Shops are full of red dresses this year, so should you be tempted to trade in your LBD for an LRD? It’s a colour that radiates energy and sexiness, but that can all be wrecked if the style doesn’t suit you. We asked Kate Battersby to try six looks to see which work — and which absolutely don’t. Scroll down for video . I LOOK SO OLD IN THIS! Dress, £270, Gina Bacconi at johnlewis.com . Shoes, £485, biondacastana.com . Lace may be back in fashion, but to me it’s unfailingly ageing. The unattractive shade of orangey-red is made worse by the colour of the underslip — a queasy pale peach. Its weight suggests that it’s reinforced concrete and while thick fabric can smooth problem areas, here it bulges at the waist. The shallow V-neck doesn’t enhance my bust, the sash creates matronliness and the asymmetric lace around the neckline looks torn. 0/5 . IT COULD BE DESIGNER . Dress, £150, Adrianna Papell at johnlewis.com . Sandals, £255, lucychoilondon.com . The lipstick red shade complements pale and deeper skin tones. The ruched style is reminiscent of Herve Leger’s famous bandage dresses, insofar as the fabric stretches to flatter just where it’s needed. My 36DD bust means that a bateau neckline usually creates a gigantic shelf of bosom, but the sheer panel on this stylish dress is an ingenious solution. 4/5 . FIGURE-HUGGING FAILSAFE . Dress, £89, divacatwalk.com . Sandals, £395, carlopazolini.com . Several celebs turn to this British brand’s curve-hugging designs, with Nigella Lawson a devotee. This dress looks great on the hanger and I can’t wait to try it on. The fit is divine and the dress feels marvellous. The hourglass silhouette has me embracing my inner Joan Holloway from Mad Men. 4/5 . TOTAL KNOCKOUT . Dress, £265, thefoldlondon.com . Shoes, £575, biondacastana.com . It is difficult to overstate how utterly horrible this looks on the hanger — a drearily shapeless, nondescript sack. Imagine my amazement at the transformation once it’s on. The fit is great, with a length that does wonders for your legs, and the cowl neck provides just enough detail to prevent my bust from creating a vista of bare chest. 4/5 . ONE-SHOULDER SUPERSTAR . Dress, £189, gorgeouscouture.com . A floor-length gown is not top of my must-haves. But it’s always good to have a dress in the wardrobe that makes you feel a knockout. One-shoulder designs create glamour, and in this case the broader band of fabric at the shoulder flatters the exposed arm. Draping and ruching will flatter any figure, and the dress is helped by a body- hugging underslip. ‘Very Michelle Obama,’ said an onlooker. 5/5 . CRIMSON NIGHTMARE . Dress, £48, asos.com . Heels, £195, lkbennett.com . First the good news: this crimson colour scores highly for drama, no matter what your skin tone or hair colour. Next, the fit, which is fabulous over my hips and waist, but less so in the bodice. In my case another reason to fear the ultra-plunge neckline is that sensitive skins can become blotchy in the decolletage area when we are too hot. In any case, there is so much going on it’s easy to be drowned in all the detail. 2/5 .
The shops are full of red dresses in all shapes and shades this year .
So, is it time to switch from our trusty LBDs to a LRD for the summer?
Kate Battersby tried six red looks to see which work and which don't .