|
Issue Date: March 31, 2002
Great picks
Tag along as actress Ashley Judd, armed with $200 and a keen sense of fashion, puts together a chic outfit at a trendy Manhattan boutique.
Ashley Judd doesn't like to shop for clothes. Really. But she's very good at it. A self-described "power shopper" who can eyeball an item and quickly decide yea or nay, Judd made clean work of our offer to put together a designer outfit with only $200. Letting her choose the store, we wanted to see how the stylish actress -- a noted Hollywood fashionista -- approaches the hunt, evaluates the goods, discerns what looks good on her and makes the final selection. Judd picked Ina, a boutique Marisa Tomei introduced her to when they were filming scenes from "Someone Like You" nearby a few years ago. At Ina, a consignment shop in downtown Manhattan, you can have your fashion cake and eat it, too. "Gently worn" designer clothes sell for one-third to one-half off their original price, and they're reduced even more after 30 and 60 days.
Go to top
|
Ashley's shopping tips
Buy basics on sale.
If you're not an eyeball-it-and-decide shopper like Judd, go in just before the store closes, canvas the goods, think about it overnight and buy the next day. Some retailers will set aside enticing items for 24 hours so you won't risk losing them.
When you're traveling, have things shipped home to avoid carrying big bags as well as paying sales tax.
|
Dressed simply in jeans, a white shirt and purple high-heeled suede ankle boots, Judd, 33, gets right down to business. She prefers to shop alone and appreciates the French approach to customer service -- "they're not solicitous" -- but she politely considers all the items brought to her attention by the sales staff.
The shoe rack, sporting a colorful array of Blahniks, Pradas and Miu Mius (which start in the low hundreds when new), catches her attention first. "Hmmm," she says as she eyes the shoes. "We could build from the bottom up ..." and plucks out a pair of red-and-white gingham open-toed heels to try on. But she passes.
Turning to the pants rank, she selects a pair of $130 black Katayone Adelis that have all the features Judd likes -- "they're not on my waist, they're wide-legged, and they're cuffed" -- and several tops priced in the mid-$30s ("nice but not totally me") before deciding "I'm more of a dress person than a trouser person" and heading off in the direction of some filmy, sexy dresses.
When she's going out, Judd likes fashions with fine details and color. She's a fan of the mega-vibrant designs of Lilly Pulitzer, who made Judd some special pieces for her honeymoon with race car driver Dario Franchitti. (Judd wore a Giorgio Armani gown at the wedding in Scotland last December.) Judd and Franchitti now split their time between Tennessee and Edinburgh, each keeping two sets of wardrobes so they can travel without luggage. When she's at home on her farm outside Nashville, Judd frequently wears her "Italian muumuus" (calico nightgowns bought in Portofino last summer), pj's and sweatpants around the house. For fancy events, she favors Armani "for his chicness and deceptive simplicity" and Valentino for his detailed lightweight gowns.
"Beautiful and atmospheric" Scotland calls for lots of cold-weather clothing. "I continue to find charm in the various types of damp," she says.
Her wardrobe also grows on the job. Playing a high-powered lawyer who defends her husband in "High Crimes", opening next week, Judd was "concerned about finding clothes that expressed [her character's] journey" and was so pleased with the costume designer's work that she took home more clothes -- a mix of designer business suits and casual clothes -- from that set than from any of her previous films.
After trying on a trio of Diane von Furstenberg dresses and an Anna Sui sundress at Ina, one thing becomes perfectly clear: Ashley Judd has major dressing-room karma. Everything she tries on looks custom-made for her. Because all are equally flattering, she evaluates the dresses for neckline and versatility. A blue print wins out, and Judd turns her attention to the rack of shirts and cardigans, looking for something to layer if summer nights turn chilly. She selects a navy shirt and ties it around her waist.
Spying the wall of pricey handbags, she quips, "Can I just go naked and buy a bag?" No need to -- a pink suede Ungaro completes the look and doesn't break the bank.
