The atmosphere may have taken a dark turn at the Oscars — but when it came to the dresses it was the palest confections that made the most impact.
The colours were as delicate and delicious looking as the ice-cream flavours they evoked.
From a range of vanilla hues to Fifty Shades’ Dakota Johnson in floaty Gucci, it was a veritable gelateria of fashion. Of course, wearing pastels in spring isn’t exactly breaking news.
But the surprise for Spring/Summer 2022 is that they are undeniably cool.
As with all high fashion, pastels have filtered through to the High Street.
While traditionally girlish and reminiscent of 1950s housewives, the modern way to wear them is to pair the saccharine colours with a contradicting design element.
Lily James’s Versace dress is a good example.
The baby pink design featured all-over lace and a tulle train, but the overtly feminine style was offset by a daring thigh-high split.
Dakota Johnson, Serena Williams and Jessica Chastain’s gowns all featured plunging necklines and sequins.
Despite their reputation for being difficult to wear, pastels actually complement nearly every skin tone.
The trick is finding the right shade for you.
They may be a spring cliche — but if it’s good enough for the Oscars red carpet, it’s good enough for us.
Fashion research: Alexandria Dale
Picture research: Claire Cisotti
Coconut: Wedding Crashers actress Isla Fisher’s (pictured) Giambattista Valli fishtail gown complements her creamy complexion
Gelato colours: A scoop of coconut ice cream, pictured
Raspberry: Dakota Johnson, pictured, wore a gown from Gucci’s Pre-Fall 2022 collection with beads and feathers galore
Gelato colours: Raspberry scoops, pictured, in a ice cream cup with a spoon
Strawberry: Mila Kunis, pictured, is perfection in pink satin Zuhair Murad couture
Gelato colours: Strawberry ice cream close up pictured
Bubble gum: Cool and classy, Nicole Kidman, pictured, wore a custom Armani Privé silk faille bustier dress accented by a peplum skirt
Gelato colours: Blue bubble gum flavoured ice cream, pictured
Mixed berry: A thigh-high split gives Lily James’s lace Versace couture the gong
Gelato colours: Mixed berry ice cream in a ramikin with a berry, pictured
Liquorice: Olivia Colman, pictured, was icily elegant in a silver Dior gown with flute sleeves
Gelato colours: A stock picture of silver looking ice cream
Hazelnut: Coda star Emilia Jones, pictured, looked delicious in a Dolce & Gabbana cut-away gown
Gelato colours: A stock picture of nut-based ice cream
Fruits of the forest: Narcos actress Carolina Gaitain, pictured front, commanded attention in an extravagant satin gown by Tony Ward Couture
Gelato colours: Fruits of the forest ice cream pictured
Cherry: Serena Williams, pictured, serves an ace with pleated Gucci
Gelato colours: Cherries, cherry ice cream and cream, pictured
Lavender: A Gucci dress with a stunning hem was worn by Jessica Chastain, pictured, who won Best Actress for The Eyes Of Tammy Faye
Gelato colours: This ice cream, pictured, has lavender colours
The black and white frights: Clearly not getting the pastel memo, pictured Anya Taylor-Joy
The black and white frights: Billie Eilish, pictured, got fashion black marks
The black and white frights: Actress Kristen Stewart, pictured, also got fashion black marks
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