Red carpet rebels
All hail the Grandes Dames of Cannes
If a red carpet is an invitation to go all out, then the annual Cannes Film Festival is a 12-day challenge – an ultramarathon of style, if you will. But in among the diamonds and wedding dresses worn as ball gowns this week (yes, truly), there’s also been a surprising trend on the ascendant: the rebels who have been rewriting the dress code. While Jessica Chastain in Alexander Mcqueen and Elle Fanning wearing Vivienne Westwood Couture might have stuck to the traditional route, the Grande Dames of Cannes proved that with age comes the confidence to wear things your own way. A bold, head-to-toe print could be overwhelming, but Salma Hayek dressed hers down with flatform brogues, while Juliette Binoche eschewed ballgowns for a jeweltoned trouser suit.
So why not ditch the “ageappropriate frock” and agonising heels you had earmarked for the summer wedding season, in favour of your own Cannes-approved style rebellion. The premise seems simple. Ask yourself two questions: do you love it? And are you comfortable? If not, here’s how to break the rules.
First on any rebel’s shopping list? Leather. Leading the charge was Susan Sarandon; the 70-year-old actress and activist chose to forgo safer (read boring) options in favour of a floor-length black leather skirt. It’s a bit ooo-err, a bit risqué, and really rather good. Add to that a pair of black, slingback kitten heels and Sarandon’s signature black sunglasses and you’re on to a winner.
If a leather skirt sounds like too much chafing for you, then why not swap your regular cover-up for a leather jacket? Uma Thurman used her black leather biker to balance out her uber-feminine, floor-length satin skirt, but if black feels too heavy, try coloured leather instead. Emma Thompson’s highlighter-yellow leather jacket is a great summer party staple. Topshop Unique have a good version for £425, or head to Zara for cheap and cheerful faux leather at £29.99.
The second step towards style subversion? Denim – or more specifically, jeans, so long as the rest of your outfit is smart enough to balance out the casual wear connotations. Case in point: Isabelle Huppert in high-waisted Chloe jeans, offset by a slinky silk shirt and high-heeled sandals. Maybe you won’t follow suit and wear jeans to your cousin’s church wedding, but for a summer cocktail party? These are just the thing.
One final act of red carpet rebellion we can all take happy note of is a simple one: flats. Aymeline Valade’s patent black leather brogues looked refreshingly modern with her teal trouser suit, but 80-year-old actress Vanessa Redgrave went one better in box-fresh white Converse that tied in perfectly with her monochrome tailoring.
Well, in a sea of women in pinching stilettos, don’t you want to be the one still dancing when they turn the lights up?