Neon-Matic

The neon trend has finally found its way to the Southern Hemisphere, and we can expect some blazing hot and incandescent looks ahead. From designers to celebrities, bloggers to street style icons, the fluoro frenzy has taken the fashion world by storm. While it's not really ideal to wear blinding orange or glaring green from head to toe (unless you want to be fined by the fashion police for disturbing the visual peace), you can add neon to your wardrobe in small doses. These are some of my favourite fluorescent finds.


Green

First Row: Neon green reflective sunglasses by DSquared £156 at Shopbop. Lumo green scarf, £14.95 at Nelly.com. Casadei ballet pumps £200 at Farfetch.com
Second Row: Aaiko Nonna neon green skinny jeans €64 via Polyvore. Jeffery Campbell Lita heels $159.99 at Solestruck.com. Neon on a Whim dress at Modcloth.com $52.99
Third Row: Neon stone necklace by Adia Kibur $60. Fluoro green Cambridge Satchel $170. Hailey Jeans Co neon pinhole skinny belt, $3.99 at Amazon.com

Orange

First Row: Neon orange metal crescent collar necklace, $12 at sheinside.com. Joanne Stoker Martini Sunset sandal in orange plexi and suede, $588 Topshop Ponte boyfriend blazer £40. 
Second Row: Joan and David Heidee leather flat with bow adornment, $160 at endless.com. Paul & Joe ruffled neck dress £102 at stylebop. Proenza Schouler pouchette, $1735 at Barneys
Third Row: Nixon The Time Teller Neon watch, $75 at Bloomingdales. Leigh & Luca Lily flowers scarf, $77 at pinkmascara.com. Stella McCartney skinny patent belt $128 at kirnazabete.com

Pink

First Row: Haute Hippie Henley silk blouse, £178 at Farfetch.com. Yochi pink crystal pendulum earrings, $60 at endless.com. Jimmy Choo Kafira mesh and suede lace-up ankle boots, $1 995 at Saksfifthavenue.com
Second Row: Adia Kibur neon stone necklace, $54 at Shopbop. La Mer Collections neon pink motor chain wrap watch, $120 at Piperlime.com  Bottega Veneta Intreccatio Dream flats, $445 from Mytheresa.com
Third Row: Diane von Furstenberg Harper envelope clutch $365 at Shopbop. Vivienne Westwood draped corset top. Budding flower Alice band, $3.80 at Forever 21.

Yellow

First Row: Juicy Couture neon starter bracelet, $62, Forzieri.com. Bow pendant necklace, $13 at Delias.com  Fluoro yellow Cambridge Satchel, $170 at JCrew
Second Row: Christian Louboutin Havana patent leather brogues $425 at net-a-porter. French Connection Mimosa Mist sequined shorts, $120 at Piperlime. Toywatch ring embellished with Swarovski crystals, €95 at Jades24.com
Third Row: Cut 25 crepe de shine sulphur high-low skirt, £125 at Oxygenboutique. Bellissima geometric cut-out cuff bracelet $40 at Endless.com. Jimmy Choo Abel pumps at $525

Are you also infatuated by the neon trend? How would you incorporate it into your closet?

The Yellow Dress Trend

Trend of the Week
Yellow Dresses

Bright yellow dresses are an emerging trend that have been spreading sunshine all over the Spring/Summer 2012 runways. From New York to Milan Fashion Week, varying shades of yellow have been a favourite with designers.

Yellow is no longer just a daytime-summer-sundress type of colour. It has streamed over into formal wear, with elegant floor-length gowns in silky, flowing fabrics and sparkly embellishments. Yellow is a colour that suits most skin tones and hair colours, the trick is to find the right shade for you. Brighter yellows looked striking against darker skin tones and on brunettes. Soft, buttery shades flatter paler skins and blondes. If you're not keen on a fluorescent tint, try out a subtle lemonade shade.

Celebrities that Started the Yellow Trend 

Yellow made a vibrant splash on the red carpet this past week. It's rare that we get to see starlets wear yellow evening gowns, but this year, it seems to be the Awards Season colour. You may recall seeing some of these looks.

Julia Kurbatova in a lemon one shouldered gown with hip flounce at the Golden Globes.

Charlize Theron looked graceful in a floral embroidered Stella McCartney ensemble.

Maria Menounos shimmers in a mustard yellow sequined Blumarine column gown.

Elizabeth Olsen wore an intricately beaded Emilio Pucci mini at the People's Choice Awards.

Mireille Enos in a vivid yellow beaded gown by Naeem Khan at the Golden Globe Awards.

Minka Kelly looked beautiful in a neon yellow Oscar de la Renta dress.

Yvonne Strahovski chose a simple silk chiffon daffodil gown by Jenni Kayne.

Camilla Belle stunned in a layered silk organza primrose yellow gown by Carolina Herrera.

Paula Patton at the Golden Globes in a sunflower strapless Monique Lhuillier gown. 

Get With The Trend

Hop on board the yellow submarine, with these affordable and adorable dresses.

Are you For or Against the yellow dress trend?

