Table of contents for March 2013 in ELLE

"She arrived in Asia not just as a former First Lady and senator, or the wife of Bill Clinton and a woman who had reinvented herself over the years. She now came in a new, even bigger role: as America's chief diplomat, the emissary of Barack Obama, the new, promising face of America." –Kim Ghattas Tuesday, March 5 POWER TRIP Finally, a way to fill the Texts From Hillary void: The Secretary: A Journey With Hillary Clinton From Beirut to the Heart of American Power, by BBC correspondent Kim Ghattas, who had four years of unfettered access to the venerated former secretary of state. Thursday, March 7 CHARACTER STUDY To get ready to portray Texas' fiery former governor Ann Richards in the one-woman play Ann , opening tonight in…

Here's a headline for you: IOWA COURT: BOSSES CAN FIRE 'IRRESISTIBLE' WORKERS. And it wasn't in The Onion. In December, the seven members of the all-male Iowa Supreme Court voted unanimously that an employer could fire a worker who is just too darn hot to resist. The dentist in question canned his longtime assistant—she'd worked for him for 10 years—on the grounds that her attractiveness threatened his marriage, as he might try to start an affair with her. (Before showing her the door, he also apparently gave her this helpful advice: If my pants are "bulging," that's a sign your clothes are "too revealing.") What this means, of course, is that men are beasts, and women are responsible for making sure we're not too enticing, lest that beast be unleashed.…

NAME: Lori Goldstein PROVENANCE: Columbus, Ohio NOW: New York City PROFESSION: Stylist, designer, and ELLE Fashion Editor-at-Large THIS MONTH: "Paris Review" (page 412). "We were inspired by pictures of Catherine Deneuve. She's so chic and French and elegant, but she always had that little bit of edge and rock 'n' roll, and just was her own person—we saw something in [model] Heidi [Mount] that reminded us of her." BONA FIDES: Work has appeared in W, Vanity Fair, The New York Times Magazine, and Vogue Italia WORK ETHOS: "I'm like a hunter-gatherer—I love to bring all of these great things to a shoot. I don't like to preplan things, because I think that takes the spontaneity out of what I'm going to achieve and…

THE THRILL OF THE HUNT The latest shopping sites are more than just stores. They're fashion enablers, making buying easier, more addictive, and even—dare to dream—cost conscious. Eva Chen revs her engines It's more than likely the by-product of my 30-plus years of Tiger Mom upbringing, but I have a rather difficult time admitting that I'm good at things. School? I was decidedly average. Writing? A little bit of a slacker (and master procrastinator—apologies to my editor). But after watching (okay, scorning) the antics on Oxygen's My Shopping Addiction, I realized that I can really shop. My mother might not brag about this prodigious skill, but I, for one, am quite pleased about it—as is my UPS delivery guy, Shaun, with whom I have been on a first-name basis for…

Wait, that's it?" Not exactly the response I was aiming for when I showed my coworker a screen grab of what I'd billed as the new shoe poised to revolutionize the footwear landscape for spring (the appearance of a double rainbow and spontaneous release of a thousand white doves was closer to what I had in mind), but I could understand her disappointment. The shoe in question—seen on the runways of Dior, Giambattista Valli, and Miu Miu, among others—might seem at first a bit understated. (Read: boring.) At a basic two to three inches with a width roughly as fat as a number 2 pencil, its heel is neither stout enough to qualify as kittenish, spiked enough to pass as a stiletto, nor clunky enough to be called a platform.…

Leave it to a duo of digital-generation designers to take inspiration from a Web platform. Proenza Schouler's Jack McCollough and Lazaro Hernandez scrolled through Tumblr and applied its splice-and-dice aesthetic to pieces like this patchwork snakeskin dress—the perfect expression of spring's improvisational spirit Whip-snake dress, knit choker, prices on request, lizard bag, $2,995, all, PROENZA SCHOULER, collection at Proenza Schouler, NYC | Leather sandals, 3.1 PHILLIP LIM, $750, visit 31philliplim.com More elle.com/fashionfile…

1. Carved agate earrings with rose gold detail, POMELLATO, $4,850, visit pomellato.com | 2. Cotton blouse, JILL STUART, $678, at Jill Stuart, NYC | 3. Leather pump, OSCAR DE LA RENTA, $695, visit oscardelarenta.com | 4. Rose gold chain, price on request, carved agate pendant, $2,500, both, POMELLATO, call 800-254-6020 | 5. Calfskin tote bag, NINA RICCI, $1,200, collection at Neiman Marcus stores nationwide | Model above wears: Cotton-blend embroidered top, $1,390, trousers, $1,825, both, STELLA MCCARTNEY, visit stellamccartney.com…

1. Embellished thong sandal, GUCCI, $995, visit gucci.com | 2. One-of-a-kind yellow gold bracelet with sapphire, garnet, and diamond detail, LYDIA COURTEILLE, price on request, visit lydiacourteille.com | 3. Coral resin necklace, KARA BY KARA ROSS, $370, collection at Neiman Marcus stores nationwide | 4. Calfskin clutch, KATE MOSS FOR LONGCHAMP, $610, visit longchamp.com | Model at right wears: Cotton top, $645, denim pants, $580, both, ISABEL MARANT, at Isabel Marant, NYC. Hat, stylist's own. Leather bag, DEREK LAM, $1,390, visit dereklam.com. iPod Touch (Product) Red, APPLE, $299, visit apple.com. Gold and glass-bead bracelets, IWONA LUDYGA DESIGN, $158–$202, visit iwonaludygadesign.com. Glass-bead bracelet, ANTHONY DREYER FOR PEARL COLLECTIVE, $200 for a set of…

RING TONES From her studio in Brazil, fine-jewelry designer Emar Batalha directed her artistic gaze halfway across the globe, toward India, for her spring collection of agate, nephrite, and amethyst stunners. Turquoise ring with sapphires, diamonds, and rubies, emerald and diamond ring, both, EMAR BATALHA, prices on request, visit emarbatalha.com.br PARIS MATCH For spring, Tyler Ellis, daughter of late designer Perry, has collaborated with Louis-Marie de Castelbajac (son of Jean-Charles) on bags for her two-year-old Tyler Alexandra line. The Parisian Bag, whose fold-over flap mimics a beret, is a witty take on the traditional clutch that works just as well stateside. Matte crocodile bag with felt accents, TYLER ALEXANDRA + LOUIS-MARIE DE CASTELBAJAC, $3,750, visit tyleralexandra.com TAG TEAM Fresh off its partnership with abstract painter James Nares, Coach has teamed…

