Celebrity Style

Above right: Shrunken flannel shirt at Urban Outfitters, $48
The plaid shirt is a must-have for fall, and I think Elle Macpherson does a nice job of showing us exactly how to wear this tartan trend: Layer it over a fitted tee, pair it with a statement-making belt, and turn up the cuffs on those jeans of yours to show off some smashing, high-heeled boots. Elle's oversized black shades and purse lend a touch of glamour for a sort of grunge-meets-uptown chic.

Did I mention EVERY single store known to man has plaid shirts these days? Here are a few of my favorites to help you get started...

[1] Buffalo plaid shirt at Newport-News.com, $14
[2] Embroidered Rose Plaid Shirt at Forever21.com, $24.80
[3] Camden Tartan Shirt at L.L.Bean, $39.50
[4] Angie Belted Plaid Shirt at Macy's, Was $38 Now $26.60
[5] Highland Check shirt at Topshop.com, $55
[6] Kimchi Blue Pintuck Plaid Shirt at UrbanOutfitters.com, $58
[7] Plaid shirt at VictoriasSecret.com, $58
[8] Long sleeve flannel shirt at Land's End, $24.80

Watching Full House as a kid, I never would have guessed that Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen would some day become the style icons that they have grown to be. But in retrospect, it makes sense. The twins are endearing. Their personal sense of style, love it or leave it, inspires reactions both good and bad. Don't tell me they earn so much that they should look "better" than they do - a complaint I often hear - they are people, just like you and I, and they're entitled to express themselves however they see fit. Personally, I rather enjoy their irreverent approach to fashion, money be damned. Which isn't to say they don't wear designer duds, head to toe, most days... because they do.

But I digress. The stars have ventured into the designing end of the fashion world, and I can't blame them, because if I had their money, that is precisely what I'd do. Design. They don't design so much as pull together pieces of a certain genre, mood and spirit but they do it well. Elizabeth and James is a collaborative effort by both sisters yet, as Mary-Kate tells InStyle in the September 2008 issue, it's really her brainchild. Named after the twins' sister and brother, Elizabeth and James is "more accessible, contemporary and playful" than their other designer line, The Row, says MK. I appreciate very much the play of yin and yang, masculine and feminine, hard and soft that resonates throughout the Elizabeth and James collection.

Above left, this Elizabeth and James plaid poncho really speaks to Fall and I'd love to own it. At $695.00, I'm forced to find cheaper sartorial pastures from which to graze, which leads us to the Silence & Noise Buffalo Poncho on the right. At $68, you can embody the Elizabeth and James uber-cool vibe without spending a fortune.

Ponchos, plaid, celebrity designers...what do you have to say?

Left: Elizabeth and James plaid Olivia Poncho at Shopbop.com, $695.00
Right: Silence & Noise Buffalo Poncho at Urbanoutfitters.com, $68

Well, well, well. Look at which A-list actress loves her some bargain fashion! Yes, Katie "Peg-Leg" Holmes was seen on September 9th entering her "All My Sons" rehearsals in NYC wearing the City Style Plaid Trench by New York & Company. Many of you should be delighted to see that the trend-setter selected this jacket, with it's figure-flattering, feminine cinched waist, AND she decided to forego her slouchy, boyfriend jeans and the rolled cuff which you all seemed to despise, and instead tucked her classic denim into amazing equestrian style boots. We love plaid, and we love the prices at NY & Co. so really, what's not to love?

Are you joining the love-fest or what?

[1] Steve Madden Sunglasses at BonTon.com, $24
[2] City Style Plaid Trench at NYandCompany.com, Was $74.95 Now $52.46
[3] Simply Vera Vera Wang Tie-Neck Blouse at Kohls.com, Was $54, Now $32
[4] a.n.a. Braided Hobo at JCPenney.com, Was $52, Now $39.99
[5] Boots at NineWest.com, $189
[6] "Diva" Jeans at OldNavy.com, Was $29.50 Now $25

I don't really know that much about super model Miranda Kerr except that she's a Victoria's Secret Angel and she happens to be dating actor Orlando Bloom at the moment. What I do know is that I like her look: The Aussie beauty makes a tee shirt and jeans look sexy and chic, without trying too hard. I'm not saying great style doesn't take effort (or great genes) - because it does - but she makes it all look so easy. It helps to have a classic quilted leather purse, black blazer, and black ballet flats always at hand so you can add them to any outfit you might toss on, and pull it all together. I'm a big believer in finding fashion formulas, if you will, that work for you and help you get dressed - and this is certainly one of them.

Thoughts on Miss Kerr's style?

[1] Gold-Filled Tag Necklace at tags-n-stones.com, $40
[2] Equestrian Blazer at Urbanoutfitters.com, $88
[3] American Apparel Deep V-Neck Tee (3-pack), $52
[4] Skinny Jeans at Forever21.com, $22.80
[5] BCBG Flats at FamousFootwear.com, Was $69.99 Now $29.99
[6] Quilted Purse at Baghaus.com, $49

Actress Lindsay Lohan (on the right, as if you didn't know) and DJ Samantha Ronson attended the Charlotte Ronson 2009 Spring Collection in Bryant Park during Fashion Week in New York on Saturday. Forgive me for kicking off Fashion Week coverage with la Lohan, but her outfit was really easy to duplicate on a dime (just being honest!). She paired a skin-tight denim dress with bright blue heels and a bold pearl bracelet. We found a similar frock at Arden B. (Forever 21, Wet Seal and Bebe have this style, too) and added some electric blue platforms from Forever 21. To finish the affordable look, a Dean Harris for Target pearl necklace gets wrapped around the wrist as a bracelet. We saw these in person and they look really good, at least in the well-lit case. For a more modest look (read: less hoochie) try adding a cute cropped cardigan or a tailored gray blazer.

Would you rock this look?

[1] Dean Harris for Target Pearl Necklace (wear as bracelet), Target.com, $39.99
[2] Denim Pencil Dress, ArdenB.com, $128.00
[3] Blue Suede Platform Heels, Forever21.com, $21.80

We all know that there's fashion, and then there's style - and Keira Knightley seems to have the latter quality in spades. On the big screen and the red carpet, she's had the good fortune of donning some of the most fabulous costumes and couture gowns, but her casual sense of style is what I like most (because that's the part that doesn't depend on the size of your bank account.) The British actress is a classic beauty with perfect cheekbones, rosebud lips, and sultry eyes, yet she usually downplays her good looks with minimal makeup and neutral hues for everyday dressing. Her scruffy sense of glamor is hip, chic and, in many ways, easy to imitate. Here, her look relies heavily on a black, monochromatic ensemble which is strategically punctuated by a big, bold leopard print scarf. Simple, sophisticated and imitable on a budget.

What do you think of Keira's style?

[1] Blazer, Urbanoutfitters.com, Was $88 Now $49.99
[2] Ring, ASOS.com, $18.60
[3] GO International Dress, Target.com, $39.99
[4] Leopard pashmina scarf, ThePashminaStore.com, $69.99
[5] Zipper booties, CharlotteRusse.com, $26.99
[6] Tights, Forever21.com, $4.90