Inhaltsverzeichnis für April 2014 in ELLE

THE ELLE MUST-DO CHECKLIST April 6 Kings, Khaleesi, swords—Game of Thrones returns! April 11–13, 18–20 Kiwi teen of the moment Lorde and a reunited OutKast play Coachella. April 25–May 4 Revelers flock to New Orleans Jazz Fest for Springsteen, Phish, and Public Enemy. Tuesday, April 1 RELATIVE TALES This deliciously dishy biography of the iconic family's not-so-simple story of success, The Hiltons, by J. Randy Taraborrelli, begins with patriarch Conrad's humble background and ends with Paris shouting to paparazzi, "You guys are hot!" Saturday, April 12 Happy 20TH birthday, Saoirse Ronan Tuesday, April 22 BACKSTAGE PASS Patti Smith urinates on the side of a stage, Yoko compares herself to Van Gogh—There Goes Gravity is filled with candid stories about the women (and men) who make the rock world go round,…

Lifer Making the best of an untenable situation seems like a not-good-enough way to go through life, yet many women who both work and have children feel that's pretty much their only option. Writing about a thought-provoking new book called Overwhelmed, by Washington Post reporter Brigid Schulte, ELLE's Features Director, Laurie Abraham, brings a fresh perspective and needed insight into what's too often called the problem of "work-life balance." Abraham writes about the way the huge demands in women's lives have been underestimated by academics studying time use—did you know that if your car breaks down and you wait two hours for a tow, researchers count that time as "leisure"?—as well as how we all simultaneously glorify and lament our busyness. The classification of work and life as two distinct…

Emily Barnes PROVENANCE: London NOW: New York City PROFESSION: Fashion stylist and creative consultant THIS MONTH: "The Incredibles" (page 106). "To meet these amazing women and give them sartorial advice was an honor, really. Chief of police Cathy Lanier was particularly interesting. For 24 years, she has lived in uniform. And the uniform pants—they're a standard men's pant. The women have to have them tailored to look at least flattering. It's unreal to me that no one has addressed that. The only things she is allowed to keep feminine are her hair and nails, so she pulled up to our shoot with beautiful manicured nails and her hair blown out." BONA FIDES: BA, markets and fashion communication, Central Saint Martins; work has appeared in Vanity Fair, GQ, V, and Nowness…

"The idea for our collaboration with H&M came to us when we heard that selfie was announced as Oxford Dictionaries' 2013 word of the year," says Alexia Niedzielski. "We thought it was quite ironic that we have all become socially conscious in taking self-portraits constantly, and yet in the classic sense of that term, we don't think about how our decisions affect the environment and the ways in which collective change can be inspired through the actions of individuals." Along with heading up glossy insider mag System, Niedzielski and partner in crime Elizabeth von Guttman are two cofounders of EVER Manifesto, the sporadically published title dedicated to raising the profile of eco-chic in the luxury sphere—think of it as a sort of Whole Earth Catalog for the style set. The…

Nicole Richie has gone from Paris Hilton's sidekick to a bona fide style icon in one decade flat. Here, the hilarious House of Harlow 1960 designer plays dress up for spring with ELLE Creative Director and longtime friend Joe Zee Joe Zee: So this is ELLE's Genius Issue. Nicole Richie: So clearly I'm the star. JZ: Clearly! Tell me what defines an intelligent woman to you. NR: Someone who's confident, has a clear idea of what she wants, and goes after that. It's passion, but it's about what you do after that—it's about following your dreams. JZ: So that's you again! What's a time in your life when you felt supersmart—like, Damn, I'm good? NR: When I stuck my arm up the cow's ass in The Simple Life. JZ: And…

Crystal and grosgrain pendant necklace, LANVIN, $2,490, at Lanvin, NYC Embellished wool skirt, ERDEM, $1,830, collection at net-a-porter.com Embellished wool sweater, ANTONIO MARRAS, $530, collection at Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide Embellished viscose, silk, and nylon sandal, MARNI, $870, at Marni boutiques nationwide Trends Christopher Kane pored over science textbooks to prepare for his spring collection, which featured botanical diagrams as well as the bejeweled flower accents seen here.…

FLATS Leather flat, MANOLO BLAHNIK, $725, visit neimanmarcus.com Patent leather and PVC flat, ROGER VIVIER, $695, at Roger Vivier, NYC Leather and patent leather flat, JIMMY CHOO, $650, at select Jimmy Choo stores nationwide Calfskin and PVC flat, RUPERT SANDERSON, $765, collection at Saks Fifth Avenue, Palm Beach BACKPACKS Leather backpack, 3.1 PHILLIP LIM, $825, visit 31philliplim.com Leather backpack, MARNI, $2,100, at Marni boutiques nationwide Leather backpack, TORY BURCH, $395, visit toryburch.com Python backpack, ILLESTEVA, $2,650, visit illesteva.com LASER CUTS Calfskin ankle boot, TABITHA SIMMONS, $1,295, collection at Just One Eye, L.A. Leather and python sandal, ALEXANDRE BIRMAN, $695, collection at Bergdorf Goodman, NYC Leather and metal sandal, NICHOLAS KIRKWOOD, $1,295, at Nicholas Kirkwood, NYC Patent leather pump, CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, $1,295, visit christianlouboutin.com Accessories "There's a difference between like and…

