Be bold with block brights

Bored of drab grey, black and brown already? There is a serious colour antidote to those dull autumnal shades…this season’s block brights.

Designers dabbled in the brightest shades to create a colour shock on the catwalks. From separate super-bright pieces to all-over head-to-toe hues, this winter it’s all about making a paintbox-bold statement with a colourful wardrobe.

The autumn/winter season is always so drab, so wearing top-to-toe colour is ideal if you want to stand out in a crowd.

On the autumn/winter catwalks, we saw acid brights in lime and fuchsia pink at Dior, floor-length violet column dresses at Versace and a modern approach at Preen where voluminous tailored coats came in scarlet red.

Red and yellow, fuschia and cobalt, green and orange - we really can sing a rainbow for this season’s super-brights.

Unlike some of this season’s “out-there” trends, block colour really is a style you can carry off as an everyday look.

“Block colour dressing is perfect for an evening out if you want to wow the crowds. For daytime or workwear take a more subtle approach by wearing block coloured dresses with a three-quarter-length coat over the top,” advises Bonnie Rakhit, Elle magazine’s fashion editor.

Get into primary colours with super-bright staples you can wear day in, day out. Go for Matalan’s orange swing coat, £40, River Island’s blue coat, £64.99, Marks and Spencer’s Limited Collection yellow coat, £75, or Wallis’ red zip front coat, £75.

Feeling in dress-to-impress mode? Bag your brights by checking out the Star by Julien Macdonald cobalt blue dress, £60 at Debenhams, French Connection’s purple satin tunic, £85 at House of Fraser, or F&F’s red pinafore, £12, at Tesco.

Sunshade-inducing accessories are your ticket to working the trend, especially if you’re wary of converting from the dark side. A dash of bright hues on shoes or a bag will add a dab of colour to your winter ensembles effortlessly.

Step forward in this season’s colourful shoes in Shellys’ Talia red shoe boots, £65, Dorothy Perkins’ blue patent courts, £25, or Office’s purple satin heels, £70. Try matching up your shoes with sassy leather gloves in the same shade. Next have a great colour selection, £15.

Even if your outfits are safe on the colour palette, it’s never too scary to parade around with a bright bag. Try Billy Bag’s purple Celia, £95, Accessorize’s blue mini across-body lock bag, £12, or Next’s pillar box red patent bag, £25.

Hosiery is another cheap and cheerful way to access the brights trend. Make like SJP in Sex And The City in cute long socks like Jonathan Aston’s colourful numbers, £15 per pair, available at John Lewis, or stick to tights, such as ASOS’ red tights, £4, or House of Fraser’s purple opaques, £6.

Still not convinced that rainbow-bright colour is going to work in winter? Follow these tips for some stylish survival on the trend:

• Go for darker tones like purples and blues for the day, and bring out the day-glo for evenings only.
• Don’t be afraid to flout the fashion rules. Match clothes, shoes, bags and hosiery to really work the head-to-toe hue look.
• Choose your shade carefully. Opt for a warm or cool colour shade that best suits your skin tone.
• If you’re layering up the same shade for cooler climes, use different textures to add interest to your look.
• Really want to create a stir? Go for clashing bright shades for an ultra electrifying look.

It’s time to put some fun back into your wardrobe. After all, the clocks go back tomorrow which means it really is time to lighten up for the dark nights ahead.

And this is a trend which works for almost everyone.

By Tracey O’Sullivan