Work It Girl!

All of this fashion talk surrounding the Academy Awards has made me reconsider style, especially celebrity style since this is what you see mimmicked in your daily life. Even my mom commented on how the Oscar crowd managed to clean up and sport tasteful if not too safe clothes. It’s easy to see major trends in Paris Hilton, Lindsey Lohan and Jessica Simpson. You can thank them for the straw-like extensions, skimpy dresses and sky-high stilettos that accost you in the mall every weekend. Unfortunately, it’s our lemming strategy to fashion that strips away our individuality. Style becomes more about Jennifer Anniston’s jeans than what looks good on you or what you can really afford.

But I’m talking about true style. That certain spark a woman has that isn’t linked to imitating the models on the runway. It’s the woman who can mix vintage, Gucci and a touch of downtown bohemian for a one-of-a-kind look. In the past, fashion icons like Audrey Hepburn, Diane Keaton, Elizabeth Taylor, Faye Dunaway and Madonna (before she got all English housewife on us) set the trends. Who are the new style icons? There are a bunch of budding style icons out there with Jessica Alba, Jessica Biel and Scarlett Johansen leading the pack.

Below are my picks for Hollywood’s new style icons:

Sarah Jessica Parker

The Sex and the City fashionista is a trendsetter. It may not be a trend you can follow but it’s not cookie cutter style. She’s known for her outrageous TV wardrobe, which ushered in the large flower, horse shoe necklace and the revitalization of the nametag necklace. Don’t forget the Manolo’s. I appreciate her eclectic mixture of whimsy and classic couture.

Gwen Stefani

She’s always compared to Madonna but I think she’s always been a bit funkier. Even as she ages and became a momma, she’s maintained her edgy style transferring onto Baby Kingston. She’s very Hollywood glamour from the neck up and modern clotheshorse from the neck down.

Cate Blanchett

I love her unconventional beauty that is enhanced by her fearless style. Color and texture don’t intimidate her. She has an eye on the future of fashion.

Reese Witherspoon

I know she dresses like the repressed wife of a Republican senator in the 1950s Maine but you have to admit that she has style. She’s always tasteful and appropriate. You just know she’s wearing a bra, underwear and slip. Even in her latest outings where she’s rocking a younger look, she still has a timeless quality to her.

Gwyneth Paltrow

Even when she misses the fashion target, she’s still more stylish than most of Hollywood. She reminds me of Uma Thurman and Cameron Diaz. They like to take chances and often miss the mark but how lovely to see them try.

Who is your modern style icon?