(Below) Ellery. (Above) Looks from the designer's spring/summer 2014 collection, including wide-leg ruffle flares and a Ben Barretto x Ellery corset (at far right) "I've definitely been lengthening things," says Sydney-based designer Kym Ellery. She's trying to sum up the design tweaks she's made to her namesake line of silk organza frocks—go-tos Down Under for such leggy beauties as Catherine McNeil and Cate Blanchett—since deciding to show her spring/summer 2014 collection, her first outside Australia, on the grand international stage of a hôtel particulier on the Place Vendôme during Paris Fashion Week. "I wanted this collection to embody the brand DNA so someone who had never seen the label before would understand what it is," says the 30-year-old, who founded Ellery in 2007 while working as a market editor at…

Key Item: Power Blazer Wool blazer, ALEXANDER WANG, $650, at Alexander Wang, NYC Embellished cotton blazer, VIKTOR & ROLF, price on request, visit viktor-rolf.com Satin blazer, MARC BY MARC JACOBS, $498, at Marc by Marc Jacobs stores nationwide Wardrobe Musts: Detailed Oxford Cotton shirt, CLAUDIE PIERLOT, $300, collection at Bloomingdale's, NYC Luxe Pullover Cotton crewneck, BAND OF OUTSIDERS, $345, visit bandofoutsiders.com Classic Tank Stainless-steel watch on alligator strap, JAEGER-LECOULTRE, price on request, at Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques nationwide Power Pants Cotton and nylon pants, 3.1 PHILLIP LIM, $395, visit 31philliplim.com Status Satchel Leather handbag, MICHAEL KORS, $695, at select Michael Kors stores nationwide Spectator Pump Patent leather ankle boot, FRATELLI ROSSETTI, $570, at Fratelli Rossetti, NYC SWEETLY SUITED As seen at Tod's Switch to Night: Acrylic clutch, EDIE PARKER, $1,495, collection at…

Key Item: Sharp Pencil Skirt Leather-trimmed skirt, CLUB MONACO, $150, at Club Monaco stores nationwide Viscose and nylon skirt, MARCIANO, $128, visit marciano.com Silk and leather skirt, YVES SALOMON, $1,145, at Yves Salomon, Aspen Wardrobe Musts: Sleeveless Oxford Cropped organza shirt, HONOR, $650, at Honor, NYC Blazer Vest Silk and spandex vest, ALICE + OLIVIA BY STACEY BENDET, $368, visit aliceandolivia.com Bracelet Watch Silver and green quartz bracelet, DELFINA DELETTREZ, $1,560, collection at openingceremony.us Woven Carryall Leather tote, FURLA, $378, at select Furla boutiques nationwide Trouser Shorts Suede shorts, BAJA EAST, $1,495, collection at Ikram, Chicago Stiletto Sandal Python sandal, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, $1,690, at Salvatore Ferragamo boutiques nationwide NOUVEAU SUIT As seen at Jason Wu Switch to Night: Embossed leather clutch, PROENZA SCHOULER, $795, visit proenzaschouler.com. Leather sandal, ALEJANDRO INGELMO,…

Orphan Black's shape-shifting star, Tatiana Maslany, comes into focus. A gun-toting suburban mom. A dreadlocked PhD student. A religious fanatic. Any decent actor can take on a complicated role, but to effectively navigate this many personalities—sometimes in a single TV episode—is altogether chameleonic. Such is the facility of Tatiana Maslany, who has turned BBC America's sci-fi-ish drama Orphan Black, which returns for season two on April 19, into a breakout hit, portraying not only resourceful con woman Sarah Manning but also her six (and counting) doppelgängers, each struggling to unravel her part in a vast government conspiracy. The women are clones, or, as they prefer to be called, genetic identicals; yet Maslany, in a bit of virtuosic acting that garnered her a Golden Globe nomination, makes each completely distinct—recognizable even…

[MUSIC] Trust Us Food Kelis The R&B risk taker who broke out with 2003's "Milkshake" returns with her first LP in four years—and a whole new sonic recipe. Following a club-thumping Euro-jam detour on 2010's Flesh Tone, a more refined Kelis riles up some soul-funk roots on Food. "Biscuits 'n' Gravy" is all smoky purr slathered atop twinkling grooves, while "Cobbler" cooks up a Latin flavor and "Hooch" washes it all down with a hip-swaying punch. The future's void EMA On her second solo release, Erika M. Anderson unspools caustic confessionals that cut to the core, but beyond the electro distortion on album highlight "Cthulu," the breaking-glass stomp of "Neuromancer," or the psilocybin nightmare tales in "When She Comes," there's an emotionally cleansed spirit who's clawed her way to the…

THIS MONTH IN BEAUTY: Hair, skin, and makeup MVPs share their secrets page 202 // Karl Lagerfeld upgrades your emoji—and your perfume palette page 236 // Exploring the upside of failure page 246 FACE TIME Meet the most in-demand makeup artists on the planet Makeup this spring celebrates experimentation, individuality, and optimism. From Nico Guilis' part-time surf girls and Christian McCulloch's sexed-up '70s club queens to Angela Levin's classic Hollywood icons and Jürgen Braun's woke-up-like-this beauties, the looks our Geniuses love are worn by unapologetic, opinionated women. These makeup masters will always worship at the altar of perfect skin, but they're not so concerned with concealing flaws. Because why worry about dark undereyes when glimmering lids and crimson lips are so much more fun?—Julie Schott THE CLUB KING: Christian McCulloch…

