Peplum Dresses

Salma Hayek totally fit the part of fine-art patron, wearing a chic Bottega Veneta peplum dress to an event at Christie's in NYC. Her dress caught our eye first, but the power of great accessories really helped bring Salma's look to life. How did she do it? The actress jazzed up her neckline with a jeweled bib necklace, then added a metallic-purple woven Bottega Veneta clutch and metallic-gray peep-toe pumps for further shine. With Spring weather allowing for more skin-revealing styles come evening, we think this is the perfect example of night-out polish without too much effort. Start with an equally sleek peplum dress — here's one we love by Winter Kate ($155) — and just pile on the right accessories. Easy enough, right? Shop our editors' picks below.

Selena Gomez dazzled in a pristine lace and peplum Giambattista Valli dress at the 2012 Glamour Women of the Year Awards at Carnegie Hall in NYC last night. The brunette beauty paired her ladylike number with patent Rupert Sanderson pumps, a mirrored Judith Leiber clutch, and a stunning Graziela cocktail ring ($2,660), then completed her streamlined look with an effortless updo and au natural makeup. It was a big night for the young starlet, who accepted her Independent Spirit honor alongside some of the most powerful ladies in the industry. Re-create Selena's flirty and feminine look with a lace peplum top, slit pencil skirt, and blush patent pumps for your next special fete.

As the star of the new movie, Fun Size, we would expect nothing less than a dazzling dress from Victoria Justice, and the actress didn't disappoint working a stunning yellow Versace number for the LA premiere. She styled her single structured peplum mini with black suede pointed pumps and teardrop earrings, then sprinkled a dash of contrasting color via red lipstick and matching nail polish. Peplum was a huge trend this year, but we particularly like the unique structure of Victoria's sunny sheath. Work a yellow peplum dress with black suede pumps and red accents to nail Victoria's glam-girl look.

When it comes to cocktail wear, celebrities have been feeling sheer black peplum dresses lately. Kate Walsh wore a knee-length Stella McCartney version to the LA premiere of The Perks of Being a Wallflower, Selita Ebanks sported the same dress at a red-carpet event in Las Vegas, and Liv Tyler donned a dotted Stella McCartney peplum number at a party in NYC. While their exact designer dresses are not available online, we have handpicked our favorite sheer peplum dresses so you can get the part sweet, part sassy look for your next fabulous soiree.

Kim Kardashian took to the streets of Paris wearing a nude plunging peplum dress with black patent multistrap sandals, but what took her sweet peplum to edgy territories was the chunky silver chain-link Celine necklace. We're all about fashion opposites here, and that's why we admire Kim's edgy-slash-sweet styling. So the next time you're sporting a girlie peplum dress, consider injecting a touch of masculine via a chunky chain necklace. It can be silver or gold depending on the color of your dress. To get started on this Kim-inspired styling, shop our favorite peplum-dress-with-chunky-chain-necklace pairings below.

Many stars looked flawless at the 2012 MTV Movie Awards, but Charlize Theron stole the show in her red peplum Lanvin dress and gold Jimmy Choo Lance sandals, a Hollywood favorite. The combination of the vibrant hue, sleek silhouette, and sweet peplum detail made the actress stand out even on the matching red carpet. We also love that Charlize kept her Cartier jewels to a minimum, allowing her dress to take center stage. If you have a fabulous soiree coming up, channel Charlize at the MTV Movie Awards by getting this C. Luce peplum minidress ($69) or this Aryn K. strapless peplum dress ($94). Add a pair of Charlize's exact Jimmy Choo Lance sandals ($695) in gold or silver, simple diamond stud earrings, and a single bangle, and you're good to shine the night away.