December is here, and what a fabulous year it has been for fashion. The summer/spring fashion featured bright and electric colours as seen in fashion shows. Thankfully, fashion's palette has moved on from summer's acid brights and paintbox pops of colour into the sumptuous realm of jewel tones for autumn/winter 2011-12.

Jewel tones are rich colour tones that resemble well known gemstones, both precious and semi-precious. With names like amethyst, sapphire, emerald, ruby, garnet and citrine, these hues have the power to make you feel wealthy and sophisticated.

Typically, jewel tones have a high level of colour saturation, which makes them very dynamic and distinctive.  Many colours in this palette have traditional or religious significance, and they often appear in works of art.

If you want to know how to inject some instant joie de vivre into your winter wardrobe, then the answer is simple. Be brave and leave your LBD behind this party season, in favour of bold jewel-tone dresses. Team them with some shimmering gold or platinum jewellery and sparkle in style. These colours are not only guaranteed to lift your fashionable looks, but also your mood. They also look stunning against any skin tone.

These gorgeous bright colours are perfect to enliven a dull winters day. Some examples of jewel tones include emerald green, amethyst purple, ruby red, topaz yellow, sapphire blue, tourmaline green, and turquoise blue.

In textiles, jewel tones can create a very lush look, especially when they are layered or paired with other jewel tones. Complimentary jewel tones like amethyst purple and topaz yellow can be used for a particularly vibrant effect.

Don’t forget to accessorize your gemstone coloured outfits with some jewellery and other accessories to complete that glamorous look.