Table of contents for October 2013 in ELLE

"My first words to my future bride were, 'Hey, I'm Nick. You're hilarious, and I think this is going to be really fun.' Little did I realize how effective this opening salvo would prove." Tuesday, October 1 MAN-IFESTO In his first memoir, Paddle Your Own Canoe, Nick Offerman offers up such wisdom as "Eat red meat. Producers like a pelt with a healthy glow," making it difficult to separate the author from the broad-chested brute he plays on TV. And we're fine with that. Thursday, October 17 GLEAM TEAM The 1948 Verdura Wrapped Heart brooch, below, contains 271 white diamonds and 109 canary yellow diamonds. Starting today, this and more than 40 other splendors (including a bracelet originally owned by Brooke Astor) will be on display at the jeweler's New…

NAUGHTY BY NATURE She may look like the girl next door, but as Holly Millea discovered in "Risqué Business" [August 2013], Amanda Seyfried isn't as sweet as she appears. ELLE readers reacted to both the Lovelace star's unfiltered honesty ("To be too protective is boring," she pronounced) and her punk-princess makeover courtesy of ELLE Creative Director Joe Zee: "Obsessed with @AmandaSeyfried's @ELLEmagazine grungy spread." —luisanna_marie, via Twitter "Finally, someone I can relate to! I could never quite explain…why it's so difficult for me to truly like somebody—it's because I have to be sexually attracted to them first! She explains it perfectly; I'm so glad I'm not the only one who feels this way!" —YES, Eonline.com "Amanda Seyfried is KILLING it in the latest #ELLE. #ELLEForLunch" —MirandaTCS, via Twitter "I love…

Aside from the remnants of a South Carolina lilt, there's little about Kelly Wearstler that isn't L.A. Pop into the interior designer's eponymous flagship on Melrose and you'll find ultraluxe Regency treasures that recall legendary city residents such as Rita Hayworth and Marilyn Monroe. And that's just her designs: In her off hours, Wearstler is famously committed to a punishing, five-days-a-week Barry's Boot Camp and kale juice regimen that could put any modern-day starlet to shame. Yet, thanks to a side project designing the interiors for a forthcoming San Francisco hotel owned by L.A.-based Kor Group (The Avalon, Maion 140)—which has her making the eight-hour trek up the PCH on a monthly basis—the former Playboy playmate has turned her artistic gaze northward. "It's a totally different voice from L.A.," says…

"I'm a bit of a collector," says New York City-based jewelry designer Monique Péan, welcoming me into her SoHo apartment, which, as you'd expect for someone who regularly makes best-dressed lists, contains a covetable array of statement handbags and heels—as well as such curiosities as geodes and fossils on end tables, whale baleen on one wall, and a zebra skull on the kitchen counter. "I recently got a hip bone of a stegosaurus!" she says. Péan's evolving cabinet of curiosities is the by-product of her global quest to source eco-friendly materials for her fine-jewelry line—founded in 2006 and inspired by indigenous art and culture—a search that has led her as far afield as Machu Picchu, the Tuamotu Archipelago in French Polynesia, and the Arctic Circle. For her fall collection, Tu'til,…

At the risk of sounding cheesy, I'll admit to having a longtime obsession with pop stars. The forget-me-not tunes! The compulsion to push the envelope! The onstage fashion that merges runway and stripper motifs! The globe-trotting acrobatics—Atlanta one minute, Cape Town the next! What's not to love? And as became perfectly clear to me last April when she headlined ELLE's annual Women in Music concert, Kelly Rowland is the consummate pop star. She's been a performer her whole life—bursting onto the radio as a teenager with Destiny's Child, then hooking up with Nelly for 2002's superhit "Dilemma," and finally emerging as a bankable solo artist in 2011, when her "Motivation" reached number one on the U.S. chart. With four solo albums under her belt, Kelly is a pro through and…

Goat-hair vest, MICHAEL MICHAEL KORS, $795, call 866-709-KORS CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION MARNI SIMONE ROCHA Shearling and suede ankle boot, DONNA KARAN NEW YORK, $1,295, visit donnakaran.com Wool-blend coat, STELLA McCARTNEY, $1,790, at Stella McCartney, NYC Shearling and leather handbag, NINA RICCI, $3,050, collection at Barneys New York Find 35 more beautifully soft ways to keep warm in our comprehensive coat guide at ELLE.com/outerwear.…

Embroidered canvas clutch, OLYMPIA LE-TAN, $1,723, visit olympialetan.com Metal sunglasses, WILDFOX SUN, $199, visit wildfoxsun.com STELLA MCCARTNEY ASHLEY WILLIAMS BURBERRY PRORSUM Leather ankle boot, SOPHIA WEBSTER, $795, visit sophiawebster.co.uk Crepe and rayon shirt, ORLA KIELY, $278, at Orla Kiely, NYC Onyx cuff with ruby and pearl detail, CAMILLA DIETZ BERGERON, LTD., $3,250, call 212-794-9100 "His heart danced upon her movements like a cork upon a tide." —James Joyce, A Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man…

When Victoria Beckham wore a negligee from Louis Vuitton's slinky, sexy, steamer-trunk-chic fall 2013 collection to Wimbledon, she looked as if she'd come straight from the boudoir. With the right styling touches, the after-dark look can do daytime quite nicely. Take, for example, the tough-girl 'tude of a tailored moto vest and serious wedges, which Luisa Orsini, one half of the design duo behind handbag line TL-180, proffered. "I don't feel 'glamour woman' enough to wear this dress by itself," says her codesigner, Tine Peduzzi. "My way is a bit off and with humor—my jean jacket and a pair of brogues." Lace-trimmed wool dress, LOUIS VUITTON, $3,100, call 866-VUITTON Wool cashmere hat, KAMINSKI XY, $230, visit helenkaminski.com Lambskin vest, RAG & BONE, $770, at Rag & Bone stores nationwide Laminated-calfskin…

PARIS You'd be forgiven for thinking Milleneufcent-quatrevingtquatre's silk squares look more like art than like scarves. Each print is created by hand using methods from drawing to painting to photomontage. milleneufcentquatrevingtquatre.com PARIS Bruno Frisoni has resurrected Roger Vivier's 1963 Virgule ("comma") pump, with its unique curled heel. The campaign features rock-star progeny Atlanta de Cadenet Taylor, shot by of-the-moment (19-year-old) photographer Olivia Bee. rogervivier.com LONDON Jimmy Choo has partnered with Carrera on a capsule range of rocker-chic sunglasses. The Carrera 6000 (the brand's best-selling style) gets tricked out in black, gold, and nude glitter as well as a metallic leopard print. jimmychoo.com NEW YORK Berlin-based eyewear brand Mykita's new Crosby Street outpost boasts all-white interiors—the better to show off the stylish wares—an in-house optometrist, and state-of-the-art diagnostic…

The sweet nosegays blooming across Caroline Hougen's '50s-style housedresses take on a much darker cast when seen up close. For her Invasion of the Body Snatchers–inspired collection, the 25-year-old School of the Art Institute of Chicago (SAIC) senior, who grew up in Bismarck, North Dakota, searched the term body snatchers on the Smithsonian's website, "and a lot of parasites came up." Standing backstage amid the whirl of the university's graduate fashion show—housed inside a massive tent in Chicago's Millennium Park—she indicates a cluster on a pink dress. "This was one of the best-looking parasites. And so that's the one I chose." In case the battery of makeup artists (led by Maybelline New York's Gabriel Almodovar) and the quick-changing models around her didn't make it clear, Hougen is one of 23…

