From leather jackets to boxfresh trainers on the red carpet, we chart the wildcard style winners at Cannes Film Festival
It's the Côte d’Azur film festival that attracts A-listers and up-and-comers alike, but what really sets Cannes apart from awards season is its attendees’ laissez- faire take on the red-carpet dress code.
While we still saw our fair share of “Angelina’s Leg” dresses and Disney princess ball gowns (yawn), there seems to be something in the French Mediterranean air that encourages certain celebrities to break away from the norm and show a bit of personality.
Refreshingly unlikely style choices making multiple appearances this week include leather biker jackets and the most casual of all casualwear - jeans.
Last year, Julia Roberts might have gone barefoot on the red carpet, albeit temporarily, to save her soles from stiletto-induced agony; this year Vanessa Redgrave fully embraced the relaxed spirit and went one step further in a pair of boxfresh white Converse (hero!).
From mullet trains to buzzcuts, here are our wildcard style winners.
1. Biker grove
Giving hope to anyone attending a posh do in Britain this summer who just can’t bring themselves to wear a cardigan, doesn’t really do blazers, and definitely isn’t up for anything resembling a pashmina, Uma Thurman and Elizabeth Moss are an inspiration. Because look! If you can wear a biker jacket on the red carpet at Cannes, you can definitely wear a biker jacket to a wedding.
2. Dressed-up denim
This summer’s top styling trick for instant Nineties cool - wearing a dress over jeans - is not confined to us mere mortals who love its ability to cleverly hide a muffin top. Kendall Jenner wore what was essentially a cropped corset with a long train over her denim cut-offs (of COURSE she did!), but Marion Cotillard’s loose, long Y/Project dress over boyfriends was a look we are, as normal humans, much more on board with.
3. Red and green should always be seen
While yellow might have been touted as the colour of the season on the catwalk, another shade you might have noticed everywhere on the high street this summer - especially if you’ve made a recent trip to COS - is green. Tricky to wear but far cooler than black when you hit exactly the right shade, we spotted Jessica Chastain in apple-green Dior (red heads and green: always a winner), Tilda Swinton in mint Haider Ackermann, and Julianne Moore in emerald Sonia Rykiel.
4. Mullet mania
Although we wouldn’t put it past Kendall Jenner to get her hair cut into a Glenn Hoddle-style mullet as some kind of publicity stunt, what we’re actually talking about here are dresses that are micro-mini short at the front and super-long at the back. Perfect for young whipper-snappers such as Ms Jenner and Kate Moss’s little sister Lottie, who are keen to show off their armpit-length legs and look like they’re going out partying at The Ned, while still keeping on the right side of red-carpet glamour.
5. Return of the back
We don’t reckon bras were top of the celebrity stylists’ packing list this year in Cannes - let alone the restricting shapewear often associated with red-carpet dressing - though nipple covers and tit tape almost definitely were an essential. Bella Hadid, Stacey Martin and the model Sara Sampaio all opted for completely backless dresses; Elle Fanning’s green Gucci confection was verging on being frontless, too.
6. Basically a wedding dress
Bucking the trend for the laid-back look on the red carpet, we had to give the bridal brigade a nod - for wedding-dress inspo if nothing else. Taking duchess satin meringues to a whole new level were Elle Fanning in Vivienne Westwood Couture and Rihanna, whose Dior Haute Couture dress and frock coat got the pop-star treatment with the addition of totally necessary-for-an-evening-event sunnies.
7. A close shave
For those who dare, it’s THE celeb haircut of the year, and it was out in force in Cannes. The bleached blonde buzzcut - or in Michelle Williams’ case, the “I didn’t quite have the nerve to get the clippers out but this is still pretty short, guys!” cut - has never been so popular among A-listers. Kristen Stewart and Cara Delevingne both shaved their heads for roles in films, but with those cheekbones we wouldn’t be surprised if they never grow their long locks back.
Leather jackets to boxfresh kicks: the wildcard style hits in CannesCannes Film FestivalCannesKendall JennerElle FanningUma ThurmanJessica ChastainMarion CotillardKristen StewartJulia RobertsCara DelevingneMichelle WilliamsVanessa RedgraveRihannaTilda SwintonKate MossBella HadidSara SampaioJulianne MooreLeather jackets to boxfresh kicks: the wildcard style winners in Cannes