has a waffle-weave cotton finish. It can be worn with a blazer or leather jacket, fedora and ankle boots. £95 or R1102 from Asos

5. The Girly Dress. A sleeveless deep coral dress with ruffle tie-up neck and ruched waist. Wear with a pretty pair of gold heels and a clutch bag. £12 or R145 from Dorothy Perkins

6. The Everyday Dress. A simple silk-crepe summer dress that can be worn on any occasion. This House of Holland dress has an asymmetrical hemline and a digital Harris tweed print. Belt it, wear it with a printed scarf, wedges, flats or heels. £195 or R2262 from Asos





Tips on wearing the trend

*An orange dress paired with orange accessories is a recipe for a satsuma-like disaster. Stick to neutral shoes, belts and bags in brown, black, white or tan. For a refreshing twist, add purple, pink or turquoise. 

*To choose the correct shade of orange for your skin tone; hold the dress up to your face, if it brightens your complexion, that's the colour for you. It if leaves you looking pallid and dull, try a different shade.

*A fake orange tan + an orange dress = the human carrot.

*Gold jewellery adds a glamorous touch.

*Orange dresses in a luxurious fabric and sophisticated design can replace your LBD for stylish summer nights. 

*Make up should be kept minimal; neutral toned eye-shadow, sienna blush and a light coloured lipstick or gloss.

Divas and Darlings - Teen Choice Awards 2011

Red Carpet Fashion

Teen Choice Awards 2011



Young Hollywood starlets ambled across the blue carpet at last night's Teen Choice Awards in Universal City, California. Overall the style stakes were pretty dull, with just a handful of zesty looks on display.



My Favourite Looks

Nina Dobrev looked adorable in a navy and white gingham dress with fitted bodice and flair skirt. Her dress and white clutch bag are by Dolce & Gabbana, with satin heels by Salvatore Ferragamo. Model Hanna Beth Merjos' outfit appeals to the punk rocker in me. Her Marco Marco black bustier dress is structured and distressed all at the same. She added a white studded biker and leopard print heels to her look. Troian Bellisario always wows me with her red carpet gowns. Here she wears a stunning sheer grey chiffon gown with black criss-cross bodice, by Maria Lucia Hohan. A twinkly tiara Alice band adorns her hair.

Little Black & White Dresses

Avril Lavigne looks so refined for a change. She wears a black dress with sheer neckline from her own range, Abby Dawn. She added a punk touch with the yellow soled, stars-and-stripe sandals. Rachel Bilson looked lovely in a white Chloé dress with ruffled neckline. The studded booties let her down. Canadian actress Megan Park chose a charming little black ballerina dress by Maria Lucia Hohan. Multi-award winning singer Taylor Swift channeled Marilyn Monroe in a white silk halter neck dress with flair skirt, by Rafael Cennamo. A sparkly belt and grey bowed heels complete her look.

Cheery Colours

Blake Lively glows in tangerine. Her fitted leather dress is by Gucci, with leopard print pumps by Christian Louboutin. Elizabeth Banks also opted for a leather dress, hers in a bright scarlet red. Her J.Mendel mini is paired with an Edie Parker clutch and nude peep-toes. TV actress Holland Roden chose an emerald green mini by Donna Morgan, gold Matthew Campbell clutch and nude Giuseppe Zanotti heels. Twilight's Tinsel Korey was sunny in a Marisa Kenson mini with embellished asymmetrical neckline. She carried a Lancaster box clutch and wore Corso Como pumps. This look calls for a better shoe choice.

 Prints

I like the inky pink and purple print of AnnaSophia Robb's ruched Malandrino mini. The black leather side panel keeps it modern. Ashley Benson wore an interesting black and yellow printed dress with high collar by Alice + Olivia. She added black accessories with a Jimmy Choo clutch and Ruthie Davis heels. Nikki Reed's printed Etro maxi dress looked like a sarong to me. Zooey Deschanel does her baby-doll thing in a black and peach floral dress, with glittery black heels and clutch, all by Miu Miu.

Two Tone

Kim Kardashian's dress of choice is by Givenchy. It has a white halter top and black feathered skirt. With her ballerina bun, she looks like an extra from Black Swan. I like the exaggerated striped shoulders on Fivel Stewart's tribal print dress, which is by MinkPink. She added a refreshing touch of orange with her clutch bag. Ashley Greene was simple in a black and white fitted dress by Givenchy. A pair of coloured heels would have jazzed her look up. Lucy Hale donned a sparkly sequin dress with cut outs and wavy black lines. It's by Turkish designer Cengiz Abazoglu. Giuseppe Zanotti ankle strap sandals fit her feet.