Weekend dressing is always something to look forward to. From key pieces like these cashmere Marc Jacobs sweaters—wear them with or without their detachable mink collars—to the playful pairings that keep it all grounded (dresses with sneakers; flirty chiffon and flannel work shirts), we're taking low-key dressing to new heights. For inspiration, we check in with Miranda Kerr and Chiharu Okunugi, both of whose off-duty style looks effortless—but is worth striving for. Cashmere sweaters with mink collars, all, MARC JACOBS, $1,800 each, at Marc Jacobs, NYC THIS MONTH IN SHOPS: The chicest track pants ever made page 248 // Sneakerheads, rejoice: We show you how to wear kicks for work, evening, and the weekend page 256 // Heigh-ho, saddlebag! page 271 // The Coveteur takes on Mrs. Orlando Bloom page…

From furs to parkas, we have the season's outerwear covered at ELLE.com/fallcoats. TRADITIONAL As seen at Prada Sable coat, J. MENDEL, price on request, call 800-J-MENDEL Rabbit and fox coat, REBECCA VALLANCE, $2,077, visit rebeccavallance.com Sheared lamb-fur coat, ROBERT RODRIGUEZ, $1,995, visit robertrodriguezcollection.com Faux-mink coat, DENNIS BASSO PLATINUM COLLECTION, $220, visit qvc.com FUR SLEEVE As seen at Sacai Leather vest and fur-trimmed lining, both, SACAI, prices on request, visit sacai.jp Bonded wool and fur coat, MULBERRY, $2,600, at Mulberry, NYC Fox coat, PETER SOM, $2,495, to special order at petersom.com Wool and rabbit coat, BAND OF OUTSIDERS, $2,395, collection at shopbop.com SAUVAGE As seen at Saint Laurent Fox and raccoon coat, YVES SALOMON, price on request, at Yves Salomon, Aspen Fox coat, TANYA TAYLOR, $4,500, to special order at tanyataylor.com…

Leather boot, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, $1,490, at Salvatore Ferragamo boutiques nationwide Leather boot, BELSTAFF, $1,495, visit belstaff.com Suede ankle boot, JIMMY CHOO, $2,195, at select Jimmy Choo stores nationwide Python boot, GUCCI, $3,300, at select Gucci stores nationwide Calfskin boot, HERMèS, $2,775, visit hermes.com Suede boot, BALENCIAGA, $2,850, collection at Barneys New York Glazed calfskin boot, CHANEL, $1,595, call 800-550-0005 Suede boot, GIANVITO ROSSI, $1,700, collection at Barneys New York Leather boot, 3.1 PHILLIP LIM, $975, collection at Barneys New York Suede boot, GIUSEPPE ZANOTTI DESIGN, $1,625, visit giuseppezanottidesign.com For dozens more of the season's best boots—from flat to sky-high—check out ELLE.com/fallboots.…

The three modern classics we feel are worth your dollars—and your closet space The Perfect: Crewneck Sweater Dressed up or down, Equipment's cashmere crewneck—by Serge Azria—is a must-have for its perfectly proportioned ribbing and myriad color options. Cashmere sweater, EQUIPMENT, $268, visit equipmentfr.com The Perfect: Saddlebag Leave it to Phoebe Philo to engineer a minimalist tote that can handle, and hold, it all. Plus, the discreet logo ensures you don't become a walking billboard. Leather handbag, CéLINE, $2,950, at select Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide The Perfect: Gold-link Chain Verdura designed the curb-link bracelet for Greta Garbo in the late '30s. The 35-inch necklace remains the gold standard, with pendants or solo. Yellow gold curb-link necklace, VERDURA, price on request, at Verdura, NYC SHOPS The Perfect… Cecil Beaton said of…

British chemists Sir William Ramsay and Morris W. Travers discovered neon gas in 1898. Even as temperatures dip, the colors remain hot—neon, to be precise. Blindingly bright après-ski looks—a trademark of '80s ELLE—are a sure way to beat the winter blues Polarized shades reflect the sun but not stares in September '88. Fox hat, MICHAEL KORS, $2,995, at select Michael Kors stores nationwide Layering is key in November '89. Track jacket, ADIDAS BY STELLA McCARTNEY, $350, visit adidas.com Mink and shearling coat, FENDI, price on request, at Fendi, NYC Sunglasses, DIOR, $425 each, at select Solstice stores nationwide More is more when it comes to both winter gear and colors in November '89. Brass and cord cuff, AUDEN, $298, visit audendesign.com Calfskin boots, HERMèS, $1,425, at Hermès stores nationwide Drawstring…

(Review) GOING TO EXTREMES A pair of deeply unorthodox and original movies this fall tackle neglected, even taboo, cinematic themes and deliver walloping emotional punches. Boundaries are broken—and feathers will surely be ruffled. By Karen Durbin Two high-profile movies are adding their luster to this so far wondrous film season, leaping hurdles along the way. French-Tunisian director Abdellatif Kechiche's Blue Is the Warmest Color garnered multiple honors at Cannes this year with the passionate love story of two young women—no-holds-barred, sexually frank, and so fiercely honest that, gay or straight, you may find yourself both exhilarated and revisiting the pain of old wounds you thought had healed for good. Fierce honesty is also the engine that drives a very different story, Steve McQueen's 12 Years a Slave, based on the…

[FICTION] THE EVOLUTION OF ALMA A mega-best-selling memoirist of self-discovery takes an impressively sharp turn into historical fiction By Cotton Codinha It's a happy problem, high expectations, but a problem nonetheless. One option? Blow them out of the water. With her return to fiction for the first time in a dozen years, Elizabeth Gilbert has done just that. The Signature of All Things (Viking) is a beautiful rumination on a life from start to near end, specifically the life of stubborn, talented, nineteenth-century-Philadelphia-dwelling Alma Whittaker. Gilbert's book takes us from the Age of Enlightenment to the Industrial Revolution, with side trips into the abolitionist struggle, the horrors of premodern mental-health care, the Civil War, and Darwin's theorizing about natural selection. But she never veers far from the personal, focusing most…

Joan Smalls wears fall's captivating new lip, created by McGrath, backstage at Dior fall 2013 couture THIS MONTH IN BEAUTY Our biggest head-to-toe anti-aging guide of the year page 312 // You've mastered the art of the selfie—now upgrade your FaceTime game page 320 // Makeup artist Napoleon Perdis' step-by-step cheat sheet to erasing dark circles and contouring cheeks page 326 // Plan your next getaway at one of these ELLE-approved Zen dens page 328 See all the gowns, glamour, and girls of fall couture at ELLE.com/fall2013couture.…

HAIR 1. COLOR THEORY "If a follicle can be encouraged to produce a thicker hair, often pigment will also ramp up," says Alan J. Bauman, MD, of an unexpected—but welcome—side effect of stimulating hair growth. "Using minoxidil can make more pigment deep in the hair fiber. It's not going to reverse completely gray hair, but hair can get thicker and darker." 2. METALHEAD If bad-hair days are getting more frequent, your home's copper pipes might be to blame. In a P&G study led by Jennifer Marsh, PhD, researchers sampled hair from 450 women in nine countries and found varying levels of the heavy metal, which can react with hair-color chemicals and UV rays to speed the breakdown of protein structure, leading to visibly damaged strands. "Over time the hair will…