I took the audience to Antarctica last season, and now I'm taking them to space," jokes Eudon Choi. The 34-year-old designer is referring to his spring collection, an outer-limits odyssey inspired by Kubrick, which came on the heels of a polar exploration–themed fall offering. (Sample piece: the Shackleton coat, named after Ernest Shackleton, the early-twentieth-century British explorer who made expeditions to the South Pole.) Choi's spring lineup, shown in London last September, was an immersion in a particularly '60s brand of retro futurism: fresh windowpane checks, generously sleeved boxy tops in slick patent leather, jaunty pillbox hats, and jumpsuits worked in shiny lunar silver. Sharp ankle-strap pumps made in collaboration with cobbler Joanne Stoker and fold-over purses by handbag designer Thomas Blakk completed the ultramod picture. These are the kind…

Perhaps that maddeningly beautiful face has something to do with it, but whether she's sprinting in gilded armor, galloping on horseback, or masterfully wielding a sword against an army of CGI monsters, London-born Eleanor Tomlinson, 20, transcends the melee as the intrepid Princess Isabelle in this month's Jack the Giant Slayer, an action-adventure retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk. Sure, we're meant to be engrossed in Jack's (Nicholas Hoult's) quest, but Tomlinson's new-wave, let-me-at-'em breed of self-determining royal will have audiences falling for Isabelle as hard as Jack does. "I didn't want her to come across as plastic," says Tomlinson, who looked to the likes of Sigourney Weaver as inspiration for her feisty damsel. "She instantly brought a sense of adventure and maturity [to the character]," says Jack's director, Bryan…

In a work almost 30 years in the making, Joyce Carol Oates uses her hypomanic imagination to conjure her adopted hometown as a demon-haunted enclave of privilege. Joyce Carol Oates is one of the most brilliantly original, wildly imaginative, daringly wacky, and singularly unfettered writers around. Most of her books read as if they were so much fun to write that she didn't want to do anything else while she was writing them, and then she immediately wanted to write another one, which might explain her prodigious literary output. Her latest major novel, The Accursed (Ecco), is a sprawling, madcap ride into the lurid metaphysical thickets of American Gothic, narrated by a fictional historian in a florid, occasionally breathless nineteenth-century style. Its otherworldly, star-studded, impressively huge cast of characters includes…

Model Doutzen Kroes sports a fluorescent pink lip backstage at Giles. To get the look created by makeup artist Lucia Pieroni, try M.A.C Pro Longwear Lip Pencil in More to Love or L'ORéAL PARIS Colour Caresse by Colour Riche in Pink Vinyl. LIFE OF THE PARTY FUCHSIA LIPS THE LOOK: Last season's burgundy lip may have softened to a predictable springtime hue, but a matte finish keeps it fresh. "I wanted the lips to look stamped on with ink," says makeup artist Lucia Pieroni, who used variations of pink at Missoni and Giles. SEEN AT: Chalayan, Dries Van Noten, Giles, Missoni, Oscar de la Renta, Rue du Mail DIY: To prep, dab concealer on lips to erase natural color and make the shade pop. ADD ON: Highlighter over the Cupid's…

Long, thick lashes and full, groomed brows are beauty's Holy Grail: They make everyone look prettier. But our quest is not without consequences. According to Miami-based derm Joely Kaufman, MD, "Overplucking eyebrows, wearing lash extensions, aggressive use of lash curlers, improper makeup removal—many of the health issues with lashes and brows are related to the damage we do ourselves."—Janna Johnson O'Toole GROWTH CYCLE Like all hair, brows and lashes have three phases of life: anagen (growing), catagen (transitional), and telogen (resting and shedding). The longer the anagen phase—the average is one to two months for lashes and brows—the longer the hair (strands on the scalp can be in anagen for up to eight years). The follicles alternate phases, ideally preventing patchy, hairless spots. There are approximately 100 to 150 lashes…

BLUE VALENTINE Not just for brides-to-be, Something Blue Eau de Parfum by Oscar de la Renta features a bright floral blend of mandarin, linden blossom, and bourbon vanilla that anyone could fall in love with. DRAMA QUEEN Just one swipe of Clinique High Impact Waterproof Mascara boosts lash density and adds length for a serious statement. EVERYTHING IS ILLUMINATED Dust Chanel Illuminating Powder along the tops of cheekbones for an instant lit-from-within glow. KISSING PINK Don't be scared of the bold bullet; By Terry Hyaluronic Sheer Rouge lipstick in Dragon Pink imparts a subtle pop of moisturizing color. SILVER LINING Ten hours of waterproof, smudge-resistant staying power make Rimmel London ScandalEyes a day-to-night staple—no touch-ups required. COAT D'AZURE Estée Lauder Pure Color Nail Lacquer, in cool spring shades Dilettante and…

MOTHERS & DAUGHTERS WEIGH IN: ERICA JONG & MOLLY JONG-FAST Erica Jong: Betty felt that meaningful work was important [the two women were writerly acquaintances] and you couldn't be a happy person if you didn't have a cause you believed in. But you didn't have to be going to an office. Molly Jong-Fast: I think I'm going to get in trouble for saying this, but I had my first child at 25, and when I got married, a lot of my friends were like, "You're insane, this is too young, you need to wait." Erica: Katie Roiphe said you were a child bride. Molly: Mom! Erica: [Laughing] Am I allowed to say that? Molly: Everyone was like, "You're doing this terrible thing to yourself." One of my friends said I…

THE RULES: LUXURY EDITION DEAR E. JEAN: Where does one go to meet rich men? (I'm asking for a friend.) —Indispensable MISS INDISPENSABLE: Requirements for a letter being chosen to appear in the Ask Eeee column are: (A) Is the problem solvable? (B) Is it original? (C) As only four original problems exist in the world, are the details of the letter at least interesting? Your letter fails deliciously on all three counts, but to hell with it, I just gotta answer! Eeee's 12 Smartest Places to Meet Rich Men: 1. The Yale Club is smarter than the country club. 2. The country club is smarter than Patti Stanger's Millionaire's Club. 3. The trust-funder wedding is smarter than the golf course. 4. The charity ball is smarter than the yacht…

