Camera Ready: Jessica Chastain goes bold and bright

Jessica Chastain’s yearlong fashion parade — from the release of seven films in 2011 and the attendant press junkets and premieres — shows that the actress favors feminine frocks with strong punches of color, such as teal, violet and crimson.

But Chastain’s most striking look so far is the bold yellow Zac Posen gown she wore at the Cannes Film Festival, which, with its structured bodice, tiered skirt and vibrant hue, popped against the red carpet-covered stairs like a spray of sunshine. Flanked by her “Tree of Life” costars Sean Penn and Brad Pitt, the actress glowed in the zesty yellow, which complemented her fair skin and ginger hair, rather than being overpowering, as one might expect.

“I like the juxtaposition of deconstructed glamour with the bright neon yellow,” Posen says of the dress he created.

While she’s worn a wide swath of juicy hues, Chastain steers clear of strong prints, overwrought construction and piled-on baubles, helping her exude a sense of fresh glamour by keeping her silhouette simple and the color solid.

For designers, she turns to masters of the classic and ultra feminine: Oscar de la Renta for a ruffle front, plum-colored strapless gown at the L.A premiere of “The Help,” an embroidered lace gown by Elie Saab at the Venice Film Festival and a one-shouldered teal-and-chartreuse mermaid-shaped Roland Mouret dress for the L.A premiere of “The Tree of Life.”

—Melissa Magsaysay