LOVE SHACKS HALEKULANI Honolulu halekulani.com The revamped program at this bastion of bliss on Waikiki Beach includes Mind-Body exercise classes and new treatments drawn from Polynesian and Asian traditions—including a first-in-Hawaii Tahitian taurumi monoï-oil rubdown. TOP TREATMENT Try the Ho'olele massage, in which therapists use their bare feet to target sore muscles. Hang 10! EL SECRETO Ambergris Caye, Belize elsecretobelize.com This secluded hideaway 11 miles from the nearest town (arrivals are by boat only) ensures the sort of casual luxury where sea turtle spottings and poolside coconut mojitos are a given. TOP TREATMENT You don't have to be betrothed to enjoy the Jasmine Organic Brides Ritual, which involves a massage, body wrap, and flower bath, but be prepared to field proposals afterward. FLYING SOLO MIRAVAL Tucson miravalresorts.com Perhaps the first…

GREAT EXPECTATIONS From shiny nails to ultrasoft lips, you'll be glowing with product picks that benefit breast cancer research Best Buds Hanae Mori Eau de Collection No. 8 blends bright notes of Kyoto cherry blossom, passionflower, and pink freesia; 2 percent of the retail price will be donated to the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund this month. Lip Service Clinique Almost Lipstick in Pink Ribbon Honey imparts a flattering tint; the BCRF earns $3 from the sale of each bullet. Très Cheek Brightening your complexion can support the search for a cure: $10 from each Bobbi Brown French Pink Set sold benefits the Breast Cancer Research Foundation (BCRF). Charity Ball Net profits from EOS's mouthwatering lip balms in limited-edition Fresh Watermelon and fan favorite Strawberry Sorbet will be donated…

On a muggy July evening, Barbara Bush, the less well-known of the former president's twin daughters—the one who went to Yale and who not only often wears Proenza Schouler but worked for those boys in their Chinatown apartment early on when it doubled as their atelier—hosted a cocktail party at Chelsea Piers in Manhattan, which was developed by her father's former Yale fraternity brother Roland Betts. Betts' daughter Maggie is one of Barbara's closest friends; they even live in the same New York apartment building. There was Gramercy Cellars cabernet, WhistlePig rye, Brooklyn Summer Ale, and a view of the Statue of Liberty. All of which might seem like predictable summertime socializing for a dynastic princess of the Republican Party, except that the party was in honor of Global Health…

"I get goose bumps when I think about the fans—how much they've changed," Lady Gaga tells writer Nojan Aminosharei in this month's cover story. "I saw them grow from coming to the shows at the Monster Ball tour dressed like me and then coming to the shows at the Born This Way Ball tour dressed like rad versions of themselves." The pop icon herself, obviously, has made a career of self-discovery and reinvention. Even the gown she wears here could be read as a phoenixlike emblem of both her own latest incarnation and the simultaneously transient and permanent nature of fashion: It was designed by the legendary maximalist Christian Lacroix as part of his one-time-only haute couture collection this fall for the house of another legend, Elsa Schiaparelli—the Dalí of…

Alpaca coat, $1,890, velvet trousers, $895, both, MAX MARA, at Max Mara, NYC. Cotton blouse, RUFFIAN, $745. Printed wool sweater, TOPSHOP UNIQUE, $340. Grosgrain and calfskin boots, O JOUR BY GIORGIA CAOVILLA, $1,305. Stylist's own necklace. For details, see Shopping Guide. Beauty Secret: For a minimalist look, accentuate lips and brows with Color Whisper by Color Sensational lip color in Made-It Mauve and Eye Studio Master Shape Brow Pencil in Deep Brown, both by MAYBELLINE NEW YORK. Left: Wool blazer, $2,195, trousers, $1,025, silk-taffeta-blend dress, $1,795, all, MOSCHINO, at Moschino, NYC. Rayon kneesocks, HUE, $7. Leather, patent, and pony-hair loafers, SANTONI, $790. Below: Pleated felt capelet coat, $3,725, poplin ruffle-collar shirt, $1,460, leather belt, $595, all, ALEXANDER MCQUEEN, at Alexander McQueen, NYC. For details, see Shopping Guide. Wool, mohair, and…

COVERS Mink and fox coat by Jason Wu, $33,500, collection at Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide. Wool dress with satin collar and silk faille sleeves, fur headpiece by Schiaparelli, archives from the tribute collection to Elsa Schiaparelli by M. Christian Lacroix. Pony-hair necklace (worn as headpiece) by Bjørg, $676, collection at farfetch.com, notjustalabel.com. BEHIND THE COVER PAGE 118: Cuffs by Fendi, call 212-759-4646. Vest by Derek Lam, $7,890, collection at Bergdorf Goodman (NYC). FIRST LOOK PAGE 181: Jacket, $5,990, sweater, skirt, boots, $12,995 by Reed Krakoff, visit reedkrakoff.com. TRENDS AND ACCESSORIES PAGE 182: Sandal by Christian Louboutin, collection at Saks Fifth Avenue (NYC). Jumpsuit by Diane von Furstenberg, at DVF (NYC). PAGE 186: Coat by Stella McCartney, call 212-255-1556. Ankle boot by Donna Karan New York, at Donna Karan New…

Tuesday, October 1 At Paris Fashion Week, single-name-only glamazons will be strutting their stuff today. But it's the grunge-chic veterans of the '90s—Kate Moss and Guinevere Van Seenus (above), as well as Amber Valletta—who feature in Craig McDean's Amber, Guinevere & Kate, out this month from Rizzoli. As a matter of fact, Moss is having a literary moment: She also graces the cover of another book from the same publisher, Chloé Attitudes. THE ELLE MUST-DO CHECKLIST Tuesday, October 1 A dress designed by Yoana Baraschi in collaboration with Olivia Wilde's NGO fighting to end sex trafficking in India, Conscious Commerce, is available today at Anthropologie. Wednesday, October 16 Michael Kors and the U.N. World Food Programme take their message to the streets, distributing a "Watch Hunger Stop" tee in five…

For this month's cover shoot, Lady Gaga reigned supreme in the season's most sumptuous finery at an ultraprivate Long Island estate. Photographer Ruth Hogben: "It was elegant, intimate. Gaga has incredible features that you could stare at all day long." ELLE Creative Director Joe Zee: "We played up her natural radiance with bold furs from Chanel and Versace." Wardrobe Stylist Brandon Maxwell: "The crowning piece was definitely the Christian Lacroix for Schiaparelli dress, brought by two assistants who flew from Paris to New York just for the day!" Set Designer Marla Weinhoff: "It was also huge for us to get a sneak preview of Artpop, her new album. Gaga elevates everyone around her—she's a true artist."—CATHERINE STRAUT Living masterpiece: Gaga in Schiaparelli Rabbit and calfskin handbag, REED KRAKOFF, $3,290, visit…

