I was doing my daily round at the awesome and comprehensive Red Carpet Fashion Awards when this photo of Claudia Schiffer in Alberta Ferretti reminded me of the joy of jewel tones, which don't get nearly enough credit outside of the Christmas season. But if there's a time to invest in an emerald coat or a ruby-red sash, it's now. Screw Christmas! (I'm not the Grinch or anything, I just hate occasion-specific clothing, what a waste of closet space.) And you'll note, these hues are no longer relegated to winter weather only, Zac Posen and Rachel Roy both incorporated shocks of bright jewel tones into their Spring 2010 collections, so you can be sure that anything you pick up now will last you well into next year. Do mama a favour, try not to pair it with basic black.




Images: Red Carpet Fashion Awards and Style.com