The Style File: ZOOEY DESCHANEL

"I love old music, old movies, screwball comedies, vintage clothes, and basically I'm an old-fashioned gal."

Wayfarers are hot. Widelegs are in. Gladiators are back. But Zooey Deschanel couldn't really give a damn about any of that hoopla, because she's a girl who listens to the beat of her own drum! Its a pretty consistent fact throughout all of her life- she was labeled a "theater kid" in highschool and has mentioned how hard it is to fit in with that label tacked on to your name, she's actually in Hollywood to ACT- not to stumble out of bars at 4am, have a reality show, or do lame films due to a contract, basically Zooey is not the "type". She's zany, quirky, goofy, funny, old school, sweet, genuine, unique, and downright lovable. So it only seems fitting that the girl who is so anti-Hollywood (no fakebake, no Rachel Zoe on speed dial, no cobb salads at the Ivy) has one of the best most individual senses of style. Full of bold colors, a flair for the fairytale, femininity, and those opaques (which ironically have hit it BIG! this season) Zooey embodies a carefree crayola fashion that we all covet.

"It's an addiction. I love clothes. I like to go down Melrose and look in all the windows and I go to different flea markets. I have lots of costumes. You never know when you're going to have to dress up like a milkmaid from the 1600s"

O LA LA OPAQUES
To start to emulate Zooey get yourself some opaques fast (preferably black). But wait! The reason why tights are so popular right now is because anyone & everyone can wear them, from Barb the Business Woman to Hania the Hippie, so how does Zooey wear them in a way that makes them one of a kind? By pairing them with outfits you would think would best be left alone- floral frocks, shorts, etc. Sometimes they help to amp up a simple dress or clam down a loud one, but don't expect just the tights & the dress to do it for you- throw in a cute colorful accessory (or additive as Discotheque Confusion says ;) like shoes or a bag.






TIME TRAVEL

Just because you live in the 21st Century doesn't mean you have to dress in it! Just take advice from Zooey, who as evidenced in the earlier quote isn't afraid to go back to 17th Century peasantry even. Luckily for us, she mostly focuses on the flirty fifties, swinging sixties, and smooth seventies- in fact most of her outfits are a funky blend of all of those! Pouffy party dresses à Betty Crocker 50s, mod opaques, and hippie silouhettes & fabrics. You don't have to just limit yourself to trends or even one time period, just keep your influences in moderation so you look like you belong now, not some roller disco!






TASTE THE RAINBOW

Zooey may wear black tights, but its hardly a wardrobe staple for her. You're young & fun, you don't need to confine yourself to Jackie O modesty everyday. And you don't need to tell yourself stupid things like "Red just isn't my color", in Zooey's book everything is "your color". Afterall dressing up should be fun, and wearing dour black dairy doesn't scream good time!






RISKY BUSINESS

Zooey's style isn't for the quiet type anyway, but even she shakes up her style sometimes. Color is great, but what about a dress with a pattern that may belong in the museum of modern art? What about flouncy flirty ruffles- are they cute or will they overtake and make you look like a doll? Don't just sit and muse about potential fashion risks, take them out for a spin! Maybe, it was a bit "out there" or maybe you were being too prudish before, either way find out!







And some dresses from Anthropologie in Zooey spirit







I'LL BE SENDING YOU A POSTCARD

I'm taking Zooey's motto of having fun next week. Good for me- I'm finally escaping this arctic tundra of boredom for pizza & books on the beach in St. Martin. Bad for you- no posts for a week while I defrost & soak up the sun. Happy Easter & Spring Break!

song of the day: "This Is Not A Test" by She & Him (Zooey & M. Ward equals perfect beach music! I'm actually a bit miffed its not coming out in the summer because it seems more lounging around in hellish heat than flowers blooming & bunnies hopping. Either way it has this great vintage feel- alt country & 1950s :)