VENUS IN FUR Grimes She may be Donatella Versace's latest muse, but Claire Boucher—the singer better known by her stage name, Grimes—opts for incongruous thrift-store finds over slick sex appeal. DOUBLE AGENT Bianca Brandolini D'Adda This celebrated Parisian is the scion of French and Venetian nobility, and her dual allegiance is reflected in her style: She navigates from Giambattista Valli to Dolce & Gabbana with aplomb. SPELL CASTER Emma Watson In the Bling Ring she made off with Paris Hilton's wardrobe, but the actress herself prefers a classier approach. Her bold, architectural silhouettes—such as this Roland Mouret peplum top—have a practical kind of magic. DANDY LION Audrey Gelman She might have worn headbands in her gig on HBO's Girls, but IRL the press secretary for Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer…

"You're so…prim," says my editor, offering a critical appraisal of my personal style. It seems a pretty apt adjective when you consider the evidence. Exhibit A: I keep two Rag & Bone blazers (black and cream) at my desk at all times; when her daughter—at age two, already a more daring sartorial adventuress than me—got snapped in a gold lamé Burberry snowsuit by a street-style photographer during New York Fashion Week, what you didn't see was me off camera in a printed Rag & Bone blazer—my version of really splashing out. I'm not saying my clothes come from Brooks Brothers, but the funny thing about my fashion choices is that though I wear labels beloved by ineffably hip models off duty, I have an extraordinary ability to cherry-pick the most…

Wool cashmere and shearling jacket, price on request, cashmere sweater with knit collar, $790, wool canvas skirt, crocodile boots, prices on request, all, REED KRAKOFF, visit reedkrakoff.com THIS MONTH IN FASHION: TRENDS Wild and woolly outerwear page 186 // Trippy paisleys page 188 // Big-man-on-campus collegiate looks page 194 // ACCESSORIES Sergio Rossi pays tribute to a design legend page 202 //Fashion's surprising new It Shoe page 208 Yves Saint Laurent first popularized over-the-knee boots with his 1963 couture collection, which featured alligator versions designed by Roger Vivier.…

Printed rayon top, LUCKY BRAND, $99, visit luckybrand.com Pavé sapphire earrings, HOUSE OF WARIS, $2,290, collection at Jeffrey, NYC GIVENCHY GUCCI Suede sandal, AQUAZZURA, $565, collection at neimanmarcus.com Leather clutch, ETRO, $1,397, at Etro stores nationwide ROBERTO CAVALLI Paisley earned its moniker from a town in western Scotland that was the biggest producer of fabrics with the pattern in the nineteenth century.…

Cashmere and chenille sweater, JACK HENRY, $452, visit shop.jackhenrynewyork.com Gold and crystal chain necklace, LANVIN, $1,175, at Lanvin, NYC Wool jacket, GOLDEN BEAR FOR J.CREW, $390, visit jcrew.com Suede wedge, CHARLOTTE OLYMPIA, $1,295, at Charlotte Olympia, NYC Take Ivy, a 1965 monograph of street-style images featuring American college students shot by Japanese photographer Teruyoshi Hayashida, has been a cult classic in Japan—sparking an outbreak of preppy style on the streets of Tokyo's Ginza.…

Marabou feather handbag, LOUIS VUITTON, price on request, at select Louis Vuitton stores nationwide Crocodile handbag, NANCY GONZALEZ, $2,950, collection at Bergdorf Goodman, NYC Diamond necklace set in platinum, HARRY WINSTON, price on request, call 800-988-4110 White gold and diamond brooch, CHANEL FINE JEWELRY, price on request, at Chanel Fine Jewelry boutiques nationwide FOILED AGAIN With a new shoe collection, Sergio Rossi celebrates an iconic sculptor and furniture designer Gabriella Crespi isn't one for mass production. Many of the 91-year-old design legend's pieces—which include furniture, jewelry, and objets—are limited-run signed editions. Now, Sergio Rossi is bringing her boldly baroque vision to the shoe floor, with a 15-piece collaboration that includes these gilded heels, inspired by her gold-drizzled Gocce Oro candelabras. Leather sandal with stone detail, SERGIO ROSSI, $1,655, visit sergiorossi.com…

Until recently, Rosie Assoulin was a striking woman with hair tumbling to her waist; nowadays, she's a striking woman with a fashionable chop. Call it the "Bernice Bobs Her Hair" effect. "I cut it, and then I started this collection," she says. "I didn't think I needed that security blanket anymore." "This collection" would be her namesake line of elegant separates that evince a certain ageless simplicity. Mind you, the 28-year-old is hardly a fashion newcomer. She started pitching in for her future mother-in-law, costume jeweler Roxanne Assoulin—"I was free labor," she jokes—at age 14. Later, she dropped out of FIT to take an internship with Mr. Seventh Avenue himself, Oscar de la Renta. "It was amazing to see the level of craftsmanship—a thousand bias-cut strips of organdy being hand-applied…

ERIN MULLANEY AND ROBERTA BENTELER AVENUE 32 "I really loved the simplicity and sportiness of Derek Lam's show," (1) says Mullaney, fashion director for the e-commerce upstart. She and Benteler, the site's founder, will funk up such subdued looks with street-influenced accessories from their site: ponyskin kicks (2) from skateboarder turned designer Eugène Riconneaus, Eddie Borgo's Cyprus necklace (3), and Wunderkind's cat-eye sunnies (4). TOMOKO OGURA BARNEYS NEW YORK "Dries Van Noten was one of my favorite shows of the season [2], which still resonates months later," says Barneys' fashion director. "It represents the perfect balance of masculine and feminine." For fall, Ogura will be working that contrast with Loren Stewart's girlish ID bracelet (3) and Church's studded oxfords (4). She's also an ardent supporter of the Detroit-based timepiece brand…

PLAID COAT As seen at Stella McCartney Fleece jacket with leather detail, GRYPHON, $995, to special order, call 212-764-3059 Wool-blend jacket, MISS ME, $149, visit missme.com Mohair and wool coat, BASLER, $795, at Basler at Tysons Galleria, McLean, VA Wool trousers, MARC JACOBS, $795, at Marc Jacobs, NYC Printed elaphe handbag, DIOR, price on request, at Dior boutiques nationwide GRUNGE CHIFFON As seen at Saint Laurent Metallic tiered dress, LAUNDRY BY SHELLI SEGAL, $245, collection at bloomingdales.com Front-tie dress, BEBE, $129, at Bebe stores nationwide. Leather belt, VALENTINO GARAVANI, price on request, similar styles at valentino.com Silk chiffon dress, LEON MAX COLLECTION, $348, visit maxstudio.com Cotton shirt, IRO, $722, call 212-925-2223 Suede ankle boot, STUDIO POLLINI, $560, visit pollini.com FAUX FLANNEL As seen at Givenchy Cotton shirt, JONES NEW YORK…

