Anne Hathaway, Julie Bowen and Dakota Fanning in Winter White Wins and Fails

Julie Bowen, Anne Hathaway, and more celebs prove winter white is a tricky fashion decision.

By Jessie Rosen Jan 07, 2013 8:55 PMTags
Julie BowenPaul A. Hebert/Getty Images

Among the moves that make a fashion stylist shiver is the dreaded choice of winter white. Chilly air and pale skin are rarely a match made in red carpet heaven, as the following stars prove with their bold choices in the cold weather color department.

Win: Julie Bowen gets an A+ for following one of the golden rules of winter white: Tint it with a hint of another color. In this case, Bowen's asymmetrical stunner has a light gray tone tricking the eye from seeing stark white.

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Fail: Here Cate Blanchett looks a little too much like she's covered in a layer of thickly packed snow. In terms of the weight of a winter white fabric, less is always more to avoid abominable snowwoman status.

Han Myung-Gu/WireImage

Win: This white lace mini is a win for Dakota Fanning on two accounts. First, the lace fabric breaks up the white against the skin, then the flowing layers on both top and skirt give depth to the look, making it appear as though multiple colors are at play.

Stuart Wilson/Getty Images

Undecided: There's no doubt that Anne Hathaway deserves kudos for this bold fashion choice, winter white or not. Here the issue is more the form-fitting style in this color. The way it sits so snuggly against her creamy skin tone makes for a tricky contrast. On the other hand, the pearl beading throughout adds a gorgeous element to help downplay the white. 

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