Best Dressed 2013

Awards season is almost upon us and a tidal wave of red carpet fashion is about to hit. It's without doubt my favourite time of the year, and for me there's nothing better than when everything I love collides over the next few months. It's this combination of film and fashion that inspired me to begin doing Best Dressed lists, focusing primarily on my favourite awards.

Since I started I've become much more aware of what styles I like and which I really don't, which designers I covet, and who I know will always display sartorial excellence. Although I don't do blog posts on them all I'm always glued to reports on premieres, festivals and talk shows not only because of the films and the gossip, but also to scope out the fashion.

It only seems fitting to round off 2013 with a selection of the looks that I've simply adored and the people who just seem to constantly get it right fashion-wise over the last twelve months.

Honourable mentions:

CARA DELEVINGNE

'The Great Gatsby' film premiere, Cannes

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.instyle.co.uk)

Personally I'm really not a fan of Delevingne's style at all, but thought she looked simply amazing at Cannes this year in floor-length black Burberry. This look screams classic Hollywood glamour, and I just wish she'd dress like this more often (although admittedly it's not the most practical of looks...).

SIENNA MILLER

Met Ball

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.instyle.co.uk)

Leather. Studs. Burberry. Let's face it: what's not to like?

OLIVIA WILDE

'Drinking Buddies' film premiere

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.glamourmagazine.co.uk)

Opinion was divided over Wilde's combination of a Bruce Springsteen t-shirt paired with a black asymmetrical Robert Rodriguez skirt, Smythson envelope clutch and Jimmy Choos. Despite being a red carpet event, it was an altogether more casual affair due to the film itself. For some reason I thought this look worked. Oddly daring, and I loved it.


Others who also looked good in 2013: Alexa Chung, Fan Bing Bing, Tom Hiddleston, Helen Mirren, Martin Freeman, Miranda Kerr, Solange Knowles, Michelle Dockery, Zachary Quinto, Jessica Chastain, Beyoncé, Justin Timberlake, Natalie Portman and Emma Watson.


So, here it is, my top 10 Best Dressed of 2013:

10. LUPITA NYONG'O

'12 Years a Slave' film premiere, Toronto International Film Festival

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM uk.eonline.com)

Thanks to her critically acclaimed performance in 12 Years a Slave (that I'm dying to see!) Nyong'o has been catapulted into the public eye, and she's shown a really propinquity for red carpet dressing. Wearing head-to-toe Prada at the TIFF, Nyong'o looked stunning and propelled herself to the top of numerous festival Best Dressed lists. At the moment she appears unable to put a foot wrong, which bodes very well for the future indeed.

9. EDDIE REDMAYNE

'Les Misérables' Paris film premiere

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.gq-magazine.co.uk)

Redmayne consistently seems to outdo himself on every red carpet he's been on this year, and he really hit the ground running with this camel multi-flek Topman suit and herringbone skinny tie in February. He looks effortlessly at home in Burberry, knows the value of a well-cut suit and layers like a champion, making him one to continue to watch in 2014.

8. AMY ADAMS

'Her' film premiere

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.vogue.co.uk)

I simply adore Adams, and think she scored a fashion hit once more with this Lanvin dress, Louboutin heels and David Yurman & Neil Lane jewellery. Very simple but very effective.

7. CAREY MULLIGAN

'Inside Llewyn Davis' film premiere, Cannes

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.instyle.com)

I found it tough to chose between Mulligan's Dior at Cannes or Balenciaga at the Met Ball, but it's this Vionnet gown and Brian Atwood heels at Cannes that won my vote. The simplicity of the cut and clean monochrome lines landed this look on the list. It's a dress that once again displayed Mulligan's knack for elegant yet understated red carpet dressing.

6. TINIE TEMPAH

Private dinner, London Collections: Men

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.londoncollections.co.uk)

Tinie Tempah's Britain's most stylish rapper, #6 on this year's GQ Best Dressed and has demonstrated numerous brilliant looks throughout 2013 that made it decidedly difficult to pick just one! Looking dapper he ended his London Collections: Men tour this spring with this colour-popping Paul Smith suit. The colour blocking and slim fit of the suit is striking, simple and totally stunning.

5. THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE

'Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom' film premiere

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.instyle.co.uk)

I utterly adore the British royal family, but as much as I love the Duchess of Cambridge I'm coming to the conclusion that fashion-wise she has significantly more misses than hits. At formal engagements she seems to dress for a woman twice her age, and although royal protocol may dictate she dresses in a certain manner, there's really no excuse for some of her outfits. When she does get it right, however, she looks stunning, as seen at the Mandela: Long Walk to Freedom premiere. The Duchess has now worn this Roland Mouret gown a couple of times, and quite rightly too - it looks beautiful, and despite being mostly conservative (ticking the royal boxes) it's sleek, modern and on-trend.

4. IDRIS ELBA

Harper's Bazaar Woman of the Year Awards

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.pausemag.co.uk)

Does Idris Elba actually age? He seems younger at every event and never fails to look incredible. Elba really knows how to wear a suit - be it in bold colours or classic black - and he carries off outerwear like no other. Recently he wore this AMAZING blue Gucci coat to the Harper's Bazaar Women of the Year awards, where he - quite rightly - took home the 'Man of the Year' award.

3. JENNIFER LAWRENCE

Oscars

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.uk.lifestyle.yahoo.com)

JLaw really has had an incredible year. Thanks to an awards season that she completely dominated, followed by numerous press calls and red carpets for The Hunger Games: Catching Fire and American Hustle, the world has been treated to an endless roll call of fantastic looks. Honestly, this isn't my favourite outfit of hers this year (that would be her Calvin Klein Collection gown to the Vanity Fair Party), but it would be unfair not to include it as only Dior could make falling up a set of steps look so glamourous.

(Fake Dior advert SOURCED FROM www.entertainmentwise.com)

2. KERRY WASHINGTON

'Django Unchained' film premiere

(IMAGE SOURCED FROM www.tomandlorenzo.com)

Washington has looked outstanding on every red carpet she's graced with her presence this year, so I picking just one look was almost impossible! She topped Vanity Fair's prestigious annual Best Dressed list this year after a continual display of outstanding style. Sporting coral Miu Miu at the Oscars; monochrome Wes Gordon at the White House Correspondent's Dinner and bold colour-blocking Oscar de la Renta at the N.A.A.C.P. Image Awards she's shown there's nothing she can't look good in. My favourite look, however, has to be this beautiful Giles number at the London premiere of must-see film Django Unchained. The horse print, bustled back and pristine white Louboutins are complemented to perfection by her berry lipstick and minimal jewellery. This look kicked off a years worth of fashion excellence from Washington, and long may it continue!

1. MARION COTILLARD

Readers of Grazia voted her their Best Dressed too, and I totally agree! Cotillard is incapable of putting a fashion foot wrong, and as her relationship with Dior remains as strong as ever the French actress has been dressed by the fashion house for pretty much every event she's attended this year.

(L-R) 'Blood Ties' film premiere, Cannes; 'Blood Ties' film premiere TIFF; Marrakech International Film Festival

(L-R) BAFTAs; 'The Immigrant' film premiere, Cannes; Golden Globes

Although Cotillard shines in Dior - she's been the face of Lady Dior bags for the past five years and now wears it almost exclusively on the red carpet - there's no doubt that she also looks excellent in other designers too.

(L-R) Zuhair Murad @ Critics' Choice Awards; Erdem @ BAFTA LA Tea Party; Alexander McQueen @ 'The Immigrant' photocall, Cannes

(ALL IMAGES SOURCED FROM www.graziadaily.co.uk)

Cotillard is relatively skilled at staying under the radar and is very rarely photographed outside of official events, which makes it even more special and more than a little exciting to see her sartorial triumphs on the red carpet. She holds herself with a quintessential French chicness and elegance, and for me, that makes her fully deserving of the top spot on this list!


So, do you agree? Are there any people or looks you think should have made the list? Let me know in the comments below!


Looking over my top 10 I think it's safe to say I love monochrome and have a bit of an issue with the rest of the spectrum of colours… Perhaps this hints at a New Year's resolution for me: to try and write a Best Dressed list this time next year that isn't based primarily on two colours?! We'll just have to wait and see...