Day: Wool top, J.CREW, $998, visit jcrew.com Brushed alpaca coat, MAX MARA, $1,890, at select Max Mara stores nationwide Wool skirt, J.CREW, $148, visit jcrew.com Above: Printed water-snake handbag, THE ROW, $3,300, collection at Neiman Marcus stores nationwide. Left: Printed silk slip-on sneakers, CéLINE, $690, collection at Hirshleifer's, Manhasset, NY Night: Blazer, JOIE, $288, visit joie.com Sapphire and citrine earring, EMAR BATALHA, $3,520 (for a pair), visit emarbatalha.com.br Fox vest, BCBGMAXAZRIA, price on request, visit bcbg.com Snake-embossed leather slip-on sneakers, KURT GEIGER LONDON, $245, at Kurt Geiger, NYC Cuffed trousers, JOIE, $188, visit joie.com Weekend: Cotton crewneck top, LACOSTE, $160, visit shop.lacoste.com Denim overall dress, GUESS, $108, at Guess stores nationwide Printed canvas slip-on sneakers, VANS, $47, visit vans.com Wool peacoat, GAP, $168, visit gap.com Cashmere sweater, CHINTI AND PARKER,…

Oxford bootie at Tommy Hilfiger Leather and felt ankle boot, CHLOé, $895, collection at Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide Leather ankle boot, REED KRAKOFF, $795, visit reedkrakoff.com Goatskin ankle boot, BOTTEGA VENETA, $950, at Bottega Veneta boutiques nationwide Leather ankle boot, DKNY, $365, at select DKNY stores nationwide Gold-detail bootie at Tory Burch Patent leather ankle boot, CASADEI, $890, visit casadei.com Suede ankle boot, CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION, price on request, call 212-292-9000 Suede ankle boot, SERGIO ROSSI, $995, call 305-864-3643 Leather ankle boot, LOEFFLER RANDALL, $395, collection at Bird, Brooklyn Suede ankle boot, AQUAZZURA, $1,295, collection at mytheresa.com Leather ankle boot, BURAK UYAN, $1,020, collection at elysewalker.com Woven leather ankle boot, DANIELE MICHETTI, $720, collection at my-wardrobe.com Calf-hair and leather ankle boot, DIANE VON FURSTENBERG, $525, at DVF, NYC Winter-white…

You may have seen her strutting Stella McCartney's runway in skyscraping heels, but off-duty, the New York Model Management–repped Okunugi, a face of Chanel, prefers to keep things grounded, pairing flat ankle boots with crop tops, oversize coats, and statement-making shades. The look is not your run-of-the-mill weekend dressing, but it's proof that mixing street-inspired looks with a little high fashion can have extraordinary results. Sunglasses, CéLINE, $425, collection at Bergdorf Goodman, NYC Metal necklace, ALDO, $80, visit aldoshoes.com Cropped jacquard T-shirts, both, PROENZA SCHOULER, $850 each, at Proenza Schouler, NYC Stretch-rayon skirt, MARCIANO, $128, at Marciano stores nationwide Woven leather boot, VIONNET, $1,602, visit vionnet.com Rabbit and leather handbag, 3.1 PHILLIP LIM, $1,350, visit 31philliplim.com In 2013, Okunugi landed campaigns for both Dior and Stella McCartney.…

The thought of blustery fall months and layers of chunky knits would leave anyone pining for a warm-weather getaway—and a look ahead to balmier seasons. For resort, Proenza Schouler debuted this ombré python peep-toe bootie, perfect for when the mercury begins to rise. If you can't wait quite that long, they also make the ideal winter-white addition to your cold-weather wardrobe. Consider this beauty—exclusive to ELLE—the light at the end of the fall fashion tunnel. SHOPS ELLE Exclusive In addition to its obvious fashion appeal, python skin is also used to cover the soundboards of string instruments.…

(MOVIES) SOLO ACTS A trio of taut thrillers about facing down death all alone After a summer of oddly disappointing action blockbusters, the fall season has arrived with the perfect antidote: three great action dramas—All Is Lost, Gravity, and Captain Phillips—that give their respective A-list stars, Robert Redford, Sandra Bullock, and Tom Hanks, the opportunity to thrill us with just how great they can be. These stories each revolve around a life-threatening catastrophe, and they serve to remind us that you don't need a cast of thousands to create compelling drama. Redford is his movie's only cast member, playing a sailor who awakens to find his yacht taking on water following a collision with a stray shipping container. He's a tight-lipped, chilly man, but his incredibly fierce and lonely battle…

In the preface to his intricate, experimental, and entertain-ingly thought-provoking first novel, Actors Anonymous (New Harvest), James Franco writes, "This is a serious text that is intended for actors: 'actors' in the most essential sense, not necessarily actors of stage and screen, but actors in the sound and fury of life." Indeed, the book's everywoman appeal aims to seduce devotees of literary giant William Faulkner and of celebrity scribe Snooki—writers whose reputations intersect exclusively in their legendary talent for alcoholic excess. The ever-clever Franco hangs his narrative framework on the sober-living tenets of the 12 steps and 12 traditions of Alcoholics Anonymous—each chapter a riff on one of these progressive steps—with results that are hilarious, shameless, and effective. Franco's democratic marvel of feel-good prose employs a stable of likable narrators—and…

Few makeup artists reach megastar status beyond the beauty world, but Pat McGrath can no longer board an airplane without being accosted by fans. "Once one of the flight attendants dumped out her whole makeup bag on the floor and went through each item. She wanted a full consultation," McGrath says. P&G's jet-setting global creative design director is responsible for creating makeup looks at more than 25 shows per ready-to-wear season, plus a handful at couture. She's done Prada for years, Dior for over a decade, and Dolce & Gabbana more than 13 years—a testament to her devoted designer fans. The Northampton, UK, native got her start in the early 1990s working with singer Caron Wheeler of Soul II Soul fame; she went on to British indie mag i-D as…

Not long ago, a fellow ELLE editor announced she had landed a promotion at an international edition of ELLE—without ever having left New York City for an interview. How did she win over her faraway future boss and beat out the competition from the other side of the globe? One word: Skype. With more than 500 million users worldwide, Skype, FaceTime, Google+ Hangouts, ooVoo, Fring, and Tango have redefined not only how job interviews are conducted but the way we communicate in general. On a recent press junket for Iron Man 3, Gwyneth Paltrow fielded a series of fan questions via a Skype session on MSN.com. The megastar appeared flawless on one side of the split screen, while her amateur interviewers looked blurry and distorted—that is, alarmingly human—on the other.…

When my wife and I did in vitro fertilization, the doctor put two blastocysts in her because that bettered the odds that one would take. He handed my wife a picture, two lumpy circles in black-and-white on slippery thermal paper. They looked like rice cakes. Blastocysts are early embryos. These had been fertilized five days prior—which, because we'd actually fertilized four of them, left two embryos for later. So in one of the surprises of my married life, my wife and I became custodians of about 200 cells that reside in a freezer at a clinic in New York City, not far from Times Square. They were bathed in a special solution and slow-frozen, with care taken to avoid the formation of ice crystals. This is called cryopreservation. They are…

THIS MONTH IN LIVING: Salads so good they're reason enough to celebrate page 342 // Island decorations that you can bring inland page 342 // The best fried chicken this side of Beverly Hills page 343 Chef Emma Hearst pulls a fresh pie from the outdoor oven in the backyard of her new Hawaiian home PINEAPPLE EXPRESS A New York transplant throws a pizza party with Hawaiian punch HOST: Chef Emma Hearst LOCATION: Her waterfront home on Hawaii's Waimea Bay OCCASION: A beachy feast to celebrate her very New York cookbook, Sorella You're a 27-year-old Manhattan chef whose first eatery is beloved even by the hard-to-please foodie press. What do you do next? Well, if you're Emma Hearst, cofounder of Lower East Side northern Italian hot spot Sorella, you skip…

