colorblocking

Over Easter weekend, Jessica Alba supplied us with not one, but two fabulous looks to mimic all Spring. First, while grabbing lunch with her family in West Hollywood, she punched up her white Sanctuary jacket with a pair of bright green pants, then added an on-trend pair of mirrored sunglasses and equally eye-catching metallic flats. For Easter Sunday, Alba ditched the brights for a pastel ensemble. She colorblocked a coral blazer with pistachio-green trousers, then added a ruffled white blouse, a white tote bag, and nude pumps. Whether you prefer bright hues or you're looking to get in on Spring's pastel trend, we have all the Jessica Alba-approved styling fodder below — just shop our editors' picks to channel Jessica's latest (times two!). Then be sure to catch all of Alba's latest street style snaps for more fashion fun.

Karolina Kurkova showed off two fabulous looks at a Swiss bash last night, but it was her red-and-blue ensemble that made our colorblock-loving hearts skip a beat. The supermodel started with a silky red button-down and red leather pants — both by Joseph — which was a bold pairing on its own — then things got even more thrilling when she finished off with unexpected cobalt pumps. It makes us want to fuse red and blue, pronto. Only caveat? How to work the palette without looking like you're dressed for the Fourth of July. I know what you're thinking — it's easy for a svelte model to pull this look off, but can I? Yes, you can; just keep these tips and trick in tow to make it work:

• It takes a certain amount of confidence to wear brights like this, but once you've nailed that, that's half the battle.
• Once you've faced your daring side, make sure to limit your look to only red and blue. Read: under no circumstance should you throw in white in the mix (unless of course it is actually July 4).
• Keep it simple. While you might be able to get away with injecting a little black, you'll lose the dramatic (and chic!) effect that the red and blue contrast creates when you add more colors to the ensemble. If you don't love Karolina's exact outfit, you can experiment with other combinations: blue top with red pants, red blazer with cobalt jeans, blue dress with red shoe — the options are limitless and the effects are sure to be just as strong. To get you started, we've picked our favorite red-and-blue pairings below, just shop to channel Karolina's bold look.

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Kate Beckinsale nailed the colorblocking trend by tucking a coral tank into a blue pencil skirt, both by Diane von Furstenberg, then adding a little edge via spiked Christian Louboutin pumps while promoting her new movie Total Recall in Ireland. The brunette beauty accessorized her brights with celebrity-approved white sunglasses, Melinda Maria drop pyramid earrings ($80) — available for pre-order — and a high ponytail. Re-create Kate's bright colorblock ensemble with a coral tank, blue pencil skirt, and embellished pumps for a professional, yet playful look.

Mad Men's Christina Hendricks posed on the 2012 Outfest red carpet in Hollywood showing off a hot new colorblock: mint green with bright orange. Her pants clearly did all the attention grabbing, but her Corey Lynn Calter honeycomb beaded clutch ($123) definitely stood out, too. It added a much-needed print to her solid ensemble, and it can do the same for you. If you're in need of a fun clutch to spice up your looks, consider adding Christina's to your mix. You can carry it with everything from all-black outfits so it takes center stage to a printed dress for a mixed-prints effect to jeans to dress them up. And the fact that it's beaded makes it fun to hold on to.