Beaded cape, gloves, prices on request, jeans, $490, hat, $995, leather belt, $395, pumps, $825, all, Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane, at Saint Laurent, NYC. Beauty Secret: Pair slate-lined eyes with soft peach lips. Try Perfect Blend Eyeliner in Charcoal and Queen Collection Lip Color in South Beach Sand, both by CoverGirl. Metallic leather and bonded jersey bomber jacket, Burberry Prorsum, $3,595, visit burberry.com. For details, see Shopping Guide. Silk coat, price on request, top, $2,250, pants, $1,300, all, Céline, collection at Bergdorf Goodman, NYC. Printed double-faced satin dress, price on request, sandals, $1,895, both, Proenza Schouler, at Proenza Schouler, NYC. For details, see Shopping Guide. Silk top, silk pants, $950, patent leather boots, $795, earrings, price on request, all, Gucci, at select Gucci stores nationwide. Beekeeper headpiece, Alexander McQueen,…

Satin crochet top, Versace, $1,525, at select Versace boutiques nationwide. Crepe jersey skirt, Bottega Veneta, $920. Hat, Saint Laurent by Hedi Slimane, $995. Yellow gold bracelet, Cartier, price on request. Her own necklace. Beauty Secret: For flawless skin that still feels naked, try SK-II Facial Treatment Cream Foundation. Silk faille top, $2,790, shorts, $690, both, Oscar de la Renta, visit oscardelarenta.com. For details, see Shopping Guide. Washed-silk gazar dress with embroidered-tulle yoke and puffed sleeves, Gucci, $2,850, at select Gucci stores nationwide. Draped crepe jacket, A.F. Vandevorst, $1,460, visit afvandevorst.be. Briefs, Dolce & Gabbana, price on request. Yellow gold bracelet, Cartier, price on request. Her own necklace, ring. For details, see Shopping Guide. Beauty Secret: The sexiest smoky eyes are slightly imperfect. To get the look, trace Dolce & Gabbana…

Silk satin sandal, Prada, price on request, at select Prada boutiques nationwide. Stretch-leather sock, Prada, price on request, visit prada.com. Calf leather sandal, Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci, $1,250, collection at Neiman Marcus stores nationwide. Metal-frame Perspex clutch, Burberry Prorsum, $1,495, visit burberry.com. For details, see Shopping Guide. Leather sandal with metal hardware, Giuseppe Zanotti Design, $2,050, visit giuseppezanottidesign.com. Acrylic and metal clutch, Jimmy Choo, $1,595, at select Jimmy Choo boutiques nationwide. Suede and metal-alloy sandal, Tom Ford, $2,790, at Tom Ford, NYC. Hammered-metal clutch, Lanvin, $2,400, collection at Tender, Birmingham, MI. For details, see Shopping Guide. Metallic leather sandal with studded heel, Fendi, $965, call 212-759-4646. Metal box clutch, Roger Vivier, $2,395, at Roger Vivier, NYC. Leather and metallic clutch, Emporio Armani, $750, at select Emporio Armani boutiques nationwide. For…

Now that fashion is as much a part of pop culture as music or movies, and designers have become celebrities, Lanvin artistic director Alber Elbaz is among the bigs. After more than a decade at Lanvin, the designer and his owlish glasses, puppy-dog eyes, and floppy bow tie have become iconic. When he takes a seat in the finer dining rooms in New York and Paris, people crane their necks to look. He has handlers—though not so many that he doesn't occasionally have to run his own errands. One day, while working on his spring collection, Elbaz needed a new mobile phone, so off he went to SFR, the French equivalent of AT&T. "I took a number," he recalls. "They were up to 80, and I was, like, 155." So…

Many a child actor has had awkward teenage years exploited on film, but Nicholas Hoult maybe had it worse than most. In 2002's About a Boy, opposite Hugh Grant, he bumbled his way through middle school, a lost and pudgy soul. A few reviewers even mocked his arched eyebrows, referring to them as "Vulcan." Well, sometimes puberty is a blessing: The young British actor returned to screens in 2009's A Single Man a lithe and lean 6'2" Adonis. The film's director, designer Tom Ford, subsequently made Hoult the face (and brows) of his sunglass line. From there, the actor, now 23, snagged roles in the franchise reboot X-Men: First Class, February's Warm Bodies, and this month's Jack the Giant Slayer—all while dating The Hunger Games phenom Jennifer Lawrence. After two…

Sunday, March 3 SHELL-SHOCKED Rose Carrarini, proprietress of fashion-world favorite Rose Bakery in Paris (and sister-in-law to Rei Kawakubo), serves up How to Boil an Egg (Phaidon), a stylish new cookbook boasting 84 ways to transform the breakfast favorite. Monday, March 4 MODEL CITIZEN Those pop-up shops never seem to stop, well, popping up. Case in point: Citizens of Humanity's temporary retail location in West Hollywood. On offer are must-have denim wares from the label, as well as home goods and objets by local artisans. (Make sure to stop by before it pops over in August.) Friday, March 8 CARRY-ON Whether you're an armchair traveler or a frequent flier, Francisca MattÉoli's book World Tour is worth poring over. The coffee-table tome contains more than 900 vintage travel labels…

If you put Jessica Biel in spring's hottest looks from Paris, pair her with the iconic fashion designers who made them, and lay it out across 18 stunning pages, people will talk: How beautiful is @JessicaBiel in this month's cover shoot for @ELLEMagazine? She's fabulous in ANY designer! —@ChanLa, via Twitter @JessicaBiel rereading #Elle with your layout! Completely stunning. —@BritBurdin, via Twitter Jessica Biel SLAYED her shoot in the January '13 edition of ELLE…. I <3 it! —@Pretty_Inkd_Up, via Twitter But when you're recently married to one of the sexiest men on earth, the details of your nuptials are equally intriguing. After Biel confided to Executive Beauty Editor April Long in January's "Fantastic Voyage" a few of the "perks" of being Mrs. Justin Timberlake—such as having someone to bake her…