Best-selling science writer and Emotional Intelligence guru Daniel Goleman is trying to get his head around some fresh numbers I've cited from a new Harris Interactive poll: Nearly 20 percent of smartphone owners ages 18 to 34 report having used their phones while having sex. "I don't get how they do that. You know," Goleman adds drily from his phone in Martha's Vineyard, ever the analytical rationalist, "they didn't ask all the questions that follow from that data point." Indeed. But regardless of whatever else they signify, the Harris results illuminate a growing concern that Goleman addresses in his new book, Focus (Harper), out this month: For all its convenience and obvious advantages, our pervasive connectivity via smartphones and the Internet, he argues, is fragmenting our attention, stressing us out,…

At Joanne, a family-run trattoria snugly tucked a few steps below street level on Manhattan's Upper West Side, the deliverymen passing through with small crates of fresh flowers do not bat an eye when the restaurant owner's daughter rushes over to point them toward the back garden. Even though the daughter is wearing what she half-jokingly calls her "gardening outfit": a scanty, all-black assemblage of McQueen bra top, vintage Alaïa high-waisted shorts, and almost-sensible pointy-toe pumps. Improbable as it sounds, when she's in the small domestic bubble of her father Joe's little Italian joint, the woman who has lived since 2006 as Lady Gaga remains Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta, a slip of a 27-year-old who still calls her father Daddy. She grew up two blocks from where the restaurant now…

From left: Yellow gold and multicolor sapphire bracelet, PAOLO COSTAGLI, price on request, at Paolo Costagli, NYC. Diamond, sapphire, emerald, ruby, garnet, and Paraíba tourmaline bracelet, DIOR FINE JEWELRY, price on request, at select Dior boutiques nationwide. White gold, diamond, sapphire, amethyst, ruby, emerald, Paraíba tourmaline, and garnet watch on a satin strap, DIOR TIMEPIECES, price on request, call 866-675-2078. Assorted colored gemstone bracelets, both, H.STERN, prices on request, at H.Stern, NYC. From left: Vintage platinum, ruby, and diamond necklace, HARRY WINSTON, price on request, call 800-988-4110. White gold, padparadscha sapphire, and diamond ring, CHOPARD, price on request, call 800-CHOPARD. White gold, pink sapphire, red spinel, and diamond ring, LOUIS VUITTON JOAILLERIE, price on request, at select Louis Vuitton stores nationwide. For details, see Shopping Guide. From left: Diamond and…

LIBRA With a testy new moon and Mercury entering retrograde on the 21st, there's no way around it: October won't be the easiest month. Surprises are in store for all, so prepare for less-than-calm seas and maybe a festive encounter! THIS MONTH FOR LIBRA: (SEPT 23–OCT 22) If you allow for the possibility that unexpected events will pop up this month, your flexibility should help you navigate this topsy-turvy time. The new moon on the 4th may strongly affect relationships, in particular when it comes to negotiations with a family member or a superior at work. No one can easily dominate a Libra, but standing up for yourself may feel strenuous, so make sure you care enough about an issue before going to the mat. Venus will be well…

ONLY HUMAN Some people's names always precede them—they're so famous, so widely renowned, their names take on a symbolism that somehow renders them superbeings. So much expectation—what happens when that person turns out to be…a person? It's always refreshing when one of these souls actually feels comfortable just being a human, and a nice one at that: polite, kind, engaged, open to asking a question or two of a companion rather than resentful at having to attend to something (say, a photo shoot) that they, after all, agreed to. And so it was for writer Carl Swanson when he met Barbara Bush the younger for an interview in this month's issue. The Bush name carries all kinds of associations—positive and negative, depending on your point of view—but Ms. Bush has…

Gillian Flynn PROVENANCE: Kansas City NOW: Chicago PROFESSION: Writer THIS MONTH: "Paper Route" (page 152) COLLECTED WORKS: Author of Sharp Objects, Dark Places, and Gone Girl STYLE PHILOSOPHY: "I think you decide what you want to spend your energy on. You can go down a rabbit hole and spend a disproportionate amount of time overthinking everything. Remember what our parents would say? 'Just be yourself.' " EAR WORM: "I have been obsessed with Fiona Apple's cover of Elvis Costello's 'I Want You.' It's absolutely fricking insanely awesome." LATEST SPLURGE: "I got my husband this great Tom Ford suit for his fortieth birthday. He is a man who was born to wear Tom Ford. A little bit like buying Mom a football. It's…

THE HALO EFFECT Sandrine had it all: the looks, the cool, the minidresses. Mary Gaitskill recalls the almighty power of her first girl crush The first person to blow up my fashion consciousness was a 14-year-old girl named Sandrine. She was the most beautiful human I had ever seen. Her beauty was mature, nothing like the pixie ideal of my high school—with her astonishing body, pale skin, high cheekbones, and aquiline nose, she looked like a brunette Julie Christie, but weird, slightly off-kilter, better. If I ever knew where she came from, I've since forgotten. But she dressed like nothing my school had ever seen: Her mother made all of her clothes, and she came to school on the first day in a low-cut, tiny-waisted minidress made of sheer black…

For Lana Turner, it was at a lunch counter. Charlize Theron was waiting in line at the bank. My rock-star origin story starts equally humbly, in a New Haven, Connecticut, parking garage, on the extremely not-rock-'n'-roll occasion of a high school Model UN conference. I was walking with two friends when a lanky, addled-seeming middle-aged gent approached us. "I'm a music producer," he told us in a Cockney accent. "I like your look. I sort of see the three of you as a girl group. Call me." He handed me a business card bearing a Bogotá address, and, bemused, we went on our way. It wasn't until after I returned home—this was in the pre-Google era—that I realized he was the real deal: Andrew Loog Oldham, producer for the Rolling…

Suede and leather backpack, RAG & BONE, $725, visit rag-bone.com DIANE VON FURSTENBERG CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION Suede trench coat, ALTUZARRA, price on request, visit altuzarra.com Suede sandal, CHRISTIAN LOUBOUTIN, $1,175, collection at Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide DEREK LAM Goat-suede jumpsuit, DIANE VON FURSTENBERG, $1,200, call 646-486-4800 The term suede has its origins in the French phrase gants de Suède—translated literally, "Swedish gloves."…

Wool hat, TOMMY HILFIGER, $129, at Tommy Hilfiger, NYC TOMMY HILFIGER LANVIN Wool-blend coat, COMPTOIR DES COTONNIERS, $465, at Comptoir des Cotonniers, NYC Woven silk pump, TABITHA SIMMONS, $975, collection at modaoperandi.com Calf-hair handbag, ROGER VIVIER, $2,795, at Roger Vivier, NYC THOM BROWNE Sir Arthur Conan Doyle originally considered naming his misanthropic detective Sherrinford Hope before settling on Sherlock Holmes.…