London Reign The limited-edition Jo Malone London Rain collection combines April showers and May flowers in the soft floral Rain & Angelica and Wisteria & Violet. Together at Last The highly anticipated M.A.C + Proenza Schouler collaboration makes waves with this sunset pink, surfer-girl-chic Pro Longwear lip pencil in Dynamo. Clear Your Palette Graduate from nail art with OPI Sheer Tints: Each adds ultravibrant color on top of any polish—or a peekaboo hue to bare nails. Eye-Catcher The most elegant-looking tube in the business, Ellis Faas Mascara E401 refines lashes with its extralong wand and black-as-night color. Best Bud Happy tenth birthday, By Terry Baume de Rose. The longtime editor-favorite moisturizes lips with rose flower essential wax. Sheer Genius The perfect springtime pick-me-up: A trace of shimmer meets a touch…

"Omigod!" Pamela Anderson ducks behind the steering wheel of her Aston Martin, eyes widening beneath her Twiggy-blond pixie cut. "I think I just saw my ex-husband." Slipping on her oversize sunglasses, she rises up until her eyes are level with the windshield, then quickly dives back down, like the heroine of a screwball comedy. "It is! It's him! Look!" I look. Outside, another white convertible circles the parking lot of Malibu's Point Dume Plaza. The driver is wearing the obligatory beanie and sunglasses, but the long nose and weak chin are a dead giveaway: Kid Rock. His car is nearly identical to the white Aston Martin we're in, which—rather poignantly—recalls the matching white T-shirt and bikini ensembles he and Pam wore for their wedding eight years ago. Apparently they also…

BEAUTIFUL BUT CRUEL WOMEN THEY'RE NOT GOOD, THEY'RE NOT BAD, THEY'RE JUST HEARTLESS DOGGONE DEAR E. JEAN: After my boyfriend's dog passed away, he decided to get a tattoo in its memory. I personally don't see the value in tattoos, but I was open to discussing with him some art and placement options that would make us both happy. However, he went to the tattoo parlor and called me with "the final idea." I hated it! I begged him beyond the limits of pride not to do it. But he got it anyway! It's been a week now, and I can't even look at the tattoo on the top of his shoulder—making intimacy a struggle. He won't consider removing it. Instead, he's offering to pay for couples therapy to help…

Knitted silk dress, price on request, embroidered swimsuit (worn underneath), $1,570, both, TSUMORI CHISATO, collection at Bird, Brooklyn. Sunglasses, JEREMY SCOTT BY LINDA FARROW GALLERY, $255. White diamond, yellow diamond, gold, and platinum necklace, KWIAT, price on request. Rose gold and gemstone rings, both, POMELLATO, $2,400 each. Embellished suede sandals, PRADA, price on request. For details, see Shopping Guide. Printed muslin dress, CHANEL, price on request, at select Chanel boutiques nationwide. Felt hat, MAISON MICHEL, $676. Emerald, diamond, and ruby earring, HELEN YARMAK, price on request. Green quartz, peridot, pearl, and gold earring, DELFINA DELETTREZ, $2,275. Metal and fox cuff, FENDI, $1,100. Lacquer-finish metal and crystal bracelet, DIOR, $3,000. Embellished patent leather pumps, MIU MIU, $1,350. Knitted jacquard belted coat, price on request, viscose skirt, $2,800, both, CÉLINE, at Céline,…

Creating a full-blown ready-to-wear collection from scratch for an iconic accessories brand isn't a task for the faint of heart, but on a recent chilly afternoon over mint tea in the luxuriously cozy bar of the Bowery Hotel, Alessandra Facchinetti, the creative director of Tod's, looks almost—could it be?—at peace. "I am so in love with what I am doing," Facchinetti says, her huge black eyes dancing. She's wearing a dusty blue double-breasted pantsuit with a blouse of the same color and a chunky modernist cuff—all from the collection, of course. "It just feels so right." Facchinetti's sense of relief is palpable, and unsurprising: Critics and retailers across the board adored her debut, applauding its groovy haute-Neapolitan vibe, genius twists on leather, and hues both icy and rich. Inspired by…

Breaking Bad was a game changer for both AMC and a then unknown Aaron Paul, who played Jesse Pinkman, television's first meth-cooking sex symbol. (His unlikely catchphrase: "Yeah, bitch!") Nothing about Paul's trajectory could be considered typical. He grew up in Boise, Idaho, the youngest son of a Baptist minister; his mother gave birth to him on the bathroom floor a month premature, cutting the umbilical cord herself—and it seems Paul, 34, has been in a rush ever since. He graduated early from high school and moved to L.A. at age 17 without ever having cursed, had a beer, or had sex. Now he has two Emmys, a potential franchise in the offing—this month's cross-country racing flick, Need for Speed—and a new wife, Lauren Parsekian, cofounder of the antibullying nonprofit…

Upon fleeing the USSR as a young man, Max Studio founder Leon Max famously sold three heirloom Fabergé picture frames his mother had given him and used the proceeds to fund his new life. Tuesday, April 1 Embrace the underwear-as-outerwear trend—literally—with Xwim. The creatively spelled line of pattern-block bikinis and rash guards is the brainchild of Dierdre Roffoni, designer of Xirena, L.A.'s favorite too-cute-to-be-covered lingerie brand, beloved for its playful bricolage of materials. THE ELLE MUST-DO CHECKLIST Tuesday, April 1 For an ultraluxe take on traditional, check out Fabergé's Big Egg Hunt. There's no chocolate involved, but we doubt there will be many complaints about the giant eggs designed by the likes of Ralph Lauren and Jeff Koons popping up around NYC. Saturday, April 5 Italophiles and fashionistas alike won't…

