Bright & Vibrant: Neon Colouring

For the fashion bold, there’s a brilliantly bright trend that continues to pick up momentum- neon. From the streets of New York to the promenade of Buenos Aires, neon is a trend that is impossible to miss.

Wednesday, January 02, 2013
Rachel Breaux

For the fashion bold, there’s a brilliantly bright trend that continues to pick up momentum- neon. From the streets of New York to the promenade of Buenos Aires, neon is a trend that is impossible to miss. Neon is a bright colour: typically yellow, orange, pink, purple or blue. Think of bright fluorescent signs and the highlighters you may use for work. It’s not neon unless you can see it from a kilometer away. Designers have taken the neon trend to a new level. When it came out in the warmer season, designers dabbled in a few clothing pieces like Chanel’s neon yellow jumper. But with the neon trend gaining popularity and acceptance around the world: designers are diversifying into more wearable neon pieces, particularly accessories. Staying in the clothing realm, Canadian born British/Turkish designer Erdem designed two neon dresses in his upcoming collection. The first is a neon peach and pink dress with a hand beaded organza overlay. This piece seems to do the impossible: adding femininity and softness to a very harsh, in-your-face trend. The second piece in his collection is a neon pink shift dress with a French lace pairing. Thinking in new possibilities: he shows that neon can be sophisticated too. For the accessories side of the spectrum, Charlotte Olympia designed a neon turquoise python platform pump. While the rest of the shoe elite came out with their own style: Jimmy Choo a neon blue snake skin pointed pump, Guiseppe Zanotti a peep-toe neon peach suede platform, Nicholas Kirkwood a street art inspired multi-neon shoe, and finally Manolo Blahnik with a patent pointed neon turquoise pump. The fashion celebrity circuit has also embraced neon colouring, with the bold venturing out in head-to-toe neon. American reality celebrity and fashion enthusiast Kristen Cavalari stepped out onto the red carpet in a neon pink silk mini with matching neon flowers at the hem accompanied with sky high nude pumps with a neon orange platform. American starlet Eva Longoria was seen in an over-the-knee neon orange shift dress with patent pumps. And yet it was Latin princess Jennifer Lopez who rocked the look the best, in a jaw dropping neon yellow long-sleeved mini with neon pink pumps. For the fashion bold, wearing head-to-toe neon like a celebrity is the sure way to be noticed by everyone when walking into a room. However, for those with a less courageous style, neon accessories are the easiest way to wade into the trend. Neon purses and neon shoes are the obvious choices: but also think of neon bracelets, necklaces with neon baubles and even neon nail polish. That’s the fashion scoop for this week. Got a thought? Trend? Style you hate? Send it my way.