Into the Blue

Cat Deeley revived the blue carpet in an aqua lace mini by Matthew Williamson, with nude Jimmy Choo heels. This colour is gorgeous on her. I had no idea who Destinee and Paris Monroe were before this event. The girl band members caught my attention in their complementing blue mini dresses. Their shoes are a national crisis. I appreciate that Kourtney Kardashian didn't go for a form-fitting dress like most stars. She wore a voluminous royal blue strapless dress with asymmetrical hem by Blaque Label. Her python pumps are by Christian Louboutin.

Neutrals

Selena Gomez in a matt gold Erin Fetherston mini with long white sash. Her look seems disjointed; but I do love her cerise pink clutch and purple with peach chiffon sandals. Awards show host, Kaley Cuoco wore an ice grey tiered gown by Rebecca Taylor. Emma Stone was colour-blocked in cream, bronze and brown. Her long-sleeved dress is by Christian Dior, heels by Lanvin. I almost dozed off at Cameron Diaz's ensemble. Then I realized that her amazing Burak Uyan colour block heels deserved all the attention.

Bottom Shelf

Grace Phillips in a nude slip with a piece of black chiffon pinned to it. Her glittery Spice Girl platform boots are giving me unpleasant 90's fashion flashbacks. Zoe Saldana, why this shiny muddy lamé dress with that awful roped belt? She usually looks so good on the red carpet. I get that Kat Graham likes to make edgy fashion choices, but the shoulder fringe needs to be snipped down to size. From the neck up, her hair and make-up is flawless. Demi Lovato, two words - Yellow. Doily.

Colours at Cape Town Fashion Week 2011

Colour Trends

Cape Town Fashion Week 2011



For me, trends always begin with colour. They are the building blocks of any collection, a palette upon which a design is inspired. Cape Town Fashion Week showed off a multitude of striking shades for Spring/Summer 2011/2012. From brights to whites and all that's in between, here are the biggest colour trends for the next season.



Brights

A rainbow of eye-catching colours sizzled on the runway. Orange and navy reigned supreme, falling in with overseas trends. I don't really like orange but I do love the ruffled Stephania Morland dress (pictured fourth on the top row). Yellow was seen in lemon, lime, chartreuse and gold. Cerise pink and bright violet made a bold appearance. Blues were popular, from aqua to royal blue and indigo. I like the combination of blues in the stunning chiffon gown by Danielle Margaux (pictured fifth on the bottom row).





Black and White

Black and white are timeless as well as seasonless. Although many of the designers displayed their version of a long white dress; round and v-necks, slits and flowing fabrics were a common denominator. Black dresses were shown from short to long lengths. Lisp showed a chic black catsuit with floppy hat. The silhouette of the Abigail Betz gown with bateau neck (fifth on bottom row) is very 'Elie Saab' like. 

Neutrals

An earthy-inspired palette of colours ran across all collections. Dove greys, sandy nudes, chocolate browns and charcoal; simple colours brought to life by invigorating designs. Gavin Rajah's Jaipur inspired beadwork, wispy frills at Stephania Morland, retro shapes at Thula Sindi and satin waist bows at Leigh Schubert. 



Next up: Trends at Cape Town Fashion Week 2011

The Colour Blocking Trend

Colour Blocking

The 'Colour Blocking' trend has yet to have the mass appeal in South Africa as it does overseas. Essentially, colour blocking refers to wearing 'blocks' or a combination of different solid colours together in one outfit. Colours can be mixed, matched or clashed for maximum effect. It starts with effective colour blocking, which means wearing a single bold colour from head to toe. You can pair two or three contrasting colours, anything more than four is excessive. These are some inspiring colour blocking looks off the runway.