FUNNY GIRLS For our annual Women in TV Issue (February 2014), we celebrated four of the small screen's biggest stars—Zooey Deschanel, Mindy Kaling, Amy Poehler, and Allison Williams—each hilarious in her own right. While most readers loved the covers, Kaling's close-up provoked mixed reactions. Of the sultry shot, we can only agree with Kaling's former colleague Rainn Wilson (aka Dwight Schrute of The Office), who told E! News that she "looked great, and she looked beautiful, and it was a great cover." And it looks like Mindy thought so too: I love my @ELLEmagazine cover. It made me feel glamorous & cool. And if anyone wants to see more of my body, go on thirteen dates with me. —@mindykaling, via Twitter Damn! Amy Poehler rules! like a boss I tell…

Hong Kong resident (and former ELLE editor) Janice Y. K. Lee takes an in-depth look at the city's more-is-more shopping culture at ELLE.com/nouveau-asia. With its richly colored stones and ornate gold settings, Temple St. Clair's jewelry recalls the far-flung grandeur of a Byzantine cathedral one might expect to find along a wide boulevard in Istanbul. But when the New York–based designer set out to celebrate her twenty-seventh anniversary in business, she opted for a getaway that was even farther east: Hong Kong. Here, St. Clair, who has visited the Asian metropolis a total of three times (and counting), shares her insider tips.—Catherine Straut STAY I usually treat myself to a stay at the Peninsula, on the Kowloon side. I love its old, colonial feel and daily high-tea service. It's also…

It doesn't get much more American than Coach—the heritage leather-goods concern founded on New York City's Seventh Avenue in 1941. And in anticipation of the first collection from new creative director Stuart Vevers, the house of the horse and buggy decided to return to its roots for spring/summer 2014. What better way to celebrate the brand's buttery leather bags, a staple of Amagansett summers, than with a fete with friend of the house—and faithful Coach carrier—Drew Barrymore? The brand took the summer Friday vibe out west—specifically, to the Beverly Hills home of Ashlee Margolis, owner of star-wrangling firm The A List. Designed by celebrity stylist and interior decorator Estee Stanley, Margolis' abode has a modern aesthetic, balanced with vintage elements for warmth. Votives illuminated the living and dining rooms and…

Leather parka, price on request, collared shirt, $650, wool shorts, $450, leather boots, price on request, all, ALEXANDER WANG, collection at Alexander Wang, NYC. For details, see Shopping Guide THIS MONTH IN FASHION: TRENDS Courtside staples go haute page 134 // Menswear-style shirts get a sexy update page 136 // ACCESSORIES Shine bright in glossy patent page 143 // Watch how fashion is keeping time page 154…

Leather bralet, T BY ALEXANDER WANG, $415, at Alexander Wang, NYC Deerskin handbag, THE ROW, $4,600, collection at Neiman Marcus stores nationwide Leather sandal, GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI DESIGN, $695, at Giuseppe Zanotti Design boutiques nationwide Leather overalls, MILLY, $995, visit millyny.com Trends Check out leather looks, from splurgy to practical, that will get your motor running, at ELLE.com/bestofleather.…

SKELETON Pink gold watch on alligator strap, BULGARI, price on request, at Bulgari stores nationwide Stainless steel watch, BULOVA, $499, collection at Macy's stores nationwide Limited-edition platinum and sapphire watch on crocodile strap, OMEGA, price on request, at Omega, Las Vegas White gold watch, PATEK PHILIPPE, price on request, call 212-218-1240 ONE OF A KIND Quartz, rose gold, pink sapphire, and diamond watch, DIOR TIMEPIECES, price on request, call 866-675-2078 Diamond and white gold watch, PIAGET, price on request, call 877-8-PIAGET White gold and sapphire watch on satin strap, TIFFANY & CO., price on request, visit tiffany.com Diamond and white gold watch, LOUIS VUITTON, price on request, call 866-VUITTON DOUBLE STRAP Stainless steel watch on leather strap, JAEGER-LECOULTRE, price on request, at Jaeger-LeCoultre boutiques nationwide Gold-tone watch on lizard-embossed leather…

The Woman: Kayla Tausche, 27, West Village, New York City The Job: Correspondent, CNBC Business Day. Tausche clocks in by 7:30 A.M. and chases stories with calls to Wall Street execs, corporate lawyers, and DC policymakers. When news breaks, she spends 30 minutes in hair and makeup before going on the air—for as many as 17 segments a day (a personal record, set when she was the first to report Twitter's $15 billion IPO valuation last November). The Uniform: Shiftdresses, blouses, and pencil skirts by Theory, Michael Kors, and Diane von Furstenberg, with blazers for meetings; Nine West pumps for everyday and Jimmy Choos for the "big interviews" ELLE: What drew you to financial reporting? Kayla Tausche: I considered a few different career paths: international business, hotels, diplomacy.…