The actress tallies up her choices from our designer spree: dress ($120), shirt ($22) and bag ($58) -- a perfect $200.
Go to top
We challenged Ashley Judd to put together an outfit for $200. She found three perfect pieces at Ina, a secondhand designer store -- and came in right on budget.
|
|
|
TOTAL: $200
|
Go to top
So what will you wear this summer?
By Charla Krupp
Look to the sea for jewelry to make a statement.
|
Let's just say that if you invested heavily in last summer's military look, you're going to have to cut your losses. You don't want to be seen in a camouflage T-shirt. Not when you have the most unabashedly flirty and feminine fashions just a mall away. This is the summer to fall in love. Whether you want to dress like a flamenco dancer, hippie gypsy or natural woman on a city safari, clothes haven't been this romantic in years. And nothing is more right than white.
Romantic is this summer's top trend. The fashion mags traveled to Spain to get into the señorita mood, but all you have to do is channel the style of Penelope Cruz, Madonna (in her "La Isla Bonita" video) or Salma Hayek (in "Frida" -- co-starring our cover girl, Ashley Judd -- coming this fall).
Imagine yourself on a summer night in a white chiffon top, lacy three-tiered skirt, tie-up espadrilles, a ruffle here, a flounce there and a flower tucked behind your ear. Splash a little salsa red on your lips and nails, and the flamenco fantasy is in full swing. "We're seeing a return of the full skirt," says Ady Gluck-Frankel, president and design director of
the trendy, affordable junior line Necessary Objects. Her tip on wearing a three-tiered skirt without looking big all over is to pair it with something small on top. "It looks great with a tight ribbed T-shirt or tank top," she says.
From cha-cha-cha to "That '70s Show", the hippie gypsy is a young, casual look. Today's hippies are less psychedelically tied-dyed, more ethereally bohemian (whites, not brights). Start with a sheer embroidered peasant blouse or tunic. If strings hang from the sleeves, let them be. It's a let-it-all-hang-loose fashion moment, says Larissa Thompson, an editor at "InStyle". Fringe, too, is part of the movement, swinging off belts, vests, jackets and bags. Those who live in low-slung jeans should invest in the key accessory: a wide brown leather belt. On ears: long, dangly chandelier earrings or simple big hoops. Over your shoulder, toss a soft, unconstructed, distressed leather bag that's tooled, stamped or embossed. And just in case it gets chilly at night, a soft, light, fringed leather jacket -- in white or beige -- will keep you warm and chic.
For the woman who doesn't want to relive flouncy skirts or peasant tops, the most wearable look is the natural woman on a city safari. The flattering camel-colored palette -- even lips and nails go nude -- mixes with animal prints. Navigate the urban work jungle in a khaki safari jacket. Choose from one of the new pants looks: the wide-leg slouch pant (low on the hips) or the 3-inches-above-the-ankle shorter pant. Walk on the wild side in stone-, pearl- or shell-embellished sandals. Bag a big tribal choker or necklace embellished with coral, turquoise or anything from the sea -- clamshells, pearls, sand dollars. "It's not about minimalist jewelry anymore," says Cynthia O'Connor, whose self-named New York accessories showroom sells a gigantic pearlized clamshell on a pearl choker. "Big, sexy statement pieces are making a comeback."
Oh, and one more trend: white. Pair it with white, black, neutrals or coral and with big, bold leather accessories. A white bag once looked nurse-y or grandmother-ish. Now it looks crisp and modern. Dare we say it? It's the black of the summer.
Charla Krupp, a contributing editor to InStyle magazine, does fashion and beauty segments on the Today show.
Photography by Nigel Parry, CPi
Ashley Judd was photographed exclusively for USA WEEKEND Magazine's Spring Fashion Issue at Pier 59 Studios and at Ina in New York City. Styling credits:
Dress: Roberto Cavalli; diamond earrings: Fred Leighton
The actress wore her own wedding rings in each shot.
Other photos:
|
