The color red has always been an iconic one for fashion: Who can forget Marilyn Monroe's 1956 siren lace sweetheart dress in the Saturday Evening Post 's, or Cindy Crawford's 1991 plunging Versace gown at the Oscars (which now has its own Wikipedia page) — or, even more recently, Jennifer Lawrence's star-making Calvin Klein number from her very first Academy Awards. When it comes to making a statement, it's not simply the color of choice for statement pieces or couture: Red is the bold lipstick, the sole of a designer shoe, the leather of a biker jacket — in different tints, from wine to cherry to ruby. It can even be more powerful as a pair, teamed up with burnt orange, fuchsia pink, or camel to take a life of its own. It's fierce, defiant, and definitely not for wallflowers. Simply put: Red is the color of a woman in charge. We, of course, knew this already — but the spring '17 runways not only reminded us, but also invited us to revisit the striking hue.
Dior's bright red party dress, fashioned out of tulle, was elegant and feminine. Valentino's vinyl trench, meanwhile, felt more utilitarian — and instantly spawned a dozen fast-fashion imitations. Balenciaga's oversized hoodies, in contrast, were a contemporary riff on the hyper-casual, made haute (and a street style essential). Some designers opted to reimagine the color through familiar silhouettes: Fendi did so through a sporty cropped knit, while Proenza Schouler went for a grunge color combination of red and black. With so many collections to pull from, it was pretty much expected that as soon as these garments dropped in stores, our Instagrams would turn red-hot in a flash. Sure enough, the flowers started blooming and the feed began blowing up with scarlet-hued #OOTDs.
From silky PJs to midi dresses, oversized knits to patent Mary Janes, click on to see how red is being styled by our favorite style stars this spring.
Cut head-to-toe red with on-trend racing stripes.
Breaks out your crop top as soon as the sun comes out, and dress it all the way up with tiered party trousers and a Mansur Gavriel top-handle bag.
Here's a perfectly casual/dressed-up hybrid with a formula that we can (and will) easily replicate: Layer a long, formal dress over a basic long-sleeved T-shirt, then add your favorite kicks.
If you haven't already resurfaced your Champion hoodies from back in the day, let this outfit give you another reason to rush to your nearest sporting goods store to restock.
Blink and you might just miss the oh-so-subtle color-blocking, layering different shades of red under gold necklaces.
Consider this bright patent trench the edgy best friend of your go-to khaki topper — a welcome swap in our transitional wardrobe.
Oh, how we love an all-in-one: Turn the comfiest-looking jumpsuit into a chic affair with slingback heels and a quilted bag.
Suddenly, the matching set isn't looking all that overdone anymore.
A spring dress so good, you'll have no choice but to make a slow-mo entrance.
We can't decide what we like more: the Grecia drape of this dress or the selection of accessories.
Another great case of head-to-toe red — how cute are these Mary Janes?
Goes full-on grunge with an oversized knit and floor-grazing skirt. Throw in a slouchy bag and stomping boots for a solid '90s throwback.
We're on team tracksuit. No doubt about it.
You can, indeed, wear your pajamas out of the house — simply pair your silkiest button-down with a kick-flare trouser.
Transitional dressing at its finest, courtesy of Alberta Ferretti's hit day-of-the-week sweaters.
Mixes your reds both in hue and texture. (The red-rimmed sunnies add that extra oomph.)
How perfect is this red biker jacket over this sweet floral dress?
We love ourselves some show-stopper earrings, especially when worn with on-trend gingham.
Like what you see? How about some more R29 goodness, right here?
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