Key Item: Crowd-pleasing Sheath Silk faille dress, OSCAR DE LA RENTA, $3,390, visit oscardelarenta.com Cotton and nylon dress, TIBI, $598, visit tibi.com Jacquard dress, CH CAROLINA HERRERA, $845, at CH Carolina Herrera, Beverly Hills Wardrobe Musts: Embellished Top Polyamide-blend top, DELPOZO, $2,950, at Delpozo, Miami Slim Tailored Trousers Right: Cotton pants, J BRAND, $395, collection at select Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide. Below: Viscose-blend pants, BLK DNM, $395, at Blk Dnm, NYC Power Pearls Resin pearl earrings, DIOR, $410, at Dior boutiques nationwide Sleek Outerwear Jacket, MONCLER, price on request, similar styles at Moncler, NYC The Diamond Watch Gold and diamond bezel watch on leather strap, PATEK PHILIPPE, price on request, at Patek Philippe, Beverly Hills D'Orsay Flat Patent leather flat, STUART WEITZMAN, $355, at Stuart Weitzman, NYC Status Satchel…

Key Item: Long-Sleeve Silk Blouse Silk georgette blouse, SEE BY CHLOÉ, $395, collection at saksfifthavenue.com Rayon and viscose blouse, DIESEL, price on request, similar styles at shop.diesel.com. Cotton short suit, THEORY, $295, collection at Bloomingdale's stores nationwide Silk blouse, SEA NEW YORK, $380, collection at Fred Segal, L.A. Wardrobe Musts: Timeless Trench Silk trench coat, CLUB MONACO, $695, at Club Monaco stores nationwide Round Watch Stainless-steel watch on leather strap, COACH, $398, at select Coach stores nationwide The Double-Breasted Vest Stretch-cotton vest, 424 FIFTH, $124, collection at Lord & Taylor stores nationwide Tapered Trousers Cotton pants, LACOSTE, price on request, at Lacoste boutiques nationwide Exotic-Skin Tote Calfskin handbag, HELMUT LANG, $850, visit helmutlang.com Updated Oxford Leather flat, EMPORIO ARMANI, $625, visit armani.com Statement Ring Pearl and gold ring, DELFINA DELETTREZ,…

I was six years old when I saw my first film, and it marked me for life. Most families didn't have a television yet, and my mother was busy making a holiday feast. So she told my brothers to take me along to the one little theater in town. It was a war movie, black-and-white, and World War II was long over, but I was enthralled by the close-ups of the young soldiers' faces and the big gray clouds of explosions and everything else on that subtly glittering screen. It hardly seemed possible. Afterward my 16-year-old brother bent over to get my opinion. "I liked it a lot," I said. "But where was the girl?" I've been asking that question for years, and so has every movie-loving, moviemaking woman I…

For her family-history homework assignment, a Houston schoolgirl asks her grandmother about escaping Vietnam by boat because "that's an A-plus story!" Grandma, nonplussed by this mercenary request, tells instead of her honeymoon voyage at age 16 with her hungover fisherman husband, who heedlessly took her out to sea and into the teeth of a gale. As they come to fear for their lives, something approaches dancing across the roiling waters: a corpse, "ribbons of kelp threaded among the white bones of its rib cage," yet "a little too alive to be completely dead." The newlyweds escape death but are left wondering whether a debt has thus been incurred to the spirit world, one that it "would eventually come collecting." Why can't you tell me how you escaped Vietnam? the schoolgirl…

Although he's already fluent in French, English, German, and Italian, this month Karl Lagerfeld adds another language to his repertoire. And, in typical über-genius Lagerfeld fashion, he's not just learning the new lexicon—he's reinventing it. To celebrate the launch of his Karl Lagerfeld fragrance line, the kaiser has created 30 emojis (yes, including smiling and frowning faces of his famous cat, Choupette), enabling the whole world to text in la langue de Karl. The majority of the KL symbols are chic upgrades to the most basic emojis, reflecting the philosophy behind his Karl Lagerfeld collection, in which he elevates the basics: the perfect shirt, the just-right jacket, the ur-jean, and, now, the ultimate everyday fragrance. While many flowery scents fade away after a few hours, Lagerfeld wraps his three white-floral…

Too many of us suffer from recurrent crises of confidence, even when we've achieved considerable success. Louisa Kamps examines the latest thinking about the paradoxes of perfectionism, fear of failure, and the potentially vast benefits of learning from our mistakes We live in an unnerving age. Tangible failures—swiftly shuttered new restaurants, pink slips flying—are visible everywhere. And even if you haven't yet experienced your own epic fail—"the sudden irruption of nothingness into the midst of existence," as one pundit recently put it—the mere fear of falling short or careening over the edge may be keeping you somehow stuck. Fearing failure, we fail to make meaningful changes in work and relationships, shy away from opportunity, and avoid striving toward further possible achievements—which amounts to its own kind of nothingness. But one…

Ever heard of John Robinson, the éminence grise of the sociologists who study how Americans spend their time? He and his colleagues have issued a bevy of findings over the years—e.g., a dishwasher does not save time (maybe due to vigorous rinsing before loading?)—that I've always accepted as truth, as counterintuitive as some of the results seemed. Which is why I was glad I took the approximately 10 minutes required to read the first chapter of Washington Post reporter Brigid Schulte's new book, Overwhelmed: Work, Love, and Play When No One Has the Time. I almost didn't open it, because it looked like yet another earnest attempt to crack the code of "work-life balance" (a concept that I find useless when it comes to constructing a meaningful life, but more…

