Brunette Ambition Read online

  BAG: This Balenciaga bag was my big splurge when I landed Glee.

  MY STYLE ON BOTH COASTS

  NEW YORK

  I never realized until I moved to Los Angeles that when I lived full-time in New York, I only wore black. It’s a cliché, but it’s true: In New York, black tends to be everyone’s uniform. But black is never boring. In fact, when I’m there I tend to a have a lot more fun with my wardrobe by layering and adding accessories—you can get away with so much more in that city when it comes to fashion. I’ll still usually wear black, but I’ll add a red lip, or wear a lot of accessories or fun patterned stockings (I guess that’s the Rachel Berry in me). New York City just allows for more creativity: You’re surrounded by a sea of interesting and eclectic people who are out walking around, plus there are changing seasons, which means layers (often cool vintage ones) are in constant play.

  Catching a bite to eat in New York City with my mom and dad. I love dressing up a simple pair of pants and a top with a cozy sweater and heels.

  LOS ANGELES

  Living in New York, I always fantasized about what it might be like to live on the West Coast and wear shorts, flip-flops, and T-shirts all year round. Now that I’m actually in L.A., I can confess that when I’m at home, I get to live out my dream. Los Angeles has some big-time fashion credibility, but it will always be more casual and less sartorially creative than New York—I don’t know if it’s because it’s permanently sunny and layer resistant or because people are just not out walking around as much (it’s a car culture, after all), but most people’s style is much more straightforward and much more label-conscious. (There isn’t as much of a thrift shop culture, either.) To that end, I find that when I’m in L.A., my style is simpler, too.

  This is a good example of how I like to show a little bit of leg while exercising some restraint up top.

  DRESSING A PETITE FRAME

  This sounds a bit unintentionally raunchy, but I believe that if you’re short, you need to show as much skin as possible. Stylists at photo shoots tend to want to put a lot of fabric on me, but that doesn’t work when you’re five foot two. (That said, I’m actually considered tall in my family … my mother is four foot eleven!) Too much draping makes me look even more stunted and consumes my entire frame. I need to wear baggier pants with a fitted tank top, and slouchy sweaters with shorts. And I’m always a big fan of minidresses—in fact, I often take dresses to the tailor to have them shortened even more.

  Ultimately, dressing a petite frame is about balance and finding one part of your body to reveal. I love my legs and think that they’re my best feature, so I love to show them off.

  * * *

  The Six-Month Replenishment Plan

  It’s the little things that count, and nothing can undermine a day faster than poorly fitting, stretched-out socks or ratty underwear. Every six months, I make it a point to replenish my selection of both of these things and weed out the T-shirts and tank tops that have seen better days. Generally, I only buy all these essentials in white and black—sure, I’ve gravitated to the occasional fluorescent yellow and pink bra before, but ultimately, I like to remind myself that a clean and simple wardrobe is best. (That way, you never have to worry about not matching, either.)

  MAXIMIZING MY SHOPPING BUDGET

  I don’t treat shopping as a sport—nor do I spend wildly and carelessly. I’m very strategic about what I buy and when I buy it to ensure that I never waste money and never add things to my closet that I’m not going to wear.

  1. I ALWAYS MAKE A LIST. I shop seasonally, twice a year. That way, I know exactly what I need and try to get it all in just one or two spots. If I go out looking to shop—and not for something specific—I always waste money on things I don’t need and don’t ultimately wear.

  2. I SHOP BY OUTFIT. Rather than picking up pieces bit by bit, I ask salespeople to help me put together outfits. I’ll walk out with three complete looks, rather than ten separate pieces, and know exactly how to put it all together.

  3. I PICK PIECES THAT FIT. This may sound like a no-brainer, but I never buy things that need extensive tailoring. If it doesn’t more or less fit, it doesn’t come home with me—small tweaks and alterations are fine, but if it’s a total overhaul, it’s just not worth it.

  4. I FOCUS ON JUST ONE STORE. I resist the temptation to skip from shop to shop—when I stick to one comprehensive store and really focus, I always end up buying everything I need, rather than a necklace here and a dress there.

  FAVORITE STORES

  SWITCH, BEVERLY HILLS

  When I just want to make one stop, this is my favorite place to go. In general, I don’t like shopping in large stores, since they can quickly start to feel overwhelming. I can’t focus in big department stores, and I won’t dig through barrels at thrift stores in search of buried treasures. If it’s not well edited and placed in front of my face, I won’t find it. I love shopping at Switch because everything I need is there, from evening to casual, and I never waste money on things I don’t end up wearing.

  BARNEYS CO-OP

  This is where I go when I’m ready to splurge a bit, because they have really high-quality brands, and I know everything I pick here will last a long time.

  URBAN OUTFITTERS

  They have the best cute, short dresses—I buy a lot of stuff there for my time in New York.

  ANTHROPOLOGIE

  I love Anthro’s selection of nightgowns and comfortable clothing.

  * * *

  The Comfort of a Cozy Sweater

  My mother buys me a cozy sweater every year on my birthday, and it’s become one of my favorite ways to mark the passing of time. It’s pretty much the best gift. After all, a really nice, well-made, comfortable sweater is not the sort of thing you’d buy for yourself.

