Non-Bridal White and New Navy Make Waves at the Emmys

On recent red carpets, jewel tones have taken center stage. At last night’s Emmys, however, it was all about mixing it up, color-wise. While there were the typical bright reds and safe blacks, we saw a lot of risky colors not often spotted at awards shows.

Lots of ladies opted for white (which Ryan Seacrest so wisely noted is a risky color, since hugging, pancake makeup and white satin don’t necessarily make the best bedfellows). January Jones and Olivia Wilde took white a step further, adding racy cutouts to the mix. And Leighton Meester went for the Grecian goddess look to great effect.

For an airy, Leighton-esque dress that doesn’t look too bridal, try Marc Bouwer’s Glamit! silk charmeuse gown ($795). Or get a more wearable take on January’s Art Deco style with White House’s white jacquard dress ($100).

Another color that emerged from jewel tones’ shadow was navy. Christina Applegate, who last year wowed in ice blue, went darker this year in a midnight-and-black asymmetrical gown by Basil Soda. And curvy Christina Hendricks opted for a rare cut in her short-sleeved navy gown with brocade detail.

If you were digging Christina H.’s decolletage-highlighting scoop neck, pick a short sleeved gown like the embellished one from JS Boutique ($180). For a shorter option that features chic black detailing, choose Free People’s mini for $90.

On the hair front, there were a lot of updos, but as the red carpet walkers would have you know, it was hotter than blazes in L.A. yesterday. The ladies who embraced big bodied hair and humidity-friendly waves from the start fared best. Sandra Oh, Alyson Hannigan and Vanessa Williams all went for long, loose waves that stood up to the heat without wilting.

To get glam waves, treat wet locks with Living Proof Wave Shaping, Curl Defining Styling Cream ($24), a frizz-fighting cream that won’t weigh waves down. If you’ve already got a little curl in your hair, enhance it with a spritz of Curly Sexy Hair Curl Power Curl Enhancer ($13) for extra shine and bounce.

To get more Emmys style, we’d recommend a cocktail dress or a celebrity dress, along with some waterproof makeup (in case you need to look good in blazing heat like last night’s starlets).