Prep Schooled
Remember the '80s outburst of country-club chic—polo shirts, khakis, straw bags? It's back in full gear, as stars like Matthew Broderick and Natalie Portman jettison fad fashions for yet another round of classic American style. The neopreppy look, says Lisa Birnbach, author of 1980's The Official Preppy Handbook, "is reusing in a chic way things you had or inherited. People understand it. They already have items of this look in their wardrobe." The twist, says Robert Burke, senior fashion director at Bergdorf Goodman, is that "people are taking preppy staples and putting them with edgier items." Christie Brinkley agrees. "When you throw it on, it all pretty much works together." she says. "If it's done right," adds Lilly Pulitzer president Jim Bradbeer, "it shows that you have a sense of style but you like to have some fun with it. It's a little bit of an 'I get it!' "
with Mary Green and Rebecca Paley in New York City
behind the seams
Footwear fanatic Heather Locklear has succumbed to the boot of the moment, the Flashdance, Hogan's suede ode to the 1980s. But while Angie Harmon and Julia Stiles have already slipped into a pair of the 3-inch-heel boots that look just like leg warmers when they're scrunched (in stores next month), Locklear has one-upped them both. In Hogan's Manhattan boutique recently, she ordered two pairs, one in camel, the other in white. Jennifer Beals would be proud....
Naomi Campbell understands that a glamor girl is always on duty—even at 35,000 feet. Flying from New York City to Milan recently, she went through three hat changes. But the supermodel's really eye-catching accessory was a nose piece resembling a porcine snout. A tribute to Miss Piggy? Nah! According to Campbell, it was a portable humidifier....
When Kate Hudson needed a flirty handbag for her new role as a journalist in the comedy How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days, the costumer zeroed in on a black box purse with green-suede lining, the star of Kate Spade's fall collection. It was, however, sold out. The Kate-Kate teaming happened only after Spade forked over a sample she had kept for herself....
Madonna took face-saving precautions before nestling into her Malibu summer rental. She sent an assistant to nearby Planet Blue to stock up on holistic skin products by L.A.'s Arcona Studio. Her must-have list included Magic Green Ice (a hydrating gel), Toner Tea Bar soap and products from the Mythic Tribe body-care line. Sounds like Mrs. Ritchie might have been getting tips from Ozzy Osbourne, who bought a slew of Arcona products for his wife, Sharon, to use during her chemotherapy.
DOUBLE VISION
It was more than sheer coincidence that Helen Hunt and Heidi Klum were recently spotted in identical Dolce & Gabbana silk chiffon dresses. Although Hunt sported her black frock first, Klum remained un-fazed. "I love that dress," says Klum. "It's romantic and sexy at the same time."
presto change-o
Meadow a blonde? Not exactly. Sopranos star Jamie-Lynn Sigler did bleach her hair for her role as a cheerleader in the movie Goddess, but, she says, "I'm a brunette at heart. My family," she adds, "says, 'It's okay'—that means 'Change it back!' "
winner's circle
Blue Crush star Michelle Rodriguez merited a wave of applause for the Dolce & Gabbana dress and Diavolina sandals she chose for the film's L.A. premiere. "She wanted to look fresh and summery," says her stylist Jessica Paster. "Everybody thought she looked beautiful."
Highly Decorated
Turning your body into an ambulatory equivalent of the Sistine Chapel's ceiling need no longer involve needles and pain. Realistic as they appear, those 29 tattoos Vin Diesel sports in XXX aren't real—they're hand-painted adhesive designs by Christien Tinsley, founder of L.A.'s Tinsley Transfers. The taped-on tattoos "help to create a character," says Diesel. And, says Tinsley, who has also worked on Pearl Harbor and Ocean's Eleven, they make "time-consuming alcohol-and-makeup tattoos virtually obsolete." Fortunately for the fickle of heart, these tattoos can be removed with baby oil and last just a few days. "They stay on," says Tinsley, "only until you want them off."
Cord in the Act!
Denim won't dominate on TV this fall. Top costumers are scooping up distressed corduroys by Bella Dahl ($125 to $140). "They look broken in, but there's a current cut and look," says Rachael Stanley, who bought some for Sabrina the Teenage Witch's Melissa Joan Hart. Lori Eskowitz-Carter chose rust ones for Will & Grace's Debra Messing. They go with her hair, the stylist says, and "make you have a really good butt."
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