  FAVORITE BRANDS

  HELMUT LANG: It’s expensive but has great quality that always lasts.

  VINCE: These pieces are also pricey, but they’re well made and extremely comfy; I always invest in their tank tops in particular.

  SWITCH: I love their house line of T-shirts.

  CLOSET ORGANIZATION

  In short, I’m an anti-hoarder: If I haven’t worn something in the past year, then I pass it on to someone who will use or wear it.

  If I had my druthers, I’d go to everyone’s house and organize their closets for them. Nothing is a quicker path to aggravation and wasted time (and money) than an overstuffed closet. I clean mine out constantly.

  I don’t own a lot of things, specifically because I like to be able to clearly see all my options. Plus, I then never run the risk of buying something only to find that I have three similar items tucked away in the back corner of my wardrobe. And I also just don’t have the patience or inclination to weed through a sea of dresses and tops to find something to wear.

  * * *

  The Spotlight

  1. Closet organization is key. Not only does it help you feel more generally together, but when you’re shopping it’s much more budget-friendly to know exactly what you need. (And then you have to stick to your list.)

  2. You don’t need to own a lot of things to have a great wardrobe—and great style.

  3. Find what works for you and rock it—and then exercise a little restraint. After all, didn’t Coco Chanel say that before you leave your house you should take one accessory off?

  4. Think of shopping as a treat rather than a habit—and be pointed in your missions so you don’t aimlessly buy that sweater you’re never going to wear.

  5. Ask for help: If you’re looking to revamp your wardrobe, find a sales associate whose style you admire or who has a similar body shape and ask her to put some outfits together for you so you don’t end up with a bunch of random pieces. And as annoying as it is, try things on before you leave the store!

  CH 7

  RED CARPET FASHION

  “I arrived in Hollywood without having my nose fixed, my teeth capped, or my name changed. That is very gratifying to me.”

&n
bsp; —BARBRA STREISAND

  In Oscar de la Renta at my first Golden Globes, when I was nominated for best actress in a comedy. This is still my favorite red carpet look (can you spot my mom in the background?).

  Just like with a wedding or a prom, you hope that you won’t look back at photos from an important night out and cringe. You hope that you’ll be able to look back and wish you could relive that moment again and again. It usually comes down to the dress, and whether it’s amazing, and timeless, and the right cut for your body shape. If there’s one thing that my stylist, Estee Stanley, has drilled into me over the years, it’s that it isn’t really about fitting into a great dress—it’s about a dress working for you. After all, what’s the point of wearing a gorgeous gown if you have to change yourself to make it work? Don’t pick something that depends on your dropping a few pounds—or (impossibly) growing a couple of inches.

  When I was a little girl, my mom and I would put on fancy dresses, make a cheese platter, pour glasses of nonalcoholic cider, and watch the award shows. When people would win, I would make speeches on their behalf and hold giant imaginary statues. Some girls play house, some girls play with their Easy-Bake ovens, but I was playing red carpet arrivals at the Oscars. It was pure fantasy—I never thought I’d actually attend something like that in real life. Flash forward twenty years and there I was, actually sitting at the Golden Globes with my mom, wearing Oscar de la Renta and getting nominated with the best of the best.

  From day one, Estee has always let me pick the dress that made me feel the best. Every once in a while she’ll push me to take a risk or try out a designer I’ve never worn before, but as long as the dress makes me feel beautiful, I’m game for pretty much anything. Sometimes I think Estee tests me to see if she can guess my taste. At my very first Golden Globes, Ryan Murphy didn’t want us to wear black—he wanted us to look young and festive, and so Estee called in a huge rack of pastel gowns. At my fitting, I headed to the bathroom and walked through Estee’s insane closet on my way, where I saw this gorgeous black Oscar de la Renta gown hanging up. I know she put it in my path to see if it would make me stop—and stop I did. It was part of her personal collection, but I knew it was the one, even though she kept reminding me that I hadn’t wanted to wear black. I didn’t try on anything else that day. I sent Ryan a photo and told him that while I knew he didn’t want me to wear black, I had found “the One.” He asked me who it was by, I told him, and he replied, “It’s perfect.” The fact that it was Oscar definitely overshadowed the fact that it wasn’t pastel! Estee and I added some green earrings, and I was off to the red carpet, where the dress really established me as having some style credibility. I had never thought of myself as a trendsetter or as having great personal fashion sense, but that dress helped me find my footing in the world of the red carpet, where I’ve been comfortable ever since. Maybe it’s all that practice that I got in with my mom, but I think that when you have an A-team, and you feel good about yourself inside, you’ll always look your best.