As a certain pop feminist for our times preaches, "I'm a grown woman/ I can do whatever I want (whatever it is)." Cover girl Emma Watson, former child star of the $8-billion-grossing Harry Potter franchise, may have graduated from a Gryffindor robe to the cape you see her in here by Valentino, but she's still figuring out what "whatever she wants" looks like. "I've become a lot more okay with not being in control—not knowing where I will live, or what my next job is," she confides to writer Mickey Rapkin. This spring she'll spread her wings on-screen as Noah's adopted daughter in the biblical epic from Darren Aronofsky, the Black Swan director who coaxed a Best Actress Oscar–winning innocence-to-experience performance out of Natalie Portman. Elsewhere in our Genius Issue,…

Tweed dress, CHANEL, price on request, at select Chanel boutiques nationwide. Lace top, ISABEL MARANT, $895. Nylon tights, FOGAL, $55. Antique-silver, gold, and diamond earring, ring, both, STEPHEN RUSSELL, prices on request. Cotton belt, MOKUBA, price on request. Cashmere and shearling pumps, CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION, price on request. For details, see Shopping Guide. Lace top, $3,800, satin pants, $2,500, both, BALMAIN, collection at Barneys New York. Antique-silver, gold, and diamond earring, STEPHEN RUSSELL, price on request. Cashmere and shearling pumps, CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION, price on request. Lace and tulle dress, JASON WU, $2,750, collection at Bergdorf Goodman, NYC. Nylon tights, FOGAL, $55. Patent leather boots, MIU MIU, $850. For details, see Shopping Guide. Beauty Secret: Get deconstructed bombshell volume with VICTORIA'S SECRET Beach Hair Wave Spray. Alpaca top, DOLCE &…

COVERS Cotton shirt, $1,300, calfskin pants, $4,100, by Balmain, collection at Barneys New York, Bergdorf Goodman (NYC), Maxfield (L.A.), Neiman Marcus stores nationwide. Python belt by Kara Ross New York, $335, at Kara Ross (NYC). Mohair cardigan by Michael Kors, $1,495, at select Michael Kors stores nationwide, call 866-709-KORS or visit michaelkors.com. Crystal necklace, nickel and brushed-gold padlock necklace by Rodarte, prices on request, collection at Ikram (Chicago), Nordstrom (Seattle), ssense.com, paire.us, shopbop.com. BEHIND THE COVER PAGE 98: Ring by Halleh, collection at net-a-porter.com. Shirt by Massimo Dutti, visit massimodutti.com. THE INCREDIBLES PAGE 106: Cheryl Mills wears: Viscose and jersey dress by Gucci, $1,700, visit gucci.com. Gold and crystal earrings by Vita Fede, $750, visit vitafede.com. Brass cuff by Jennifer Fisher, $325, call 888-255-0640 or visit jenniferfisherjewelry.com. Gold and diamond…

GO AHEAD, ASK Whether you want to master between-seasons dressing or need a quick flatforms how-to, ELLE.com's new fashion editor, Danielle Prescod, has the solution to all your sartorial queries. To get her weekly fashion fix, bookmark ELLE.com/askdanielle "People ask me all the time what to wear because they are generally confused," Danielle Prescod says while deflecting yet another compliment on her black-and-white T.U.K. creepers. "Because I'm looking at stuff all day, it's easy for me to pinpoint what works." While she has some bona fides—including two years styling looks for luxury e-tailer Moda Operandi—ELLE.com's new fashion guru doesn't consider being fashionable an insiders-only sport. "I never insert myself into the equation. A look has to make sense for a woman's lifestyle, body shape, and job," she says. "But if…

For this month's Genius Issue, ELLE celebrates fashion, literature, and beauty virtuosos, including the strikingly intelligent, risk-taking Emma Watson. Here's how we corralled this English rose into becoming a Wild West siren for our cover. ELLE Creative Director Joe Zee: "[The look] was inspired by photographer Sam Haskins' Cowboy Kate pictures, but done in a more modern way." Assistant Fashion Editor Sarah Schussheim: "There were a lot of hats, different textures—leather, lace, 'denim' in the form of Balmain blue leather pants." Hairstylist Ken O'Rourke: "I prepped [her] hair with Oribe mousse to give it volume. And she kept the hairstyle to do our behind-the-scenes video after the shoot!" Video Director Marcel Wepper: "We talked about her favorite subjects in school—literature, English." Zee: "She's a cool girl, and she's always going…

CHERYL MILLS Counselor, international entrepreneur, advocate Power moves: As deputy White House counsel, Mills defended President Clinton from impeachment. She worked on Hillary's 2008 campaign, was her chief of staff at the State Department, and remains one of her most trusted confidantes. Next up: Starting an economic development enterprise in sub-Saharan Africa. Endurance: "President Clinton used to say, 'Big always wins, Cheryl. It might take a while, but big always wins.' But living through the moments where big is not winning is really hard." Why she's not married to her partner, the father of her twins: "We met over 23 years ago, and at the time it seemed to me that if people could do freedom rides and put their bodies on the line for the rights I have today—and…

"You know what we've got in common? We both like pretty girls," says the artist Duncan Hannah, paraphrasing something his friend, Tocca designer Emma Fletcher, once said to him. In an era of artfully mussed, street-influenced looks, pretty might be a dirty word, but Fletcher, now in her ninth season at the label, manages to fuse her feminine designs with a certain devil-may-care dishabille that reads more hipster than prim. (Inspirations for previous seasons have included hot-air ballooning and murder trials.) Fletcher has added grit to the girly ethos behind Tocca, a label founded in 1994, when its signature barely there slipdress was favored by downtown It Girls, including Gwyneth Paltrow and Helena Christensen. Twenty years later, their equivalents, who are more likely to live in Brooklyn than downtown, are…