Jewelry designer Monique PÉan unearths peace of mind—and one-of-a kind jade for her new spring collection—in Central America's rainforests and ruins Ever since Monique PÉan gave up an analyst job at Goldman Sachs to design her fine-jewelry line in 2006, she's made a point of finding inspiration outside her company's Manhattan office. Once a year, the DC native flings herself to far-out locations—past trips include Malawi, Peru, Colombia, and the Arctic Circle —in pursuit of artifacts and stones for her handmade necklaces, earrings, and bracelets favored by Michelle Obama, Natalie Portman, and Oprah. For her spring collection, titled K'Atun—a Mayan unit of time: every 7,200 days they'd throw an epic party—PÉan explored Tikal, Antigua, and Guatemala City for fossilized dinosaur bones and gray-hued jade, which, thanks to earth's natural recycling…

Taiye Selasi contains a chorus of voices, as befits someone who, at 33, has had four different names (without getting married) and lived on four continents. At her photo shoot and interview, Selasi shifted from soft and kittenish to sarcastic to businesslike to—when the topic was her favorite authors—gushy as a teenager. She pulls off the same ventriloquism in her debut novel, this month's Ghana Must Go, channeling six distinct characters. Fifty-seven-year-old surgeon Kweku Sai; his estranged wife, Folasade; and their four grown children span classes, continents, generations, and genders, yet sound wholly themselves. And Selasi started writing fiction only in 2007. Before that, she majored in American studies at Yale and international relations at Oxford. She chose the latter just after 9/11 because, she says, "I wanted to know…

It happens outside an unfamiliar airport, in a city I've never visited. The car service that's supposed to arrive for me is nowhere in sight. (I know, I know—first-world problems, but bear with me.) Finally, a car—my car, I'm certain —creeps past in several lazy circles. Waiting there, frozen, Ozymandias in a peacoat, I realize that the driver does not recognize me, now the lone passenger outside the airport, as someone he could be transporting. It bears mentioning that I'm 5'9" and blond, not easy to miss. But it's the way I'm dressed that's holding me back (and not just in this scenario, unfortunately). I look younger than my 28 years and compound the problem by outfitting myself in an almost flagrantly casual way. Call it androgy nous—if you're feeling…

1. Raffia belt, DOLCE & GABBANA, $795, call 877-70-DGUSA | 2. Cotton polo, TORY BURCH, $295, call 866-480-8679 B | 3. Cotton bag with beaded mirror detail, TORY BURCH, $295, visit toryburch.com | 4. Linen skirt, J.CREW, price on request, call 800-261-7422 | 5. Raffia and calfskin sandal, DOLCE & GABBANA, $1,195, visit dolcegabbana.com | Model at left wears: Denim shirt, MADEWELL, $88, visit madewell.com. Embellished raffia skirt, price on request, silk scarf, $425, metal and raffia earrings, $1,425, all, DOLCE & GABBANA, at select Dolce & Gabbana boutiques nationwide. Gold pendant necklace, PALOMA PICASSO FOR TIFFANY & CO., $675, visit tiffany.com. Tubular glass-bead bracelets, $85 each, claw…

1. Gold chain collar, GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI DESIGN, price on request, at Giuseppe Zanotti Design, NYC | 2. Skinny jeans with embroidered chain, JUICY COUTURE, $198, at Juicy Couture, NYC | 3. Gold link bandeau, $98, bottom, $85, both, JUICY COUTURE, visit juicycouture.com | 4. Leather and metal bracelet, VERSACE, $975, at select Versace boutiques nationwide | 5. Leather sandal, GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI DESIGN, $575, visit giuseppezanottidesign.com | Model at right wears: Cotton-blend jacket, CURRENT/ELLIOTT, $228, visit nordstrom.com. Cotton T-shirt with eyelet embroidery, 3.1 PHILLIP LIM, $350, collection at Saks Fifth Avenue, NYC. Bikini bottom, JUICY COUTURE, $85, visit juicycouture.com. Cotton jeans, MIH JEANS, $196, visit mih-jeans.com. Leather hat, $795,…

Fringe-trimmed leather bag, BOTTEGA VENETA, $3,750, visit bottegaveneta.com Raffia- and stone-embellished necklace, DOLCE & GABBANA, $1,425, visit dolcegabbana.com Leather-trimmed woven bag, CHLOÉ, price on request, similar styles at select Chloé boutiques nationwide Woven leather sandal, COACH, $228, visit coach.com…

DESIGNERS, SHOPS, HOT SPOTS, AND MORE… NEW YORKFrom blushing emoticons to playful matchsticks, Alison Lou, the debut line from girl-about-town Alison Chemla, features witty, brightly enameled precious metals tailor-made for digital-era ladies. It's no wonder Girls' Jemima Kirke, who models pieces in the designer's lookbook, is already a devout fan. fivestoryny.com PARISFrench design duo MichaËl Amzalag and Mathias Augustyniak have collaborated with Stella McCartney, Kanye West, and BjÖrk on everything from ads to scarves to album covers. See the best of these Euro cool kids' work in their sleek new tome, M to M of M/M (Paris). rizzoliusa.com BREWER, MEAlejandro Ingelmo takes down-east wardrobe staples such as boat shoes and penny loafers to club-kid heights with platform soles and shocking hues in his new Made in Maine collection.…

THE WOMAN: Alexandra Bonetti, 27, New York City THE JOB: Founder and co-owner of Bari, a TriBeCa fitness studio where workouts fuse mini-trampoline bouncing, suspension bands, and free weights with a backbone of sports training technique. (Jessica Stam, Gucci Westman, and even ice-hockey fashionista Sean Avery are regulars.) This spring, Bonetti is opening two more studio "pop ups" in NYC, and she recently introduced Bari Food Society, a meal-planning and nutrition program. THE UNIFORM: The Venezuelan-born Wharton grad chooses slim cuts to showcase her brand's best advertisement: her enviably toned body. When she's not leading classes in Lulu lemon, Bonetti pairs fitted A.L.C. blouses or sleek Helmut Lang sweaters with J Brand leather pants, about which she playfully admits: "I take them off only to shower!" THE CHALLENGE: Look professional—even…