Raccoon-dog jacket, BOSS, price on request, call 800-HUGO-BOSS Emerald and diamond pendant necklace, ZAIKEN JEWELRY, price on request, visit zaikenjewelry.com Python and suede ankle boot, NICHOLAS KIRKWOOD, $1,150, at Nicholas Kirkwood, NYC Acrylic clutch, EDIE PARKER, $1,395, collection at Neiman Marcus stores nationwide Embroidered double-wool top, $1,850, skirt, $4,200, both, MULBERRY, at Mulberry, NYC JONATHAN SAUNDERS CARVEN Lipton's two daughters have plenty of fashion cred themselves. Actress Rashida Jones regularly sports Stella McCartney and Proenza Schouler on the red carpet, while Kidada Jones is a jewelry and fashion designer with a Disney line.…

The Woman: Kim Stolz, 30, NYC The Job: The cycle five America's Next Top Model contestant is a vice president of sales for the equity derivatives team at Citigroup—and that's just her day job. By night, Stolz can be found at the Dalloway, a small-plates hot spot she runs with her wife, Lexi Ritsch. The Uniform: Stolz navigates a daily fashion mood swing—transitioning from the trading floor to the dance floor—by layering chunky necklaces over office-friendly separates from Tom Ford and Chris Benz, and swapping classic pumps for Rag & Bone ankle boots. ELLE: Between Citi and the Dalloway, you live quite the double life. KIM STOLZ: It's an art. I get to work at 6:30 A.M. and I leave at 5:30 P.M. Often I'll go…

It's hard to imagine anyone outdoing the actresses who dominated Italy's Dolce Vita decade—Claudia Cardinale, Monica Vitti, Sophia Loren, and, of course, Anita Ekberg, who so famously parodied them all in Federico Fellini's La Dolce Vita—but leave it to the histrionics between Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton behind the scenes of 1963's Cleopatra to take the drama to the next level. When they weren't arguing on the set at Cinecittà, Rome's studio city, Liz 'n Dick were making up at the Bulgari store on Via Condotti. The paparazzi frenzy followed the couple's every move throughout Hollywood on the Tiber, as Rome was known in the early '60s, capturing the narrative of Taylor (aka the Diva) and her many love affairs with men—and with Bulgari. Now, 20th Century Fox is celebrating…

AGL Sister act Vera, Sara, and Marianna Giusti are the new guard at the Italian leather-goods house founded by their grandfather, Piero, in 1958. Their mandate for the line, which focuses on chic menswear-inspired styles, is "merging [AGL's] traditions with modern times," says Vera. FREDA SALVADOR San Francisco–based Cristina Palomo-Nelson and Megan Papay met working at a comfort-shoe company called Anyi Lu. They launched their line of indie-cool footwear (which also happens to be quite comfortable) last year; for fall, they focused on removable hardware and two-tone color combos. UPSTATE "Our appreciation of handcrafted items drew us together," says Astrid Chastka of meeting Kalen Kaminski, her codesigner since 2010. After becoming known for scarves, Upstate (which, despite its moniker, is run out of Brooklyn), launched soft fold-over clutches dyed using…

INTARSIA KNIT As seen at Clements Ribeiro Knit sweater, JOE FRESH, $99, visit joefresh.com Lamb's wool sweater, MAISON KITSUNÉ, $575, collection at forwardforward.com Cashmere and wool sweater, ARAKS, $1,250, collection at avenue32.com Sequined wool-blend skirt, BOSS, price on request, visit hugoboss.com Metallic leather brogue, SWEAR, $215, visit swear-london.com TRACK PANTS As seen at Marni Leather track pants, 3.1 PHILLIP LIM, $1,295, at 3.1 Phillip Lim, NYC Track pants, A|X ARMANI EXCHANGE, $98, at Armani Exchange stores nationwide Silk track pants, JONATHAN SIMKHAI, $395, collection at bergdorfgoodman.com Leather sandal, VINCE, $250, similar styles available in spring, at Vince stores nationwide Neoprene and double-faced wool coat, LES VALENTINES, $1,499, to special order, call 917-215-2806 ARMY PARKA As seen at Belstaff Fur-trimmed cotton anorak, VINCE, $995, visit vince.com Wool and coyote-fur jacket, A.L.C.,…

The rainbow-hued opal is the stone of the season—and of the month, October birthday girls—and there are as many ways to wear it as there are variations in its colors An opal-embellished bag on the Tory Burch fall 2013 runway Opal, diamond, and rose gold ring, LUCIFER VIR HONESTUS, price on request, collection at Barneys New York Crystal-opal and pavé diamond ring, KIMBERLY McDONALD, price on request, collection at Bergdorf Goodman, NYC Opal, brown diamond, sapphire, and garnet ring, WENDY YUE, price on request, collection at Fragments, NYC Opal and diamond ring, LOUIS VUITTON JOAILLERIE, price on request, at select Louis Vuitton stores nationwide Opal, cavansite, and diamond earrings, COLETTE, price on request, collection at Fragments, NYC Gold, opal, and diamond earrings, JEMMA WYNNE, price on request, collection at Neiman…

JOANN PAILEY MARKET DIRECTOR Statement Scarf "The beading and detail on these Dries Van Noten scarves is unparalleled, like having a jewel around your neck. I'll be reaching for one of these to dress up blazers this fall." Alpaca scarves, DRIES VAN NOTEN, $665–$1,240, similar styles at Opening Ceremony stores nationwide JENNIFER GACH ASSOCIATE ACCESSORIES EDITOR Military-Style Pendant "I'm saving up for this Jessica Biales dog tag. The diamond pavé is so unexpected on such a classically masculine shape. It'll be perfect peeking out of a button-down shirt." Yellow gold and diamond necklace, JESSICA BIALES, price on request, visit jessicabiales.com JADE FRAMPTON SENIOR MARKET EDITOR Must-Have Bag "Myriam Schaefer's bags are just the thing for my streamlined, simple style, yet they're surprisingly roomy—you can fit your whole life inside!" Leather…

"I love delicate, fine jewelry, but I also love chunky rings," she says of a collection (top right) she keeps in labeled drawers. "I like the mix of masculine and feminine." From top left: Sapphire, red diamond, and gold ring, MOCIUN, $874, at Mociun, Brooklyn. Tourmaline and gold ring, DIGBY & IONA AT CATBIRD, $1,200, visit catbirdnyc.com. Gold and diamond ring, ARIEL GORDON JEWELRY, $920, visit arielgordonjewelry.com I'm quite a tactile person," Miranda Kerr says in an Aussie lilt that makes the statement sound more like a question. "I like fabrics that feel good on my body." Though the former Victoria's Secret Angel launched Kora Organics, a line of green skin-care, in 2009, she's perhaps more revered for her lady-meets-L.A. style (perfectly suited to the bicoastal lifestyle she shares with…

Ella Yelich O'Connor (stage name: Lorde) is breaking down her favorite rappers' poses. "They start off like, 'Yeah, strippers, oh man, nightclubs, I'm loving it,' and then"—her throaty giggle crackles as she lowers her voice to a Drake-like pitch—" 'Hmm, it's not so fun anymore. This Cristal, it just doesn't make me happy.' " She's no rapper, but the teenager understands the love-hate relationship with "crazy, opulent things," having drawn on the dichotomy for her debut EP, The Love Club, and now for her first full-length album, Pure Heroine, out September 29. "It's hard to take a step back: 'Why am I singing along to this chorus?' I've never had a bottle of Grey Goose. I wanted to write something that I could relate to." The resulting tracks blend choral…