Brass cuff, JENNIFER FISHER, $1,115, visit jenniferfisherjewelry.com Cotton-blend shirt, SEA NEW YORK, $275, collection at Poole Shop, Charlotte, NC Silk pleated skirt, JIL SANDER NAVY, $660, collection at Maryam Nassir Zadeh, NYC Silk espadrille, TABITHA SIMMONS, $395, collection at Barneys New York FASHION Trends A shirt isn't the only item we're planning on claiming from our boyfriends' closets. For more guy-inspired chic, go to ELLE.com/menswear.…

Studded leather handbag, LOUIS VUITTON, price on request, at select Louis Vuitton stores nationwide Crystal-embellished brass clutch, BOTTEGA VENETA, $2,650, visit bottegaveneta.com Embellished suede ankle boot, NICHOLAS KIRKWOOD, $1,390, at Nicholas Kirkwood, NYC Accessories Repeating-spot patterns have been popular since the nineteenth century—long before "Itsy Bitsy Teenie Weenie Yellow Polka Dot Bikini" hit number one on the Billboard charts in 1960.…

GHANA Walk a little taller in BC Footwear's wedges knowing your purchase has made a difference. The shoes feature handcrafted fabrics from Della, a line that provides education and job training to Ghanaian women. bcfootwear.com LOS ANGELES Want to get in touch with your inner Debbie Harry…or just mimic Miley's latest look? Enter Mother's punk-themed capsule collection, complete with newsprint-emblazoned skinnies. motherdenim.com NEW YORK Nostalgia for the '90s continues to dominate the runways, and index A to Z will satiate both Gen-Xers and those who are just catching up. Everyone from Marc Jacobs to John Waters makes an appearance in this compilation of the much-loved magazine. rizzoliusa.com LONDON In her bright, Yves Klein–blue studio in Notting Hill, Central Saint Martins–trained Lauren Adriana (granddaughter to Sir Paul Smith)…

PRO SHOP We all know that what you wear to work is an important statement (cue the old adage about dressing for the job you want…), but all too often workplace demands and the daily grind trump personal style. Whether you're a downtown-dwelling gallery girl looking to cultivate an avant-garde image or an uptown power broker whose wardrobe needs to be as buttoned-up as your PowerPoint slides, our guide to the new rules of workplace dressing highlights key pieces that will give you that extra fashion edge from nine to five and, with the help of a few glittery add-ons, after-hours, too. Leather handbag, VALENTINO GARAVANI, $1,995, at Valentino boutiques nationwide THIS MONTH IN SHOPS: Menswear-inspired suiting with a feminine edge page 172 // Campaign-trail chic page 174 // Bookish…

Key Item: Abstract-Print Skirt Printed skirt, H&M, $60, visit hm.com Viscose-blend skirt, TRACY REESE, $288, at Tracy Reese, NYC Wardrobe Musts: The Designer Portfolio Calfskin portfolio bag, CHANEL, $3,600, call 800-550-0005 Leather Trench Leather trench coat, BOSS, $1,995, at Hugo Boss stores nationwide Sculptural Bangles Brass cuffs, all, CéLINE, $1,300 each, at Céline, Beverly Hills Splatter-Painted Tote Leather tote, 3.1 PHILLIP LIM, $1,025, visit 31philliplim.com Pollock-esque Brogues Calfskin oxfords, POLLINI, $460, visit pollini.com Wearable Art Natte silk dress, PRADA, $4,200, at select Prada boutiques nationwide BOLD STROKES As seen at Proenza Schouler Switch to Night: Metallic elaphe and acrylic clutch, JIMMY CHOO, $1,895, at select Jimmy Choo stores nationwide. Rubber and leather sandal, AGL, $395, collection at Piajeh, Newport Coast, CA…

Key Item: Technical Tote Leather and nylon handbag, FURLA, $598, visit furla.com Canvas tote, ANYA HINDMARCH, $395, visit anyahindmarch.com Printed polyester and leather tote, MARNI, $400, collection at Nordstrom stores nationwide Wardrobe Musts: Modern Blazer Leather jacket, EDUN, $2,980, collection at Barneys New York Sci-fi Specs Glasses, ANNA-KARIN KARLSSON, $765, collection at Bergdorf Goodman, NYC Cropped Vest Viscose top, THEORY, $215, collection at Bergdorf Goodman, NYC Updated Classic Limited-edition aluminum bracelets, all, DAVID YURMAN, $350 each, at David Yurman, NYC Edgy Skirt Technical-jersey skirt, DION LEE, $615, visit dionlee.com Status Sneaker Cotton sneaker, CHARLES PHILIP SHANGHAI, $175, collection at Bloomingdale's stores nationwide START-UP CHIC As seen at Derek Lam Switch to Night: Leather cosmetics case, 3.1 PHILLIP LIM, $425, visit 31philliplim.com. Leather mule, ALDO, $100, visit aldoshoes.com From bioprinting to…

