Shades of Blue

Not everyone sees the world through rose-colored glasses. Take a look at Rod Stewart, Elizabeth Hurley, Johnny Depp and other stars who spectate in a different hue—blue. Stylish eyewear with azure lenses "makes the world look very bright," says actress Mena Suvari, who seldom steps out without her baby-blue Christian Dior aviators. "The color is magnificent, and I've gotten so many compliments." Not only is the tint eye-catching, it's also uplifting. "Blue is calming. It inspires confidence," says designer Barbara McReynolds of L.A. Eye-works. And it makes you look good. "Blue lenses flatter everyone," says SEE eyewear founder Richard Golden. "They're not restricted to any gender or hair color."

The lenses do have one limitation: They may not provide optimal protection from the sun. "Save them for indoors or nighttime," advises Golden. "In bright sunlight they're going to make you squint." It's also better to dress down when you're in a blue mood. "They're casual day-wear," says Suvari of the sporty shades. "They can add a funky touch when you're dressing up a bit, but they're not fancy-schmancy."

with Alison Singh Gee in Los Angeles

behind the seams

Sultry brunette Penélope Cruz (now dating Tom Cruise [see story on page 68]) thought putting blonde streaks in her locks would be a good idea. Wrong! Displeased with the results, Cruz put out an SOS to Beverly Hills colorist Tina Cassaday, known for her natural hair-color fix-it potions. Her prescription? A good-enough-to-eat concoction that included coffee, cinnamon and maple syrup, which gave Cruz's tresses a fetching reddish hue....

Catherine Zeta-Jones was sporting hipster go-go boots when she swept into chichi West Hollywood furniture showroom PierceMartin recently, but the America's Sweethearts star soon shed her funky footwear. Planning to order hand-woven Philippine carpeting for her family's vacation spread in Bermuda, the actress worried that the $100-a-sq.-ft. floor covering might be too rough on the tender tootsies of 11-month-old son Dylan. After a barefoot tryout, Zeta-Jones concluded that the carpet passed the softness test....

Keen on treating herself to a gift for her 21st birthday on July 20, Gisele Bündchen strolled into the Beverly Hills Ltd. Mercedes-Benz dealership and splurged on an $80,000 CLK Cabriolet convertible, complete with leather interior. The übermodel's guy, Leonardo DiCaprio, tagged along and gave a thumbs-up to her color choice: cool steel gray inside and out....

At Christian Dior's couture show in Paris, Rosanna Arquette told me she's a model citizen. After giddily revealing that she treated herself to a spree at Dior while in the City of Lights, the actress quickly declared, "I claim everything at Customs. I'm an honest girl!" Included in her haul: Dior's red-and-white Trailer Bag and J'Adore Dior T-shirts in a slew of colors....

Seen: Matt Damon, lunching at L.A.'s Highland Grounds with four young ladies and looking like a preppy poster boy in a gray crew-neck sweater, jeans and New York Yankees baseball cap.

presto change-o
There oughta be a law! It was surprise enough that Legally Blonde star Reese Witherspoon showed up at the film's L.A. premiere with her shoulder-length locks cut short. "It's a shaggy bob," says L.A. hairstylist Chris McMillan, who did the honors. "She wanted a more current look than your stereotypical legally blonde hair." But what's hubby Ryan Philippe's excuse? "He did it for himself," says a spokesperson of the actor's new Mohawk. Stylist Brenda Cooper, for one, objects. "He was so cute!" she says. "But the great thing is, it grows back."

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