In Admission, Paul Weitz's devilishly clever entertainment about love, loneliness, and Ivy League ambition, Tina Fey and Paul Rudd sparkle as feckless coconspirators against some of the world's crueler realities. Karen Durbin reviews In the past few years, Tina Fey and Paul Rudd have emerged as A-list choices for high-profile studio comedies, even though the multitalented 30 Rock star and first female head writer of Saturday Night Live has appeared in only seven films, as opposed to Rudd's 45. Not that it matters. Their names above the movie title guarantee an excellent shot at Hollywood's coveted brass ring: a strong first weekend at the box office. It bodes well for Paul Weitz's Admission that Fey and Rudd not only are costarring for the first time but have a good, edgy…

A singular new coming-of-age memoir traces one girl's twisting path up from mean streets (and parents) to the reflective life of a writer. The burgeoning canon of literary memoir—spiked with a generous pour of 12-step-program confessional— begets another winner in Domenica Ruta's searing With or Without You (Spiegel & Grau). Ruta grew up in the working-class town of Danvers, Massachusetts, on Boston's North Shore, in the 1980s, shuttling between her volatile druggie- entrepreneur mom and her moody, callow, wall- punching dad—teenage sweethearts who split up when the author, their only child, was four years old. Ruta was a constant witness to the turbulence that accompanied her mother's outsize personality—pill popping, welfare scamming, get-rich-quick schemes, revolving-door friendships with addicts of all ages, a new marriage to a luckless local—and to the…

Katie Holmes is perched on the corner of an expansive white table in Bobbi Brown's Manhattan HQ, eyeing an array of eye shadows, liners, and palettes from the makeup maven's spring collection that has been spread out for display (and, well, play) like some kind of dream beauty smorgasbord. "To me, Bobbi's makeup is like having a beautiful, tightly edited closet," she says. "It all goes together, and it's all really nice. You just can't go wrong." That the actress/designer recently has been named the celebrity face of Bobbi Brown Cosmetics couldn't be more apt: Holmes' effortless, all-American beauty is an ideal embodiment of Brown's less-is-more approach to makeup. The partnership also marks the latest phase in Holmes' post-TomKat reinvention, in which she has moved to New York City, wowed…

It's now widely acknowledged that stem cells—those blank-slate, almost endlessly renewable cells that have the capacity to regenerate everything from organs to skin to nerves—might someday unlock medical cures for conditions ranging from paralysis to blindness. So is it any surprise that their potential is also being trumpeted in the world of skin care? Cosmetic science has often taken inspiration from hard-core medical breakthroughs (Botox, remember, was originally developed for the treatment of facial spasms), and stem cells appear to possess the ideal skill set—including self-duplication and the ability to enact all manner of reparative marvels—to throw the switch on a veritable fountain of youth. "Stem cells are the hottest ticket in terms of street talk since Retin-A," says Beverly Hills–based dermatologist Harold Lancer, MD, who applies a solution of…

Unlike Edith Piaf, the French singer-songwriter whose nickname was Little Sparrow and whose most famous songs included "Non, je ne regrette rien," I've always been inordinately full of regrets. This was a habit of mind that started young—when I decided not to go to sleepaway camp one summer and then spent the next two months being bored and resentful, wishing I had taken the opportunity presented me—and has stayed with me right through the present. The might-have-dones and should-have-dones always weigh more heavily on me than the decisions I've actually made. I am convinced, in fact, that I am not living the life I was meant to live. In one alternate narrative, I've remained married to my ex-husband, whose quirks and foibles I've come to terms with and whose virtues…

It's quite interesting, being an ancient person, how old women age better than old men. It's quite odd. I don't understand it." This is a thought offered by the writer Diana Athill while the two of us are sitting in her room in a retirement home in the very leafy, very comely Highgate section of London. Athill, 95, is wearing a dove-gray linen caftan with rows of white embroidery outlining its V-neck and a double strand of pearls. A large bauble of a cocktail ring is on her right hand. Her sandals are silver. Her eyes are an extraordinarily pale, icy blue; when the sun glances off them, they flicker almost as white as her hair. She is a mix of stately and spirited, speaking in a plummy tone that…

Spring—the time of year when nature demonstrates the importance of hitting Refresh. With this, our March fashion issue, we encourage you to take heed and do exactly that with your wardrobe. To kick things off, we capture cover girl Taylor Swift, no stranger to new beginnings. With nary a sundress in sight, this is Swift as we've never seen her: in über-high fashion, like this futuristic jacket from Burberry Prorsum. Also executing a style 180 this month is Kate Bosworth. Long admired for that platinum coif and polished East Coast aesthetic, Bosworth lets loose with a wild, toffee-colored mane and groovy ensembles that could rival Joni Mitchell at the height of her Laurel Canyon days. Of course, Swift and Bosworth take on just two of the myriad options designers have…

Cotton silk organdy shirt, $1,390, tailored trousers, $1,000, both, Stella McCartney, at Stella McCartney, NYC. For details, see Shopping Guide. Printed satin dress, Louis Vuitton, $1,879, at select Louis Vuitton stores nationwide. For details, see Shopping Guide. Printed metallic shirt, Burberry Prorsum, $795, visit burberry.com. Silk chiffon pants, Emilio Pucci, $1,175. Duchesse satin jacket, skirt, both, Miu Miu, prices on request, at select Miu Miu boutiques nationwide. Patent leather lace-up shoes, Christophe Lemaire, $520. For details, see Shopping Guide. Cotton and silk-faille dress, Rochas, $2,375, collection at thecorner.com. Leather and pony-hair sandals, Elizabeth and James, price on request. Viscose rayon top, $4,345, rayon bra top, $625, briefs, $1,025, all, Dolce & Gabbana, visit dolcegabbana.com. For details, see Shopping Guide. Silk dress, $1,445, shirt, $640, cotton and viscose trousers, $605, all,…

Silk dress, Blumarine, price on request, visit blumarine.com. Plate necklace, Erickson Beamon, $1,230. Lucite bangles, Alexis Bittar, $125–$180. Silk tulle gown, Alberta Ferretti, price on request, at Alberta Ferretti, L.A. Textured Lucite cuff, CC Skye, price on request. Leather sandals, Nina Ricci, $750. For details, see Shopping Guide. Leather dress with silver-painted feathers, price on request, stretch slipdress, $1,290, both, Reed Krakoff, visit reedkrakoff.com. Sunglasses, Spitfire, $39. Textured Lucite cuff, CC Skye, price on request. Beauty Secret: Texturize a blunt cut with Redken Powder Refresh 01 Dry Shampoo for a modern finish. Embroidered mesh dress, Francesco Scognamiglio, $3,200. Silk chiffon pleated bodysuit, price on request, skirt, $1,590, both, J. Mendel, at J. Mendel, NYC. Briolette crystal necklace, Swarovski, $750. Perspex bag, Charlotte Olympia, $1,295. Leather belt, Carolina Herrera, price on…