1. An Issa outfit in cerise and purple.

2. Nina Ricci pairs fluorescent pink with canary yellow.

3. At Giambattista Valli, orange and beige were put together.

4. Orange and turquoise are a vibrant combination at Prabal Gurung. 

5. Richard Nicoll merges salmon, tangerine and hot pink.

6. At Etro, a bright shade of blue was mixed with rust.

7. Orange, pink and black was shown together on the Jil Sander runway.

8. Diane von Furstenberg united purple and orange and added an orange clutch.

9. Avocado green, neon yellow and black is eye catching at Burberry Prorsum.

10. Louis Vuitton merged ruby red with deep violet and black.

How to Colour Block

To get the colour block trend right, you have to know which colours complement each other best. As fun as it sounds, you can't just pile on every colour you find in your wardrobe, you will end up looking like the human rainbow. It's good to anchor your outfit with a neutral colour like black, white, grey or beige. To find out which colours are complementary, the use of this colour wheel will help.

How to use the Colour Wheel

When colour blocking your outfits, try out these combinations:

*Analogous colours, which are any three colours lined up next to each other on the colour wheel. Example: blue, blue-violet and violet.

*Complementary colours. These are colours placed directly opposite each other on the wheel. Like red and green or yellow and violet.

*90 degree angles. Combine colours that are at a right angle with each other. Example: Orange-yellow and green or red and violet.

*T colours. These are colours that form a 'T' shape. Like yellow, purple and orange-red.

*Jewel Colours are equally rich and flatter each other, such as emerald green and ruby red.

*Keep colours in the same saturation. Pastels with pastels, neons with neons.

*Pink trick. You can substitute 'pink' for 'red' and use all the same combinations.

Now that you know how to efficiently use colour, it's time to put that eye-catching outfit together. There are two ways you can do this - the right way and the bright one. For me, the combination of too many bright colours in the wrong proportions look loud and garish. You will see the difference between the 'animated' and 'understated' below.



Brights

Camilla Belle wears a tri-colour ensemble by Gucci. Her tangerine blazer is worn over a purple top and emerald green pants. She also wears green Gucci heels. A fourth colour is introduced with the neutral gold belt.

Cheryl Cole is highly pigmented in an orange ruffle top, aqua belt and violet high waisted flare pants that are far too long.

Teresa Palmer wears a multi-coloured Versus dress, with handkerchief neckline, vertical and horizontal stripes.

Leona Lewis pairs a neon yellow bustier with a hot pink pencil skirt. I like these two colours together but this outfit is too tight and midriff baring.

Rihanna wears a cropped purple jersey with prison orange pants and gold pumps. Her red hair counts as a fourth colour, right?

Colour Do's

Demi Moore chooses an age appropriate colour block outfit. She wears red satin pants from H&M with a simple white top and long black jacket by Elize Overland.

Olivia Palermo looks so chic in a bright pink blazer, grey shirt and black leather Tibi shorts. Her olive green satin Charlotte Olympia pumps work with this look.

Nina Dobrev looks cute in a light grey and neon yellow colour block dress by Jay Godfrey.

Nicole Scherzinger stylishly clashes green and orange, with an addition of black accessories.

Cheryl Cole gets it right this time in a cream blazer, baby pink t-shirt and royal blue pants. I adore the electric blue and nude heels she wears, which are by Christian Louboutin.

If you're still a little colour shy, you can start off with a bright handbag, necklace, head band or belt. This trend is such a fun and exciting way to experiment with different colour combinations. It's up to you to interpret it according to your personal style.

Looks of the Week

My Best & Worst Fashion Picks



This week, beautiful and bright coloured evening gowns caught my fancy. 

Katie Holmes is sublime in a silk fuchsia blouse and bow, which she paired with a matching pleated skirt. She wore the dress to the Annual Drama Desk Awards. The outfit is from her own design line, Holmes & Yang. A black clutch and heels completed her look.



At 'The Tree of Life' premiere, Angelina Jolie looked ravishing in a crimson red asymmetrical silk chiffon gown by Jenny Packham. The colour looks great on her, she should wear it more often.



Fergie surprised me by gracefully pulling off this yellow chiffon gown by BCBG Max Azria. The embellished strap gives the dress a bit of sparkle. I like that she paired it with a bright blue clutch bag. Fergie wore the dress to the 2011 Fifi Awards, where she received the 'New Celebrity Fragrance of the Year' award.



'The Tree of Life' actress Jessica Chastain complemented her red hair by wearing a teal green mermaid gown by Roland Mouret. The waist band is accented with a splash of chartreuse. 



On the other hand, these looks made me cringe...

