The Scoop on Julianne Hough's Ethereal Look on Last Night's Dancing with the Stars

Julianne Hough isn’t afraid to throw caution to the wind when it comes to red carpet dressing—and it works. For the Season 21 premiere of Dancing with the Stars last week, the blonde beauty and judge gleamed in a bright teal Christian Siriano dress, and for this past weekend’s Emmy Awards, Hough sported a black Marchesa gown that while moderate in color, brought plenty of sex appeal with midriff-baring cutouts and a floor-length sheer train. The star seems prepared to bring her fashion A-game to this season of the hit reality competition show, and last night’s DWTS look was no exception.

Dressed in a plush silk chiffon Leanne Marshall gown with floral-like black embellishments across the bust and matching Stuart Weitzman pumps, Hough displayed her affinity for color on the show’s second week kick-off. “After last week’s structured, very full gown, this felt like the perfect next chapter in our story,” she told us. “I adore the off-the-shoulder romantic vibe and this deep burgundy hue is to die for!”

The former Safe Haven and Footloose actress was photographed playing and twirling with the gown’s endless train on the carpet, but a supportive team of experts helped her achieve the elegant display. Before filming began, Hough patiently sat in the hair and makeup chair while her go-to hairstylist Riawna Capri began forming her hair into an ethereal crown braid (below). "Jules and I have been doing braids for the past five-plus years, so doing a braid always makes me think extra hard of how to make it different than anything we've done before," Capri told us. "So yesterday I decided to create a masterpiece using only rope braids and that's what I did and we loved it!"

After her freshly pampered locks were treated, she of course took a moment to relax and cuddle with Harley and Lexi, her eager, adorable pups.

Next, Hough took matters into her own hands and dazzled her ears with a set of deep maroon D’Orazio jewels that not only complemented her similarly-toned lip, but also brought out her natural blue eye color. So what was the inspiration for her full ensemble? “This dress is so romantic and sexy. The deep plum color and the black beading really gives it a rich and sultry feel,” Anita Patrickson, her stylist, told us. “The layer upon later of chiffon will be so fun for Jules to wear and they just float so beautifully when she moves. Off-the-shoulder pieces are very on trend now, so it’s a fun, fashion-y nod as well!”

Before it was time to make her debut for the evening, Hough once more returned to her trailer, where Capri (above, center) applied a final layer of hairspray and her makeup artist Spencer Barnes (above, right) added the finishing touches. Yes, the dress itself was gorgeous, but the beauty results led to a stunning mixture of TV-ready glamour and elegant ease.

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