Cashmere-and-silk knit top, $960, silk satin skirt, price on request, both, Dior, at Dior boutiques nationwide. Floral necklace, Tuleste, price on request. Boots, Dr. Martens, $130. On him: Trousers, Marc by Marc Jacobs, price on request. Printed silk crepe dress, Bottega Veneta, $4,650, at Bottega Veneta boutiques nationwide. Sterling silver necklace, Ippolita, $1,795. Silver drop earring, Stephen Webster, $395. Boots, Dr. Martens, $130. On him: Shirt, Ben Sherman, $95. Cotton-blend pants, Hudson Jeans, $174. For details, see Shopping Guide. Embroidered lace gown, Vera Wang Collection, $4,995, collection at Saks Fifth Avenue. Gold vermeil ear cuff, Lømo, $360. Silver drop earring, Stephen Webster, $395. Gold bracelet, Tuleste, $250. Boots, Dr. Martens, $130. On him: Pants, Bottega Veneta, $1,100. Beauty Secret: For spring's ropey windblown waves, let hair air-dry and define ends…

COVERS Printed dress by Louis Vuitton, $9,261, at select Louis Vuitton stores nationwide, call 866-VUITTON or visit louisvuitton.com. White gold necklace with diamonds and onyx by Van Cleef & Arpels, call 877-VAN-CLEEF or visit vancleefarpels.com. Diamond bracelet by Harry Winston, call 800-988-4110 or visit harrywinston.com. Leather and jersey jacket by Burberry Prorsum, $3,595, visit burberry.com. BEHIND THE COVER Page 176: Dress by Cynthia Rowley, visit cynthiarowley.com. Pump by Dior, call 800-929-DIOR. Sunglasses by Burberry, at Burberry stores nationwide. iPod Nano by Apple, visit apple.com. THE LOOK Page 247: Dress, $9,850, bag by Proenza Schouler, call 212-585-3200. Sandals by 3.1 Phillip Lim, at 3.1 Phillip Lim (NYC), call 212-334-1160. TRENDS AND ACCESSORIES Page 248: Belt, sandals, skirt, scarf, earrings, bag by Dolce & Gabbana, at select Dolce & Gabbana boutiques nationwide,…

STREET SMARTS The women who most inspire street-style photographers aren't those who pair runway looks with piles of noisy accessories, but the intuitive savants who understand the art of flattering proportions and silhouettes, adding their own personal touch to even the most pervasive of trends. Whether you're transfixed by the cavalcade of lips and lashes at Lincoln Center, bundled babes straight off the Piccadilly line, or vixens who transform a black le smoking with a slick of merlot gloss, we have our eyes to the street. To peruse the best off-runway looks from around the globe—and to stay inspired all "fashion month" long—head over to ELLE.com/streetstyle. THE BOARD WALK A week before models strutted down Peter Som's spring runway in watercolor-print board shorts, their tousled hair streaked with Rainbow Brite…

One of spring's best and brightest fashion trends is colored metallics in sophisticated silhouettes, and ELLE Creative Director Joe Zee immediately knew that no one could rock the sparkle and shine like Taylor Swift. After arriving at our set in New York City dressed casually chic in a Topshop jacket and Chanel oxfords, Swift took on the DJ role, blasting a hip-hop playlist on her iPod and inspiring hairstylist Ken O'Rourke to pump up the volume on the star's fine blond hair with RenÉ Furterer's Anti-Dehydrating Volumizing Mousse. Swift's long limbs and model features made her an ideal subject for Zee and photographer Carter Smith, who transformed the crossover wunderkind into a different high-fashion incarnation for each take. The singer effortlessly shifted from supercool to whimsical to daring, styled in…

This season's high-wattage trends run the gamut from heavy hardware to little-girl hair accents. Creative Director Joe Zee breaks them down to the letter ALICE COOPER School's out for…spring! Heavy-metal glamour finds a style hero in the shock-rock icon's theatrical stripes, tough black leather, fringe, heavy boots, and raccoon eyes. BEACH BLANKET BINGO Break out that itsy-bitsy teeny-weeny. Cutesy Funicello-era pieces come courtesy of Dolce & Gabbana, Marc by Marc Jacobs, and, of course, Chanel. CHOKED Unlike the delicate velvet and cameo numbers from the late '90s, these superstatement necklaces span your entire neck. It's an easy way to turn a simple neckline up a notch—and also to deflect vampires. DRESSING IN THE DARK Forget all the rules your mother taught you about coordinating an outfit: This is the season…

Fresh out of Dartmouth College with a degree in economics, Tomoko Ogura got a job as an assistant to Julie Gilhart, the former fashion director of Barneys New York. Eight years later, the Jersey native (who spent her teens in Japan) became the shopping colossus' youngest-ever senior fashion director. The Brooklyn resident tells ELLE about her big promotion, the best of the spring collections, and why ballerinas are her style muses: What do you do all day, in a nutshell? The most fun part of my job is the search—for new designers, special products, and trends. It's all about finding what you connect with. If you didn't do this, you'd be… An architect. I like that it's mathematical but creative. You attended high school in Tokyo. What was that like?…

SWAN SONG Balenciaga Talk about going out on a high note. For what turned out to be his final collection for the house, Nicolas Ghesquière showed flamenco-esque ruffles and cropped crisscross tops that smartly redefined sex appeal, but there was also sharp suiting buried beneath the look-at-me elements. Successor Alexander Wang has big (block-heeled) shoes to fill. THE NEW NEW LOOK Dior Though new artistic director Raf Simons gamely took on house signatures (the bar jacket, the ball skirt), his ready-to-wear debut was also quintessential Raf. Infusing it with an effervescence missing from recent seasons via soft pinks, puffs of tulle, and abbreviated shapes, he gave feminine dressing a new, antiprecious sensibility. PRODIGAL DAUGHTER Jil Sander After eight years away, the Queen of Less returned to the label she launched…

