Plum is a colour of deep emotion and mystery. It is stunning on a woman’s figure, and evokes a sense of confidence and as well as allure. This season, grab your solid coloured plum dress, and dazzle into the night. 

Designers are getting creative with the colour, and crafting curvy shapes that accentuate the feminine form and eye-popping accessories to match. French fashion designer Herve Leger, renowned for his bandage dresses, created an off the shoulder plum body conscious dress. The piece, which hugs every curve of the woman’s body, features a boat neckline showing off the tips of the shoulders, while incorporating long sleeves to give the illusion of conservatism. 

On the other side of the spectrum, Swiss fashion label, Akris, created a minimalistic plum piece. The sleek lines are accentuated by the v-neck and high collar – an unusual combination. The sleeveless frock features a slight diagonal belt to give a modern art feel. 

Italian fashion guru Giorgio Armani came out with a bridge line – more affordable than the runway couture – and crafted a figure forming plum dress in his Armani Collezioni collection. The jersey dress also features a v-neck line and long sleeves. The piece has slight ruching on the left hip that drapes down the front of the skirt. The thin jersey fabric allows comfort, while hiding no imperfections. 

Even the Italian fashion house Dolce &Gabanna couldn’t resist playing with the colour. The house designed a scoop neck form fitting dress. The horizontal ruching from the bodice down to the skirt is particularly flattering. The solid silk fabric adds elegance, while the shape portrays seduction. 

Expanding to accessorizes, Colombian designer Nancy Gonzalez created a plum crocodile tote. The top handles and arch buckle are in a traditional style, yet the color gives the piece unusual, but welcome, attention. 

Lastly, Sergio Rossi, an Italian footwear brand led by the creative genius of Francesco Russo, created a plum suede sky-high bootie pump. The contemporary design of the shoe features geometric art which follows the form of the foot. 

Celebrities are pulling this colour into eveningwear. American actress Michelle Rodriguez, known for her roles in Avatar and theFast & The Furious franchise with the late Paul Walker, wore a form fitting David Meister dress to a recent event. She paired with minimal jewelry and long tresssed hair. Another Michelle, Michelle Dockery from the ever-popular British show Downton Abbey, wore a modern version of a peplum long shimmery satin dress to the Emmy Awards. She paired the high-neckline dress with chandelier earrings, bright red lipstick, and pulled back hair. And country singing starlet Carrie Underwood wore a plum Roman Keveza gown. The slight sweetheart neckline dress featured a full volume skirt – fit for a royal gala. 

With this colour – the less embellishment and ornamentation you have, the more striking it is. Choose a solid colour frock. Stay away from contrasting accessories or loud jewelry. Let the dress speak for itself. 

Rachel Breaux is an American living in Rwanda