(ARCHITECTURE) FROM ARMS TO ARTISTRY A jolt of modernity comes to London's staid Kensington Gardens By Michael J. Agovino At a bend on winding West Carriage Drive, the conceptual borderline between Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens, a long-vacant nineteenth-century artillery depot is about to draw the focus of London's art scene. "We had our eyes on the building for a long time," says Julia Peyton-Jones, codirector of the established, forward-thinking Serpentine Gallery, just a five-minute amble down the road. After the Royal Parks began accepting proposals in 2009 on how best to use the empty Palladian building, called the Magazine, the Serpentine put in a bid. The gallery eventually bested the likes of Damian Hirst (who supposedly wanted the Magazine to show works he's collected from other artists) to secure…

In a short glittery dress, Rebel Wilson pops like a sparkler against the blankness of a Hollywood photo studio. Her hair is piled high on her head, and her lashes arc like black fans, framing a faraway look. There's something about the scene that's reminiscent of Botticelli's The Birth of Venus—her hair guy, like a winged genius, propels a breeze in her direction, while her stylist, like an attending Grace, adjusts the folds of her dress. Photos of '60s sex symbols (Bardot, etc.) are taped to the wall for inspiration, and Wilson channels them like it's nothing—just another day in her life as an international sex symbol. Watching her vamp for the camera is a revelation. This isn't camp. She's not playing at being beautiful. And it kind of knocks…

On a sunny summer day, there's surely no place in the world quite as beautiful as the Royal Botanic Gardens at Kew, on the outskirts of London. But this past January, as a tour trolley—equipped with plastic siding to protect passengers from the bitter wind—snaked through the park's meandering lanes, the effect was pretty grim. Branches were mostly bare; a few forlorn-looking geese huddled on the brown patches where grass should be. One tree, however, looked green and robust—and when Monique Simmonds, our garden guide and the director of the Kew Innovation Unit, identified it as a 251-year-old Ginkgo biloba, I stared at its resiliently lush foliage and thought: Whatever that tree has, I want it. I certainly wasn't the first to feel that way. Ginkgo trees can live thousands…

ERASE DARK CIRCLES BEFORE AFTER Dot a luminous primer along orbital bone. "This will give the concealer something to adhere to," Napoleon says. Create a "Hollywood V": yellow-tone concealer on cheekbones and a peachy one below each eye. Blend together. For "major brightness," cover lower lash line (including inner rim) with white gel liner, then blend with a brush. Brush mascara through upper and lower lashes. "Use the mascara to cover traces of the white gel liner." CREATE SUPERMODEL CHEEKBONES BEFORE AFTER Use fingers to dab cream foundation that's one shade lighter than your skin tone on the center of your forehead and chin, down the bridge of nose, and on cheekbones. Apply a base that's two shades darker below the cheekbones and jawline, along the sides of the nose,…

The first thing my surgeon said to me after I came to in the ICU was that I needed to get better in a hurry so that I could beat him up for what he'd done to me. I didn't really know what he was talking about, but I offered, weakly, to strangle him with my IV lines instead. Dr. P looked tired. He was sitting in a chair by the foot of my bed, and he reached out and put his hand on my ankle and said, "I'm so sorry I did this to you." I didn't have enough energy to ask what "this" was, so I just smiled. The previous night, recovering from surgery in a drab hospital room, I'd drifted into a foggy delirium, interrupted by spasms…

A few years ago, midway through a beautiful spring, my grandmother was 98 and dying, and she was not going quietly. Since before I could remember, she'd patiently sat with me playing word games, telling me stories, or counting out raisins for my oatmeal. She'd followed my report cards, batting averages, boyfriends, and bosses with unflagging interest. Now, when I could, I made the three-hour trip to the nursing home where she lived to bring her lox sandwiches the way she liked them—bagel toasted, only a thin layer of cream cheese—and to read her the paper. Being a few months shy of 99 and still having your marbles is a lonely condition; you've outlived all your friends, your entire family of origin, and also your new friends, the ones you…

DOCTOR DERANGED DEAR E. JEAN: When I visited the ER—I'd sprained my wrist—the doctor and I seemed to feel a genuine connection and spark. He was in his early thirties, good-looking, professional; I assumed he was involved with someone. But he seemed nervous (I was too!), and when he asked if I had a boyfriend, I was so flustered, I just said, "Yes," but I didn't. Fast-forward a couple of years. I've recently discovered that I've been followed by several private investigators hired by the doctor. (I was informed of this by one of them, who didn't seem to like the doctor much.) I then hired my own investigator (I went to police but they were no help), and it turns out the doctor has set up private investigators…

Shearling coat, EMILIO PUCCI, at Emilio Pucci, NYC. Feather-embroidered velvet dress, LOUIS VUITTON. Fox and leather hat, NOEL STEWART, $558. Diamond, emerald, Paraíba tourmaline, garnet, and sapphire earrings, DIOR FINE JEWELRY. Diamond and pink sapphire necklace, VAN CLEEF & ARPELS. Gold, aquamarine, and peridot bangle, ROULE & COMPANY. Yellow gold and silver ring with white, pink, and yellow diamonds, opals, spinels, and spessartites, FABERGé. White gold, diamond, and aquamarine ring, CHANEL FINE JEWELRY. Prices not mentioned available on request. For details, see Shopping Guide. Bouclé felt coat, STELLA McCARTNEY, $1,542, at Stella McCartney, NYC. Jacquard strapless dress, LANVIN, $4,400. Calf-suede cap, ERIC JAVITS. Platinum and gold necklace with diamonds and sapphires, BULGARI. Sapphire and diamond brooch, GRAFF. Gold ring with diamonds and garnet, STEPHEN RUSSELL. Gold, beryl, and tsavorite ring,…

Not everyone in fashion got it at first—"the Lacoste guy?"—when Hermès signed Christophe Lemaire, now 48, as its women's wear designer in spring 2010. Hermès is an eternal player in the world of fashion. Most famously, it's the creator of the first, and still most iconic, It bags—the Kelly, introduced in the 1930s and popularized by Grace Kelly in the '50s; and the Birkin, a roomy two-handle shoulder bag, named after actress Jane Birkin, in the mid-1980s. It is also the go-to label for ladies of a certain tax bracket in search of dignified, discreet luxury. Why wouldn't the company choose a big name, as it had with departing designer Jean-Paul Gaultier, on board since 2003, or Martin Margiela before him? Lemaire, whose neat, minimalist tailoring landed him a decadelong…

His last name may be hard to pronounce, but Joe Manganiello's appeal easily translates: He's the 6'5" he-man with cobblestone abs who brought a massive hit of feral masculinity to HBO's True Blood as the werewolf Alcide Herveaux. Initially hired for just six episodes, Manganiello elicited public approval so loud the network couldn't let him go. (For that same reason, it seems, he often appears on How I Met Your Mother.) Among his Hollywood peers, Chelsea Handler memorably announced at the MTV Movie Awards that she wanted to ride home on his face. Last year, Octavia Spencer, Community's Yvette Nicole Brown, and Retta, from Parks and Recreation, engaged in a Twitter feud over Manganiello, who eventually had to weigh in himself, tweeting, "Can't we all get along here! #FourWay." Manganiello,…