1. Lucite necklace with Swarovski crystal detail, ERICKSON BEAMON, $1,530, collection at Curve, NYC | 2. PVC-coated raincoat, TIMO WEILAND, $715, visit shop.timoweiland.com | 3. Perspex and rayon crochet clutch bag, CHARLOTTE OLYMPIA, $1,295, at Charlotte Olympia, NYC | 4. Suede and Lucite wedge, DONNA KARAN NEW YORK, $1,295, at Donna Karan New York stores nationwide | 5. Sunglasses, GUCCI, price on request, at Gucci boutiques nationwide | Model at right wears: Organza top, $3,790, pencil skirt, $1,635, CHRISTOPHER KANE, collection at Jeffrey, NYC. White gold and ruby ring, TACORI, $640, visit tacori.com. Yellow gold cuff, LARA BOHINC $1,210, visit larabohinc.com. Vinyl clutch, $225, patent leather and suede…

1. Cotton pants, JOE FRESH, $39, visit joefresh.com | 2. Gold vermeil woven bracelet, AURÉLIE BIDERMANN, $120, visit modaoperandi.com | 3. Cotton shorts, TORY BURCH, $250, visit toryburch.com | 4. Metal and tweed necklace, CHANEL, $1,675, at select Chanel boutiques nationwide | 5. Tie-dye wedge, CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, $625, visit christianlouboutin.com | Model at left wears: Leather jacket with detachable hood, $2,250, wrap skirt, $1,350, both, BOY. BY BAND OF OUTSIDERS, visit net-a-porter.com. Bikini top, MISSONI, $390 (sold with matching bottom), at Missoni boutiques nationwide. Tweed cap, $903, tweed and metal necklace, $4,030, bracelet, $1,884, all, CHANEL, call 800-550-0005. Silk and gold woven bracelet, ARIEL GORDON JEWELRY, $115, visit…

Long adored by the fashion cognoscenti as one of the industry's most ardent champions of minimalism, Raf Simons has brought a healthy dose of modernity to the house of Dior since taking the reins last spring, and the accessories front is no exception. For footwear inspiration, Simons took full advantage of the Dior archives, filled with polished pumps from M. Dior's collaboration with Roger Vivier, which lasted from 1953 to 1963. Simons offers his own take on these classics, with high-octane neon color-blocking and sexy straps. As for handbags, Simons looked to the Lady Dior, the top-handled tote made famous in the mid-'90s as Princess Diana's go-to carryall, reenvisioning it in smooth, shocking chartreuse calf leather.—Naomi Rougeau ARCHIVAL QUALITY (Clockwise from top left) Black leather Lady Dior bag, 1995; pink…

When Caroline Issa stopped by J.Crew last fall to stock up on wardrobe essentials—an opportunity the striking Londoner tries to take advantage of every time she visits the States—she didn't anticipate the minor scene that would ensue. "The salespeople were like, 'Whoa, you're the girl in the ad, and now you're in the store buying our sweaters?' " recalls Issa, raising her voice into a stage whisper–scream hybrid befitting a 12-year-old at a One Direction concert. "All I could think to say back was, 'Um, yes, I am.' " Encounters like this are new territory for Issa, who until a year and a half ago was just another drop-dead-gorgeous magazine editor with a killer wardrobe living in relative obscurity. But thanks to a few pictures on friend Garance Doré's high-traffic…

OPEN SEASON When it comes to fashion, it's easy to fall into the habit of playing it close to the vest (no pun intended). But as with anything in life, you gotta play big to win big. Case in point: the irreverent mink-covered pumps that brought smiles at Céline—a challenge for even the most adventurous of dressers, to be sure, but one that, if executed correctly, would blow any basic heel out of the water. Of course, for most of us, the best type of risk is a calculated one, which is why, in the following pages, we've broken down the season's most exciting and thought-provoking trends into a foolproof how-to guide. You'll know, for example, exactly which maxiskirt to pair with which floaty blouse to nail that boho-chic look…

Fresh out of Wellesley in 1962, Nora Ephron landed a coveted position as a White House intern under John F. Kennedy—not literally under him, she later made clear. If she was going to succeed in the world of men, she was going to do it more cleverly than that, and with compromises of her own choosing. When she got her first newspaper job, at the New York Post in the Neanderthal days of 1963, the gal reporters had to work twice as hard to get half as far, and even then were often expected to cover "women's" subjects, be available for nooky, and disappear once married. But Ephron was too smart, and too ambitious, to be limited by such expectations about the intersection of work and romance; instead, in essays,…

A memoir graphically demonstrates a problem unique to our era: When you're being bullied or stalked, there's no way out of cyberspace. She'd send him dozens of e-mails a day, chockablock with inventive wordplay and allusions to his work. In the beginning, the electronic missives were companionable— requesting help with her own novel in progress, kvetching about the travails of her day job. He thought of her as a sort of friend, a kindred writing spirit. Then the messages became overtly seductive: Maybe she'd smuggle herself into his roomette on a cross-country train trip he'd mentioned he was taking without his wife and children. But as time went on—and he stopped responding, both out of exhaustion and in an effort to discourage her amorous attentions—the relentless e-mails turned wildly accusatory…

The problem with my hair begins with my face. My face, I am sorry to report, clashes with any hairstyle other than a medium-length and nonlayered one, which is less a style than a state of nature. I discovered this a few years ago, when a makeup artist stepped back from my face midbronzing, squinched her eyes, and said, "You know, I thought you had a square face, but it's actually sort of a pyramid." A pyramid? Yes, she said, a pyramid. She was right about my face—it's widest at the jawline, like Luke Wilson's—and I've never quite forgiven her for it. For a pyramid, hair options are limited. Bobs exacerbate the problem; bangs turn your face into a Rothko painting; curls = bigger pyramid. But humans are perverse; we…

No man will ever want to put a ring on a finger that looks like yours," my mother said to me one Thanksgiving. I moved my fingers away from my mouth. I was out of college, making my way in New York, and though I wasn't yet of age to fret over the absence of a ring, I was certainly old enough to have dispensed with the irksome girlhood tic of biting my nails. "What's wrong with you?" she asked with narrowed eyes. Nothing, I thought. Absolutely nothing. It's just a silly habit. Fast-forward a half dozen years to this past fall. I had found a tall, gentle man to marry me—a turn of events my mother found miraculous. Because, yes, I was still biting my nails. I'd feebly attempted…

