[All images from Style.com]. Jenny Packham is a firm favourite with celebrities and she's gone stellar since Kate Middleton was spotted in her creations, so it's refreshing to see that she hasn't lost any of her charm. This gown is beautiful in buttery yellow and its low neckline is balanced out by the good draped coverage on the lower body. The ribbon belt adds to the innocence of the whole look.
Here's the naughty little sister of the previous dress: this fiery tomato red shade is incredibly popular at the moment (it was a hit with the cross-season 2011 trend of lurid stripes and clashing pink and red hues). The light ruffling adds interest without being too fussy. I would pair this with blue nail varnish and some burnished gold rings.
Like confetti or falling petals, this design is going to be a winner for women who have the budget to really go to town on an evening dress. It's feminine but not clingy, so if you don't have the curves of Christina Hendricks then you won't feel panic-striken. The pattern emerges from a central point on the waist and it nicely skims the hips. Expect lots of high street adaptations soon.
An excellent red carpet shape (again in tomato red), this is only a good look on the flat-chested or you end up seeming a bit too keen with the cleavage and the split leg detail. I would want a dress with this shape even more if it was dip-dyed at the base a little (I'm thinking of Gwen Stefani's wedding frock as inspiration).
An innovative shape (perhaps not one for Kate Middleton), it would work better in a jewel colour than white, but that single pin-tuck really sets things off.
Cranking up the trend factor a notch, the white lace with the Edwardian top detailing is clashing modern and traditional very nicely. I think the 3/4 sleeves are a great addition, too, because the obvious Edwardian thing is to go for a full sleeve, so this feels more imaginative. And if you need a Jenny Packham factoid, trivia fans, take this: Jenny's brother is the wildlife expert and presenter, Chris Packham. Yes, really.
Onto another ladylike show, this time at Creatures of the Wind. The red and turquoise clash is brilliant (I often mix it up myself) although I have a feeling that non-models would add a waist belt to this ensemble, otherwise you end up looking a bit square.
The freshness of this green print is gorgeous - yes, green and floral is obvious for Spring/Summer, but the bib addition and the darker green socks keep this quirky rather than stuffy. The mid-calf length is a continuation of AW/11's midi skirt trend. This dress would look brilliant underneath a leather jacket, to mess it up a bit.
The very geometric shape is clever and gives a nod to origami. The fabric seems a little heavy for summer, but the tailoring means that this is your smart outfit sorted in one item. You could pair it with loads of different shoes (wedge boots, flat ankle boots, stilettos, kitten heels, brogues) and it would always work.
There's a much younger feel to this image than the previous ones - that drop waist completely hides the hips and gives a nod to the sort of dresses that we all wore as girls. The deconstructed hem is a great addition, whilst the ankle socks and strappy sandals continue the youthful vibe. As soon as I saw this dress it reminded me of so many pieces by COS (H&M's more up-market brand), which always sell quickly, so I know this is going to be a well-copied and well-received style.
That first dress is a dream :).
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