An Essentiel Winter 2012

Essentiel

Fall/Winter 2011-12

Who says that winter fashion has to be about dull greys and lifeless shades of beige. Essentiel revitalizes your Winter wardrobe this season with bold brights and fearless colour-block combinations. The Belgian fashion label has become a favourite of mine, as all their pieces retain that comfort factor while being youthful and trendy. 

For Winter 2011-12, Essentiel offers chunky knits in optimistic shades like sunflower yellow, cerise pink and tangerine. Their classically fit jackets in varying lengths are suitable for work-to-weekend wear. Stripes are seen on jerseys, woolly scarves, skirts and bags. Keeping up with worldwide trends, there is also a fair amount of coloured demin in this range. Trousers are high-waisted, tapered or cropped at the ankle. Essentiel pushes the boundaries of colour-blocking, teeming shades like red, yellow and purple together.

The collection wavers between masculine and feminine tailoring. Elegant blouses in saturated shades of coral and green are tied up with pussy-cat bows. Besides for the typical black leather jacket, try your hand at one in exotic emerald green. Basic shift dresses are belted and paired with contrasting coloured clutch bags. All the charming accessories you see are also part of the Essentiel range, including the mammoth furry bags, high-heeled moccasins, jewel-toned shoes, cute banded socks and gloves. This collection proves that being stylish and discernible does not require having any fanciful airs. It focuses on fashion that is more wearable and relaxed, with an update on basics and experimenting with playful pigments. 

Gisele Colours The Pages Of Vogue

Spreading the holiday cheer and sprinkling some colourful confetti over the land of Vogue is the world's number one supermodel, Gisele Bundchen. The 31 year old Brazilian beauty stars in a kaleidoscopic fashion editorial for the December issue of British Vogue. 

Gisele is styled in a colourful array of outfits and wears an extensive mix of designers for the shoot, which is photographed by Mario Testino. Leather and lycra team up for the sporty, street savvy theme. Her look is all about fearlessly combining brights with bold accessories. Is this the start of a 'carrying-around-two-cluches-at-a-time' trend?  

Left: On the cover, Gisele wears a satin georgette Gucci blouse with psychedelic metallic lycra leather leggings by Pam Hoggs. Her disco diva look is complete with a Diane von Furstenberg belt and gorgeous gold cap-toed pumps by Christian Louboutin. Gold cuffs by Stella McCartney and Louis Vuitton.

Right: Tennis goes glam in a shiny gold dress by Stella McCartney for Adidas, with black leggings by Hervé Leger for Max Azria. A silk wool Marni jacket tones the look down. She carries a chain-strapped leather bag by Prada and smaller studded purse by McQ. Cuffs by Vionnet (gold), Alex Bittar (red) and Hermés (orange). 

Left: A stylish and sporty Gisele wears a turf green Mugler sweater, pink Diane von Furstenberg mini and black and white McQ leggings. The white leather pocket belt is by Michael Kors. Scarlet clutch and yellow pumps both by Jimmy Choo. On her arms, a yellow Hermés cuff and wooden lacquered Jimmy Choo bangles.

Right: Hot in pink, Gisele wears a scuba-inspired neoprene zip-up top by Michael Kors, a bright blue Jimmy Choo clutch bag and perspex bangles by Celine, Vionnet & Cornelia Webb.

Left: Athletic wear a la mode. Gisele is florescent in a mandarin orange Nike top with a green and blue Jonathan Saunders/Escada Sport skirt. The neon yellow leggings are by Cyberdog. Her look is accessorized by a black Hugo buckle belt and clutch bags by McQ and Michael Kors. Yellow cuffs by Hermés & Alex Bittar, gold studded bangle by Tom Binns.

Right: Gisele dons a navy blue skater girl dress by McQ, paired with crimson cycling shorts by Diane von Furstenburg. Her white belt is also by DVF, the black belt by Sonia Rykiel. She carries two clutches - a lime leather one by Michael Kors, red clutch by Jimmy Choo. Bangles by Hermés (yellow), Alex Bittar (pink) and Stella McCartney (gold).

Left: Gisele tries on a motorcycling cheerleader look in a fitted dark blue Zara top and silk-crépe pleated Gucci skirt. Cotton and leather patch leggings by Ground Zero. Belt and white studded purse by McQ. Mustard clutch bag by Burberry, with shoes by Christian Louboutin.

Middle: White cropped cotton jacket by Mugler, worn over a navy zip-up swimsuit. Sunny yellow DVF mini worn over Hervé Léger/Max Azria tights. Lime green leather bag by Emilio Pucci and pink purse by McQ.

Right: Baseball just got stylish with a black & orange raffia top by Roksanda Illincic. Canary yellow silk-crepe dress with pleated skirt by Gucci. She holds a bugglegum pink purse by McQ and black Michael Kors clutch. Her red hot heels are by Jimmy Choo.

Amidst the icy cold winter weather, a copy of this color-blocked concoction is bound to brighten things up. Do you think these vivid outfits would translate well in reality, and most importantly, would you wear any of them? 

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.

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.

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?

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.