This is the most polarizing piece of furniture I own—people either love it or hate it," Sasha Adler says as she lovingly pats an intricately carved wooden cabinet, one with a scalloped top edge, a chain lock, and corner spokes that point to the ceiling like the turrets of a castle. Is it an ancient Moroccan vessel where princesses once stored spices? A medieval dollhouse? "It's Indian," she says with the certainty of a woman who knows her way around an antiques shop, which, as co–design director at Nate Berkus Associates in Chicago, Adler does. She discovered the cabinet in the firm's storage archives and persuaded her boss to try it in his dining room, but he wasn't convinced it worked. "Nate eventually gave it to me as a housewarming…

Not far from the French Quarter, soft strains of Louis Armstrong drift through an old Victorian house and out the open door, into the chilly morning air: "Magnolia trees at night…fields of cotton look wintry white/ When it's Christmastime in New Orleans." The tall wrought-iron fence surrounding the house is masked by a row of naked oleanders. Unlatching the gate, Matthew McConaughey appears, Lestat-like: pallid, spindly, a ghost of his familiar sun-soaked, muscled self. While his handshake is strong, the red-and-black Fila tracksuit he's wearing looks empty. The actor's gone and whittled 45 pounds from his six-foot frame to embody Ron Woodroof, a homophobic electrician who, after being diagnosed with AIDS in 1986, became an antiviral-drug smuggler, an activist, and the subject of The Dallas Buyers Club. The film, costarring…

Beaded blouse, beaded pants, both, Giorgio Armani, prices on request, at Giorgio Armani Boutique, NYC. Tulle hat, Patricia Underwood, $395. Diamond and emerald earrings, Helen Yarmak, price on request. Leather gloves, Miu Miu, $550. Metal clutch, Victoria Beckham, $2,950. Tights, Falke, $39. Sequined pumps, Louis Vuitton, $1,233. Printed viscose jacket dress, Etro, $1,846, at Etro boutiques nationwide. Beaded silk hair-tie, Ashish, $90. Pearl and diamond pendant earrings, Madyha Farooqui, price on request. Embellished rubber choker, Delfina Delettrez, $1,250. Lambskin gloves, Chanel, $1,715. Leather bag, Prada, $1,850. For details, see Shopping Guide. Embellished silk dress, Versace, price on request, at select Versace boutiques nationwide. Skinny belt (in hair), Michael Kors, $450. Gold hoop earrings, Pomellato, price on request. Metal and Plexiglas choker, pearl bracelet, both, Chanel, prices on request. Gold-plated brass…

Wool vest with white lapel, $2,995, wool pants, $1,195, both, Lanvin, at Lanvin, NYC. Silk-and-cotton bustier, Calvin Klein Collection, $1,795. Striped jacket, Haider Ackermann, $2,762. Golden brass necklace, $415, rings, $205–$245, all, Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière. Ponyskin boots, Marc Jacobs, price on request. Beauty Secret: The new way to wear bronzer? Paired with gilded lips. To get the look, try Dior Addict Lipstick in Casual Gold. Double-breasted jacket, Calvin Klein Collection, $4,995, at Calvin Klein Collection, NYC. Golden brass necklace, Balenciaga by Nicolas Ghesquière, $415. For details, see Shopping Guide. Black cotton asymmetrical top, Comme des Garçons, $2,310, at Comme des Garçons, NYC. White cotton shirt, Emporio Armani, $395. Wool-and-silk skirt, Dior, $2,600. Cotton-blend sweater, $1,095, jacquard skirt, $1,250, both, Chloé, at select Chloé boutiques nationwide. Cotton shirt, Charvet, $365.…

Hand-embroidered organza gown, Tex Saverio, price on request, visit texsaverio.com. Patent leather jacket, Tom Ford, price on request, at Tom Ford, Beverly Hills. Vintage earrings, from Depuis1924.com, $650. For details, see Shopping Guide. Sequined viscose-blend crewneck, $650, cardigan, $750, skirt, $700, all, Sister by Sibling, visit siblinglondon.com. Vintage earrings, from Depuis1924.com, $480. Gold oval link chain, David Yurman, price on request. Long link chain, Oscar de la Renta, $100. Swarovski crystal cuff, Roberto Cavalli, $2,050. Metallic leather pumps, Giuseppe Zanotti Design, $650. Patent leather jacket, Tom Ford, price on request, at Tom Ford, Las Vegas. Silk skirt with Swarovski crystals, Fausto Puglisi, price on request. Vintage earrings, from Depuis1924.com, $650. Metallic leather pumps, Giuseppe Zanotti Design, $650. For details, see Shopping Guide. Here's the thing you need to know about…

Beauty Secret: Put bold brows front and center by keeping the rest of the face bare. Try Diorshow Brow Styler brow pencilby Dior. Leather coat, price on request, jacket, $2,790, both, Fendi, at Fendi, NYC. Leather-and-knit top, leather skirt, both, Salvatore Ferragamo, prices on request, at Salvatore Ferragamo boutiques nationwide. For details, see Shopping Guide. Sequin-embroidered cotton-and-rubber top, Marc Jacobs, $995, at Marc Jacobs, NYC. Pants, Belstaff, $850. Striped viscose bodysuit, Michael Kors, $695, at select Michael Kors stores nationwide. For details, see Shopping Guide. Cotton-blend dress, Moschino, $2,995, at Moschino, NYC. Leather jacket, $1,995, silk pants, $595, both, Emporio Armani, at select Emporio Armani boutiques nationwide. For details, see Shopping Guide. Printed pony-hair top with silk back, $1,650, silk taffeta skirt, $625, both, Max Mara, at Max Mara, NYC.…

PISCES (Feb 19–Mar 20) You'll be at your best this month, thanks to a rare crown of stars gathered in your sign and bestowing celestial gifts: Neptune brings vision and creativity; Venus imparts exceptional charm; Mercury gives you the right words; Mars, control, energy, and presence; the Sun, authority; and, best of all, the majestic new moon spins this planetary energy into motion. As you're flying high, you'll be able to commit to and flourish in a new project or relationship, or something you set in motion months ago suddenly will jump to life and energize you. In either case, this is a time with the power to change your life. You'll be presented with a bevy of options, so choose wisely among everything that's available to you. Be…