Heidi Klum attended an art exhibition in New York wearing a mini by Vivienne Westwood. The combination of animal print, shiny chintz fabric and a low exaggerated neckline is too flashy.



Zoe Kravitz attended the 'X-Men:First Class' premiere in a silver velvet Alexander Wang dress. There's no design to this dress, it's ill-fitting, old fashioned and would be better off as a nightdress. 



Kourtney Kardashian wears an Aztec print jumpsuit by Torn. Harem pants are bad enough on their own, converting them into a jumpsuit is even worse. 



Korean actress Han Hyo Joo attended the Baeksang Arts Awards in a whirlwind of ruffled lace tiers. This white Nina Ricci dress is overwhelming her and it's such a pity - if the top were plain, this could have been a pretty look.

The Second Stylish Week at Cannes 2011

This Week's Style Assembly

from the Cannes Film Festival 2011



While the rest of went on with our normal lives, another stylish week at Cannes continued. Stars pulled out all the stops at the various events held in the French Rivera this week. 

These are some of the highlights.

The classic black gown was given a twist with these four variations. Zoe Saldana was whimsical in a floral-print organza gown by Vionnet. I like the dress, just not the elasticated striped belt - it feels too casual. Gwen Stefani wowed in a shimmery fishtail gown with halter neck from her own fashion line, L.A.M.B. A gold belt accentuated her waist. Li Bing Bing wore a beautifully beaded gown by Zuhair Murad, with large chiffon bow and sash. Clemence Poesy's pleated black Chanel dress is an elegant pick, although I find the heels too high for the length of the dress.

Punchy colours brought vigour to the red carpet. Crowd pleaser Fan Bing Bing wore a pistachio green gown by Oscar de la Renta. The gown was volumized by gathered folds. I'm not fond of her Heidi-hairstyle. The stunning Alessandra Ambrosio wears an aqua Roberto Cavalli dress with embellished bodice. Actress Jessica Chastain was vibrant in a strapless sunflower yellow dress by Zac Posen. Model Bar Rafaeli donned a deep blue Roberto Cavalli gown, which fit impeccably. Her pulled back ponytail added to the sleek look. Asian actress Zhang Zilin was breathtaking in Elie Saab. The rose red chiffon dress features a lace-trimmed asymmetrical neckline and soft draping. For me, this look is perfection.

Muted tones were trendy at last night's Amfar Gala. Kirsten Dunst wore a hazy pink sheer gown with diamond shaped appliqués by Chanel. Michelle Rodriguez shows off the embellished back of her Jean Fares Couture dress. Such a pretty pale pink colour and the pockets add an interesting touch. Uma Thurman strikes a pose in a gracious grey Chanel gown with a row of roses on the neckline. Her dress also features pockets. Rosario Dawson shines in Roberto Cavalli. Her strapless dress has a silver sequined bodice and cream pleated skirt.

Divas and Darlings - Us Weekly Party

Red Carpet Fashion

Us Weekly's Hot Hollywood Party 2011



Us Weekly held a Hot Hollywood Style 2011 Issue event in LA earlier this week. The young and beautiful were honoured for their personal sense of style, which they proudly showed off on the grey carpet. 



Sleek and Stylish

Prada to Nada's Alexa Vega wears a midnight blue dress with assymetrical ruffles by Ali Ro, teamed with nude Steve Madden pumps and a metallic clutch. Whitney Port opted for a one-shoulder white dress with colourful insets by GUiSHEM. She wore it with electric blue lace up heels by Giuseppe Zanotti. My favourite look is worn by Odette Yustman. She's gorgeous in an off-the-shoulder black dress with sheer beaded bodice by Versus. Her peep toes are by Giuseppe Zanotti. Czech supermodel Petra Nomcova is sweet in a soft pink strapless dress by Tommy Hilfiger. She accessorised with black pumps, a black belt and Dolce & Gabbana bag. Hayden Panettiere wore a Helmut Lang blazer over her black and blush Camilla & Marc lace dress. I am closet craving her stunning Jimmy Choo heels with crystal ankle straps.

Bright Colours

Actress Caroline D'Amore wears a long-sleeved silk jumpsuit in burnt orange. I love the sea green colour of Zelda Williams' 50's style dress. Camilla Alves is ravishing in a ruby red bustier dress by Dolce and Gabbana. American Idol's Pia Toscano dons bright blue BCBG dress with Christian Louboutin heels. TV actress Kelsey Chow chose a simple deep pink tunic dress with striking sandals.

