Paperback provides crash course on how you can dress like a star
KNIGHT RIDDER NEWSPAPERS
Picture Audrey Hepburn and you think black dress, capris and flats.
Joan Crawford set off a run on shoulder pads. And in a more modern mode, remember how Britney Spears triggered the low-cut jeans that won't go away?
Celebrities have long had a powerful influence on American style. But today, the bond between entertainment and fashion is obsessive. Whether it's baby clothes, T-shirts or diamond jewelry, the ongoing marketing pitch is the noted names who own it.
So we wonder what took Us Weekly so long to produce a how-to paperback book, "Secrets of Celebrity Style: A Crash Course in Dressing Like the Stars" (Wenner Media, $19.95).
If you like Jennifer Aniston's style, you'll find she wears black, keeps things simple and pays homage to trends without bowing to them. And for Beyonce's fans, nonchalant oh-wow flamboyance at the top is her secret to glamorizing jeans.
Uncomfortable style
Ultra-glam shiny embellishment gets you noticed, the authors tell you, but you may be miserably uncomfortable at the same time. And stars do make mistakes. The authors do a section on age dressing, up through the 40s with the likes of Sharon Stone in inappropriate black bondage and Kim Cattrall with a too-young cropped top.
If you like the idea of taking tips from the world's ultimate show-offs, the book is for you.