I ♥ Your Style: Muriel Brandolini

I'm not sure if anyone has more style than Muriel Brandolini. She's stylish in the way she looks and in the way she lives. She has chic clothes, the most amazing jewelry, incredible homes and she's a fantastic cook. The quality I admire in her most is the confidence she has in doing things differently, in breaking the rules. Case in point: the other day I was sitting in her kitchen watching her make a salad nicoise. She cut all the incredients with scissors instead of a knife (she said it's easier that way), and then she put on rubber surgical gloves and tossed the salad with her hands. She said, "Food always tastes better when you touch it." She was right. It was delicious. 

I ♥ Your Style: Diane Kruger's bow tie look

Back when I was researching my book I noticed that Diane Kruger loved Chanel, especially a black and white bow tie look. Since then I've seen her riff on that same look again and again. By now it's safe to say it has become somewhat of a signature for her. I love almost any girl who develops a signature. It shows discipline and confidence, two crucial ingredients in creating your own style. It would be too much if she wore this look all the time, but I love how she returns to it every now and then.

I ♥ Your Style: Cher in the 70's (Option 2)

I've been sitting here trying to find a gentle way to describe the way Cher looks these days, and I'm not finding the words. In contrast though, I only have good things to say about her look in the 70's. She was a hippie but with a little extra dose of glamour and polish that made her stand out from the other groovsters of that era.

I ♥ Your Style: Cher in the 70's (Option 1)

I've been sitting here trying to find a gentle way to describe the way Cher looks these days, and I'm not finding the words. In contrast though, I only have good things to say about her look in the 70's. She was a hippie but with a little extra dose of glamour and polish that made her stand out from the other groovsters of that era.

Top to Bottom Cher in 1975, Between 1965 & 1970, at home in the 70's, 1968, with Tina Sinatra in 1967, 1977, with Gregg Allman in 1977, 1974, wearing Sonny Bono's glasses in 1967.

I ♥ Your Style: Alexa Chung in leopard

People always talk about leopard like it's a trend, but I consider it a classic. There is never a season when I am not in the mood to wear a bit of leopard. I used to look at Kate Moss for leopard inspiration, and she does rock a leopard coat like no one else, but recently Alexa Chung has been almost non-stop in her love of leopard on almost any item you can out on your body. I'm surprised we haven't seen her in leopard sunglasses yet! And she always gets it just right. To wear leopard in a chic way you almost have to think your outfit is a little too subdued, verging even on boring, and then you put the bit of leopard into the mix - a belt, pair of shoes, bag or hat - and suddenly poof! your whole outfit makes sense. The other way to approach leopard is to wear a big swath of it - a dress, coat or tunic - and then understate everything else - simple black pumps, shades and bag will do the trick. Like the rest of the fashion world, I'm really in awe of all of Alexa Chung's style statements but it's her love of leopard and how she wears it that really stands out for me.

I Love Your Wedding Style: Audrey Hepburn

Two of my favorite wedding dresses ever were worn by the same woman: Audrey Hepburn. At her first wedding to Mel Ferrer in 1954 she wore a tea length Balmain dress with a stunning crown of roses around her head (I would copy the rose crown years later for the Met Ball). Her look was young, romantic and feminine - a true first time bride. Fifteen years later when she married Andrea Dotti, she was equally as chic in a 60's minidress and matching headscarf - but more grown up and subdued this time. I love looking at women in their wedding dresses - it's the ultimate expression of personal style. In fact, I'd like to write a book about wedding style. Stay tuned.....

Left to right Audrey Hepburn with Mel Ferrer (1954) and Andrea Dotti (1969)

I ♥ Your Style: Caroline Sieber

If I had to give just one best dressed prize for 2010, I would give it to London-based stylist and Chanel brand ambassador Caroline Sieber. To begin with, this is so unfair I know, she is stunningly beautiful. Her cat shaped eyes and her perfectly tousled hair make it hard to stop staring at her despite what she wears. But she also happens to know exactly how much is enough when getting dressed. She chooses quite trendy, high fashion outfits but wears them so simply, and she always chooses THE PERFECT accessories to go with them. She's also developed quite a signature proportion to go with the signature hair - very short skirts (or shorts) and sky high heels. But let me make one thing clear, it's not her looks or her body or her access to price-y clothes that makes her stand out - it's her style, the way she looks like herself despite the designer she's wearing. I also want to mention that she has incredibly good manners and that's always in fashion.

I ♥ Your Style: Jane Fonda

Jane Fonda is my favorite fashion chameleon. In the span of her career she's gone from 50's demure to 60's Barbarella vamp to 70's war fighting hippie to 80's workout queen to 90's poster-girl-for-aging-well all with a lot of enthusiasm and credibility. What helps her pull this off? Her beauty. She looks good in almost anything. But she's also fearless - she goes for every look wholeheartedly. I can think of other girls - like Kate Moss - who can pull off many different looks, but they aren't as drastic as Jane's. Jane really, really went for it.