Could Have Done Better

Katerina Graham takes on rock-goth style in this black dress by Dimepiece. Rachael Leigh Cook's horizontal stripe dress looks like a sleep shirt. Everything about Madeline Zima's look is bland and dowdy. Jessica Simpson in a tribal print Etro dress - I don't like the fit or the busy print or the high neckline. It makes her look shorter and wider. Jessica Szohr wears a black dress by Style Stalker - like the full skirt but the sheer lace top with bra looks a bit trashy.  

Colour Trend on The Red Carpet

Red Carpet Fashion

Brightly Coloured Evening Gowns



Vibrant colours make an impact on the red carpet once again this week. This invigorating trend is has been fondly embraced by starlets, models, fashion critics and designers alike. 

Russian supermodel Natalia Vodianova wears a crimson one-shoulder gown with cross-over slit & black belt by Alexander McQueen Spring RTW 2011. Olivia Munn wears a cobalt blue strapless silk chiffon Notte gown by Marchesa. Her blue & purple necklace is by Bvlgari. Emmy Rossum is radiant in an emerald silk gown with half-draped skirt & purple bejeweled belt by Yves Saint Laurent. Her bracelet and earrings are from Ivanka Trump's jewellery line. This is my fav look of the three, although I would've liked to see it with a different coloured clutch. 

Red Carpet Fashion - Bright Evening Gowns

Red Carpet Fashion

'Sucker Punch' Movie Premiere



The new action-fantasy movie Sucker Punch premiered this week in Hollywood. These three eye-catching dresses wowed the crowds with their vibrant and fun colours.  

Malin Akerman wears a simple yet striking red silk dress by Holmes & Yang. Actress Jamie Chung wears a draped dandelion yellow gown by Giambattista Valli. The gray chiffon panel seems misplaced. Her heels are by Ruthie Davis. Australian actress Abbie Cornish wears an elegantly draped v-neck gown in royal blue by Amanda Wakeley. Which was the best colour on the premiere carpet?

Versace Spring/Summer 2011

Versace

Spring/Summer Collection 2011



The 2011 Spring/Summer Collection from renowned Italian fashion house Versace is filled with modern and wearable clothes. Pictured here are some of the pieces in the collection, worn by Dutch model Daphne Groeneveld and Latvia's Ginta Lapina. The main trends in this range are above-the-knee dresses, shorts, prints and flashes of bright colour. The outfits are matched with contrasting coloured clutches, larger handbags and strappy knee-high gladiator sandals.

Neutral shades of black, white and grey are shown in fitted dresses, skinny pants and simple tank tops. They can be paired with eye-catching bold accessories.

Lime greens, citrus orange, purple and turquoise dresses make a colourful statement. These playful pieces are designed to be worn from work to weekend. 

We may not have the Versace brand readily and inexpensively available to us in SA, but we can gain some style inspiration from their easy to follow fashion range. 

Bold In Blue - Blake Lively and Jessica Alba

Blake Lively (right) won the award for Best TV Star at the Elle Style Awards held this week in London. She accepted the award wearing an electric blue Emilio Pucci gown with tiered layer skirt. The magenta Louboutin peep-toe heels add an unexpected finish to the look. Jessica Alba (right) was also bold in blue, wearing a silk tulle gown with empire waist by Atelier Versace at the British Academy Film Awards. Which dress do you prefer?

Ladies in Red - Cheryl Cole and Emma Stone

Cheryl Cole (left) looks radiant at the Elle Style Awards, wearing a floor-length red dress with plunging neckline by Alexander McQueen. At this week's Bafta Awards, Emma Stone (right) wore this two-tone red block coloured dress by Lanvin, complemented by a metallic bronze belt and clutch bag.

Cover Girl - Katy Perry

Katy Perry

US Elle March 2011

The US version of Elle Magazine features Katy Perry on their March 2011 issue.

Katy is bright and bold in an ensemble hot off the Gucci runway. She wears a vivid green satin jacket, turquoise satin shirt & purple tapered trousers, which are all part of Gucci's Spring/Summer 2011 Collection. The outfit is accented by a gold metallic waist belt with braids & tassels. Love these vibrant colours for Spring, but I prefer them worn one at a time.