Lady in Red: We're Crushing on that Crimson Colour (And Not a Chris de Burgh in Sight)

I've never really been a fan of red.

I can't find a shade that matches my skin tone, and I've had conflicting advice as to what shade works for me. We need to think of red in terms of lipstick for the most accurate analogy. Red has different hues: blue and orange. A make up artist once warned me off orange hues as they tend to make your teeth look yellow. But another artist advised me me that blue hues could wash me out.

So I've decided that there is no one tone that suits you, you simply have to try things on to determine how it feels, looks and sits on you. We all have different hair tones, eye colours and skin tone combinations that advising on one shade or another can be redundant. But, that said, over the last number of weeks I have styled plenty of ladies who are loving that feminine, sweet shade: cherry. And as it's safe enough to talk about That What Will Happen in the Near Future, it's the perfect festive colour.

My pick (pun intended!) of the bunch is a dress that I actually spied Michelle Heaton wearing this week after a TV appearance. I reckon it works thanks to lace detail. Block colours are certainly an easy option, but by opting for a style that has a feminine texture, the less we need to accessorise. I also particularly like the structure of this dress, in that it looks like a top and a skirt. The dress falls just below the knee, so it needs a heel to elongate your calves.

The nude shoe works well with this colour too; a black or red shoe would just be too much. Skin tone shoes are one of the most powerful tools in fashion thanks to their ability to give the illusion of Gisele-long legs. If you make an investment in shoes this season, trust me, these are a great choice.

So what's your verdict on red? Is there a particular shade you like and you wear? Or do you like the colour but not sure what colour suits you? And do you still love the nude court or do you think Kate Middleton has killed it?