  Case in point: Sometimes things happen that require you to switch it all up on the go—and not only do you need to be flexible, but you can’t let it rattle you. The first year I went to the Grammys I was all set to wear this beautiful white dress. I put it on and was ready to head out the door when we realized that the tailor had messed up the lining and it was unwearable. I would be lying if I didn’t say I was panicking: You prep really hard prior to a big event with fittings et al., and you have a very clear picture in your head of what you’re going to look like, so having to switch it up at the last second is very scary. An unflappable Estee ran to her car to see what else she might have and came up with this one-shoulder feathery navy dress from Romona Keveza. We threw it on, it fit, and I was out the door. People loved the dress, and it got amazing press, which just goes to show that if you’re comfortable with yourself and you rock it, you can make anything work. It was a great lesson for me.

  Fitting photos Estee and I took of the gowns before they hit the red carpet.

  It probably also helped that it was a short dress, which is my go-to: I love to show off my legs, and so I always feel extra-confident when I’m playing up that part of my body. It’s very important to know what flatters your frame best and to be realistic about your body (e.g., I’ll never, ever be tall). I never go into fittings planning to lose five pounds to make something that doesn’t quite work look great, just as I never try on gowns with my hair and makeup done. If you try on an important dress without any of the extras, and you still like how you look, then you can know that on the big day, when you’re all put together, the entire effect will be next-level.

  Those next-level moments are insanely fun and still feel so special. Getting ready takes me right back to those evenings with my mom when I played dress-up: It’s all such a fantasy, I can barely believe it’s my real life. To make your real-life moments truly magical—whether it’s a school dance, your wedding, or a black-tie affair—Estee agreed to share all her red carpet tips to help you look your very best, to find the right fit for your body, and to elevate any dress with accessories. But first, we wanted to recount the stories behind some of our favorite gowns.

  * * *

  MY FIVE FAVORITE RED CARPET MOMENTS

  1. The first year I was nominated for an Emmy, I was going through an Oscar de la Renta phase. It was one of those nights where everything worked: the blue dress, the hair, the makeup, the jewelry. I felt so pretty and landed my first Women’s Wear Daily cover, which in the world of fashion is major.

  * * *

  2. As I mentioned, I felt like a princess in the black Oscar de la Renta gown I borrowed from Estee to wear to my first Golden Globes (see this page). I couldn’t believe that I could wear something so beautiful and not be considered overdressed. Instead, I completely fit in, and as I was coming from an entirely different world (Broadway), it was so important that the dress made me feel like I belonged. You wouldn’t guess, but it was actually one of the more comfortable dresses I’ve ever worn. You always remember when a dress is comfortable.

  * * *

  3. I wore a Pucci dress to the Chrysalis Butterfly Ball in 2012, and I went with Cory. I remember being so excited for him to see me in that dress because I thought it was gorgeous, with a low back and an awesome print. Mark gave me some cool new bangs, Melanie did a fun pink lip, and it was an amazing night all around.

  * * *

  4. I wore a see-through silver Marchesa dress to the Golden Globes in 2012 that was a bit risky because it was quite revealing, but the minute I got there, I ran into Ryan, and he looked at me and said, “Love.” Not only is Ryan my work hero, but I always defer to his taste—he has a deep knowledge of fashion, and so I always appreciate it when he likes what I’m wearing. This dress was a home run for me, and another example of when the dress, jewelry, hair, and makeup all worked together.

  * * *

  5. I loved the dress that I wore to the SAG Awards in 2012: It was Versace and it had a huge slit that featured the legs, which is rare to find. We did very simple hair and makeup and really focused on the gown, which made me feel so sexy.

  THE DRESS THAT MADE ME ILL (ONE OF ESTEE’S PICKS)

  I wore a Marchesa dress to the 2011 People’s Choice Awards that was absolutely stunning: It was covered with this beautiful white flapper-style beading. I loved the hair and makeup too, because Melanie did a fabulous bright pink lip. I took my cousin as my date that night and won an award—I felt a little ill but chalked it up to nerves from the night. After, we all went to a big dinner, where I ultimately had to excuse myself because I just didn’t feel good. I headed back to my house with my cousin, changed out of my dress, and instantly felt better—it was only at that moment that my cousin picked up the dress and exclaimed how heavy it was. We weighed it, and it came in at more than twenty pounds! I was literally being pulled to the ground by my dress all night!

  * * *

  Comfort

  We’ve talked a lot in this chapter a
bout how to look great at an important event, but it’s equally important that you feel comfortable. Because when you’re comfortable, you’re relaxed, which is a key ingredient to looking your best. If you slip on a gown and feel uncomfortable in the dressing room, then you’re certainly going to be uncomfortable at the end of a long post-event party. You have to be able to breathe, and you have to trust that your dress isn’t going to fall down or split up the back. And you need to be able to walk without limping! Every woman loves an amazing pair of shoes, but if they’re not going to be front and center, go for comfort instead. With most long dresses, nobody will ever see your heels, so there’s no point in destroying your feet. It’s much more elegant to be able to move around an event with ease.

  WHAT WAS I THINKING?

  At the beginning of Glee I went to the Fox Eco-Casino Party, and I picked out my dress myself: It looked like a rock ’n’ roll tutu! We did a red lip and long, black Morticia Addams extensions to match. I remember feeling confident that I looked hot, but when I look back now I cringe: too much hair, too much makeup, and a totally crazy dress. This was a perfect illustration of why it is often wise to focus on just one thing.