Your morning fashion and beauty report: Salma Hayek channels lady Gaga in Gucci at Cannes Film Festival

Some observers are calling the Gucci dress Salma Hayek wore on the opening day of the Cannes Film Festival "wacky." Maybe she was channeling her inner Lady Gaga. Although it actually wan't as over the top as anything Lady G wears to the supermarket. Still, the strapless orange leather frock with matching floral bolero was definitely eyecatching. That must have been the point -- her billionaire husband François-Henri Pinault is the CEO of PPR, the company that owns Gucci. [Daily Mail] 

And Uma Thurman drew attention when she was spotted arriving in Cannes on Tuesday clad in an indigo silk Louis Vuitton, spattered in a large red floral motif. [Telegraph]

It's not just Catherine Duchess of Cambridge's wedding dress that is sparking copycat sales. Fashionistas of all ages are clamoring for handbags like the Launer London cream leather one her new mum-in-law Queen Elizabeth II carried to Westminster Abbey for the nuptials. Launer reports a 60% increase in sales of bags similar to the Queen's since the wedding, with many customers in the 30-50 age bracket. [Telegraph]

And the gray leather Modalu bag sis Pippa Middleton carried when she was photographed leaving her hotel the day after the wedding -- part of an outfit our Jenn Harris featured in her Frugal Fashion column -- sold out within hours. Modalu is scrambling to make more and is taking pre-orders. [StyleList] 

Rachel Zoe showed her resort 2012 collection, her second since launching her contemporary line in January. This one too shows a love for '70s- inspired, tailored pieces. [FabSugar]

Supermodel Kate Moss and the photographers who have snapped her are the focus of an exhibition opening Friday at La Galerie de l’Instant in Paris. More than 25 photos will be displayed from the photographers including Paolo Roversi, Mary McCartney, Bettina Rheims and the late Corinne Day. The show is scheduled to run through Sept. 14. [WWD]

British retailer Topshop, which opened it's first U.S. store in Manhattan in 2009, is readying its second stateside location, in Chicago. [WWD] (Subscription required)

The trinket Paul McCartney gave new fiancee Nancy Shevelle to declare his intentions is a rare 5-plus-carat diamond, Art Deco ring from Neil Lane’s archival collection. The round, central diamond is set in platinum and the ring has strips of black onyx along the sides. [People]

-- Susan Denley

Photo: Queen Elizabeth II always has a handbag on her arm, and this one set off a clamor among coveters. Credit: Reuters

 

Your Stylist: Seeing Spots – Polka dots are the season’s happiest print

Resident Image stylist and market editor Melissa Magsaysay soothes your sartorial woes in the weekly Your Stylist blog column

 
In this installment of Your Stylist we talk about a major trend from the resort season and one of my all-time favorite prints -- polka dots. The happy little dots with an upbeat 1950s appeal cover dresses, skirts and bathing suits from a bunch of resort collections ranging from high-end to contemporary.

Perhaps the most intense example of the trend is from the Miu Miu resort 2011 line, which incorporates spots in a glam baby doll kind of way. The generally goodie-two-shoes print looks sexy on long slinky dresses and scoopneck sweaters.

Marc Jacobs also incorporated the print into his resort collection, yet in a sweet and sophisticated kind of way. His dots were spaced out fairly far apart and smattered on scallop neck mini dresses and tiered skirts with thick white piping. Alice + Olivia’s Stacey Bendet put really big black dots on a retro style bathing suit that made the pattern even more graphic than usual.

Though a polka dot pattern generally has an overtly sweet and feminine appeal, they can look sharp and edgy if worn the right way. Try wearing a medium-sized to larger-sized dot rather than something with a ton of super tiny polka dots. Smaller dots tend to look more Minnie Mouse or Betty Boop, which unless you’re deliberately going for a pinup look should be worn as a chic blouse or sweater. A skirt with small dots can start to look cartoonish if you’re not careful.

A great polka dot staple is this button down black and ivory blouse from Equipment. It’s got a more modern appeal and would look great tucked into a pair of flare leg jeans or trousers.

Just like stripes, polka dots can be a dizzying trend to try and pull off. Think of them as a quirky touch that can take an outfit from everyday to eclectic, if mixed with vintage items or silhouettes. Or they can be very fresh and modern when worn with sleek and minimal items such as long and lean trousers or under a tailored black blazer.

Polka dots work for all ages, just try and stay out of cartoon territory and stick to items such as sweaters, '40s-style dresses and feminine blouses, rather than miniskirts, leggings or tights.

Send your style queries to melissa.magsaysay@latimes.com

-- Melissa Magsaysay

Photos: (Top) Miu Miu Resort 2011. Credit: Miu Miu.  (Middle) Equipment Fan Fare polka dot blouse $218 at Ron Herman. (Bottom) Moschino Resort 2011. Credit: style.com