Penelope Cruz, Diane Kruger and Emma Stone Step Out in Lace on the Red Carpet

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Lace has been a big trend for a few years now, but we have to admit, it's usually black lace - and while there's no bad black lace (just like there's no bad pizza or bad sex, really, when it comes down to it), it is just a tiny bit tired. Come November, we'll probably feel differently. But having seen plum lace, fuschia lace and white lace with floral tearing down the red carpet this week, we feel rather alive and inspired again: it's a brand new way to wear lace, and it looks really fresh.

Penelope Cruz, who's been turning up in all sorts of great looks to promote To Rome With Love, picked a plum - or brown - or deep wine - or aubergine - depending on how you look at it - tight lace Emilio Pucci pre-fall dress for the New York premier of the Woody Allen film - and looked practically Sicilian in this super tight stunner that was really flattering to her hair and skin tones. Nothing like a brunette in chocolate. Dolce & Gabbana - eat your hearts out. (This dress is very reminiscent of what they do, actually.)

At the NHL Awards in Vegas - a rather odd place for Diane Kruger to turn up - the possibly best-dressed actress in the world post-Cannes (remember: she says she has no stylist) wore an Alessandra Rich spring 2012 wildly interesting look - a black top with a fuchsia and gold long lace skirt over a short burgundy skirt. While the combo of long and short skirts has definitely been a big trend this summer - we saw a lot of it in Cannes - this is a very different way to wear it. We've seen short slips under long chiffon pleated skirts - not peek a boo lace skirts in bright colors. Go, Kruger, go. You go dressed well, girl!

And the always-chic Emma Stone even upped her own ante in this white fall 2012 Dolce & Gabbana (the kings of clingy lace) cocktail sheath with bright florals up and down the sides. Spider-Man is one lucky guy - and he seems to know it. However, we have to admit Andrew Garfield is this summer's best dressed actor. Last summer, it was Ryan Gosling.