iStyle: Scarlet woman

Red has always stopped traffic, but for spring it's about to turn heads too. It's a colour best worn head to toe, says Emma Ackbareian

There’s something about wearing red that sticks in our memories. After all, who could forget the off-the-shoulder red number worn by Julia Roberts in the street-walker-to-style-icon makeover that was the film Pretty Woman?

Or, that wonderful moment in Schindler’s List with the little girl’s red coat? Couturier Valentino has long made red his signature colour, but this season the bold shade was given a new lease of life with designers including Ralph Lauren, Marios Schwab and Jonathan Saunders all showing scarlet from head to toe.

Wear red with reckless abandon: sure, a red dress will look great on its own, but it really becomes a head-turner with the addition of ruby accessories. Don’t stop at just footwear – sunglasses and jewellery look equally stylish in poppy hues. Shades of red, rich though they may be, aren’t just for the evening, either – red can work for the daytime, too, as tailored separates like this Milly skirt.

Finally, just to make sure you’re comprehensively covered, add a slick of blood red lipstick and a vampy vermillion polish to the nails.