By Alex Perry
www.alexperry.com.au
The very mention of lace sends most of us hurtling into a horror flashback to Nanna’s doilies, cheap hooker lingerie or frothy 80’s concoctions made from scratchy nylon. Thankfully, the new lace is far from tawdry. In recent seasons, lace has been a regular feature on runways, red carpets and in stores around the globe. This season our new modern classic embraces one of the hugest trends of the season – colour! Sounds a little Scary Spice? Not if you follow my tips below on how to wear coloured lace glamorously … without looking one bit Madonna in “Desperately Seeking Susan” meets the “Happy Hooker “.
1. Keep the silhouette and shape simple. Give the texture of the lace and the volume of the bright colour enough room to be heard. Keep the silhouette and shape of the dress really simple, sleek and modern showcases lace to its best advantage. Steer away from ruffles, frills, flounces and too tricky design features as they will immediately send the lace to the street corner.
2. Sheer lace over skin. A discreet peek-a-boo sheer lace sleeve or high neckline with strapless or backless foundation is so incredibly glamorous and demure! A super chic way to show some skin without cheapening the look. If covering arms and décolletage entirely in lace, a micro short skirt instantly makes the shape modern and young rather than dowager bride.
3. Great lengths. Keep hemlines micro short, fitted sheaths long to the ground or just on the ladylike knee. Anything else is frumpy, matronly and just plain daggy. If opting for micro, be sure to cover up everything else … or risk being asked how much you charge by the hour.
4. Demure necklines. Keep necklines discreetly high tide, go for boat necklines that graze the collarbone, portrait shapes framing the shoulder or entirely covered up sheerness. Stay away from necklines that plunge dangerously southward to reveal an overflowing barmaids’ bosom. It reeks of a Penthouse Pet photo shoot in a German beer hall.
5. Softly, softly. Choose a lace that is soft and drapey rather than stiff and scratchy. The end result will have you looking far more expensive. And you won’t itch [see Penthouse shoot].
6. Colour me happy. Lace looks amazing in hot palettes of chilli reds, raspberry, tangerine and purple berry tones. Steer away from electric blues the shade of a swimming pool tile and wear yellow lace only if your skin is very olive or tanned.
7. Bold is best. Look for laces boasting large format motifs, with a good amount of sheer netting between the shapes for maximum contrast and definition. Stay away from tiny delicate motifs that won’t register as anything other than fussy.
8. Simply styled. DON’T do a black shoe with a coloured lace dress EVER. Colour block with a shoe, handbag or necklace in another bright shade, or go for a nude or metallic option. Keep jewellery simple, bold and minimal. Casually tousled hair; and clean polished make up with a strongly coloured lip is totally on trend.
So amp up the ladylike, enjoy the playful freshness of coloured lace this summer and lock away Susan’s rah-rah skirts and fingerless gloves for good. We desperately don’t want to find them.
Alex. X
Image Credit: Zimbio