"Sometimes you think, about any classic," says Anika Noni Rose, "why are we doing this play again? And then you get into it and you realize: Oh, this is why. Because these words are still strong." [MOVIES] Trust Us DADDY DEAREST Director Richard Shepard hits a peak with Dom Hemingway, a wild comedy of master thieves, funny and violent, with Jude Law's volatile safecracker Dom fresh out of prison and so paranoid that he isn't sexy even when stomping stark-naked all over Demian Bichir's elegant country estate. Richard E. Grant rounds out the fun as his impeccably pained minder—but the scene-stealer is Game of Thrones' Emilia Clarke as Dom's estranged daughter. FUGUE STATE Fresh-faced British actress Felicity Jones seems an unlikely femme fatale. But in this year's The Invisible Woman…

Reading a Lydia Davis story collection is like reaching into what you think is a bag of potato chips and pulling out something else entirely: a gherkin, a peppercorn, a truffle, a piece of beef jerky. Her stories look light and crisp, with their unadorned prose and flat-footed style, but on closer inspection they are pithy, knobby, savory, chewy, dense. They are also mordantly, slyly funny in their exposure of human foibles. Can't and Won't (Farrar, Straus and Giroux), her fifth collection, is evidence of a writer who is in total control of her own peculiar original voice; its pleasures are unexpected and manifold. Some of these stories are so short they could be poems. Rather than acting like hand grenades that detonate on impact and demand immediate rereading in…

1 Begin with your hair down and dry. To create a bit of height, back-comb the hair around your face. Brush the lengths, working a shine cream (such as Frédéric Fekkai Brilliant Glossing Styling Crème) through each section. MASON PEARSON Brush 2 The key to your low knot is keeping a sleek base. Sectioning clips on each side will ensure the front of your hair remains smooth. Create a middle part at the back, as you would for two low side ponytails. SPILO Duckbill clips 3 With a section of hair in each hand, knot the two together like shoelaces. Repeat this motion so that you have two twists, one right below the other. FRÉDÉRIC FEKKAI Brilliant Glossing Styling Crème 4 Hide your ends underneath the knot, then bobby pin…

There's a lot to be said for the expat life in Amsterdam. You can live in a baroque canal house and buy fresh flowers for a fraction of what the blooms cost back home; everyone (everyone!) bikes to work. For the chief marketing officer of Tommy Hilfiger, Avery Baker, 42, who has been based in the Dutch capital for a decade, life has been a dream. Except for one thing: the weather. "I've spent 10 years in the rain," says Baker ruefully. So when a rare sunny day arrived recently, she took advantage by hosting a dinner and a canal cruise on the boat she and her husband, Tony Kurz, share with friends. The meal conveniently came courtesy of the in-house chef at People's Place, Hilfiger's Amsterdam staff canteen. "Amsterdam…

We couldn't agree more, Jeanette Winterson! Read on for ample proof that women are writing the Great American Novel—and that the literary establishment has some catching up to do "MY MOTHER was an inveterate reader, a feminist, and a lover of modernism. She put in my hands the works of Virginia Woolf, H.D., Katherine Mansfield, Djuna Barnes, Elizabeth Bowen, Jean Rhys, Ivy Compton-Burnett, Sylvia Townsend Warner, Antonia White, Rebecca West—to name but a few. That's where I started," the novelist Claire Messud recently told us. Over this long, cold winter, Messud found herself unwillingly at the center of a debate (along with the novelist Jennifer Weiner, who seemed slightly more comfortable there) about women, chick lit, and what counts as literary fiction. The buzzy contretemps—Messud got tough with a question…

IT'S NIGHTTIME, AND LONDON is chic as hell—everywhere except the Mexican dive Emma Watson has chosen for dinner. The place has a distinct after-work vibe; the frost-covered windows glow with garish colored lights and the bar is packed three blokes deep. It's not where you'd expect to meet the Harry Potter star, yet here we are, sharing chicken fajitas and having a couple of passable mojitos. Watson points behind the bar, proudly declaring: "If you look up at those boards, my name is on them. For tequila shots." Asked why she chose to meet at the culinary equivalent of Chili's, she smiles. "I thought I would show you the dichotomy of my life." At 23, Watson is a minted Hollywood star with an estimated fortune of more than $40 million.…

TAKE A HANDFUL! Put them in your purse!" It's the end of her ELLE shoot, and Blake Lively is pushing leftover chocolate-chip cookies on me with grandmotherly vehemence. "Seriously, you won't regret it. They're Jacques Torres." But before I can respond, the actress's husband, Ryan Reynolds, lurking handsomely in the background all day, sneaks over and absconds with the whole plate. Lively—clad in a gray sweater with a hole in one cuff and a matching wool miniskirt, her slim fingers asparkle with piles of gold rings—might be a bit more willowy than your average pastry connoisseur, but the enthusiastic foodie and global cooking-class habitué even talks about her yearlong break from acting in culinary terms. "It's been kind of like a soup," she says, "with a lot of things stewing."…

With a pair of eclipses bringing big news and big change, April may at times feel testy or, for some, even tumultuous. But any pains will lead to exponential gains in a spring that marks a formidable turning point for all signs ARIES THIS MONTH FOR ARIES: (MAR 21–APR 19) Prepare to shift with the prevailing winds, dear Aries, for April will not be easy. The month opens on rocky footing, with Uranus adjacent to the Sun, testing a relationship. If something is amiss, the full-moon lunar eclipse in Libra on the 15th will reveal it. A troubled partnership may require a gentle fix or a total overhaul, or you may be keen to abandon ship; and even if you have a solid bond, your partner may need emotional support.…