Friday, September 28, 2012

Dress to Impress on a Budget

By Farnoosh Torabi, Yahoo! Finance | Financially Fit – Wed, Sep 26, 2012 6:31 PM EDT

Sometimes you want to make the best impression, whether you're interviewing for a job, going on a first date or simply wanting your wardrobe to make a statement. For those of us on a budget, here are some ideas from Taylor Jacobson, celebrity stylist on Oxygen's upcoming winter series Hollywood Unzipped. She's got great tips on to how to look like you're worth a million bucks -- even when you're not.

Stick to One Trend

One of the biggest mistakes people make when they're trying to dress to impress is piling on a ton of trendy items: prints, colors and multiple accessories. "Avoid collages," says Jacobson. "Stick to one trend... choose one and go with it," she says. Mixing basic items with something more cutting-edge will add the right kind of emphasis.

Also See: What NOT to Wear to Work

Silky Tops
Clean, simple and chic silky blouses are easy to wear to the office and out with friends. Accessorize it by adding a stylish hat or pop of color with your shoes, says Jacobson. It's an affordable staple with most blouses ranging from $25 to $80 at many stores like Zara, H&M and Loehmann's.

Also See: Designer Trends at Knock-Off Prices

Pumps With a Pop of Color

A fun pop of color in your shoe can be worth the expense. "Color is the new nude," says Jacobson. "You can use it with so many different outfits." They can dress up a black cocktail dress or get extra wear out of them with a chic pair of slacks or jeans. Jacobson recommends Sam Edelman and Aldo for inexpensive options.

Also See: Is an Expensive Haircut Worth It?

Textured Items

A textured of brocade item - pants, jacket or dress- can really elevate your appearance. The look is very rich but you can still get quality, textured pieces from affordable stores including Forever21, Zara and H&M from $50 to $100. Again, Jacobson says stick to one item, avoiding a collage of textures and patterns.

Also See: Turn Your Shopping Addiction into Cash

Black with Metallic Jewelry

Black is a great palette to accessorize and statement necklaces can really glam up your look. For added effect, try layering necklaces. Jacobson describes it as an easy look that you can have for less than $20 from retailers like Wal-Mart. Less is more so don't go for pieces that make too big of a statement. Jacobson suggests avoiding a ton of useless jewelry by shopping carefully. "Get the one piece that really speaks to you," she says.

What are some ways you're dressing to impress? Connect with me on Twitter @Farnoosh, using the hashtag #finfit.

Special thanks to our model Stephanie N. Mills for her help in our video.

Gwyneth Paltrow turns 40: How she got her big break

By Meriah Doty | Movie Talk – 20 hours ago

18-year-old Paltrow in 'Hook,' left, and Paltrow now (Photo: TriStar Pictures, Jason Merritt/Getty Images)You may have a sense that Gwyneth Paltrow, who turns 40 today, grew up in a Hollywood power family, but you may be surprised to learn of one its most influential members.

Paltrow's godfather is legendary director Steven Spielberg (he is also Drew Barrymore's godfather). And it was Spielberg who gave Paltrow one of her first major acting opportunities.

One night in 1991, Spielberg, his wife, actress Kate Capshaw, and Paltrow's late father Bruce took a teenage Paltrow to see "The Silence of the Lambs." On the way back, as Spielberg drove, he caught something in his rearview mirror that piqued his interest -- the horrified facial expression of Paltrow who was questioning Spielberg about the film.
Spielberg recounted what happened that night [via an Entertainment Weekly interview]: "Bruce and Kate and I had taken Gwynnie to see 'The Silence of the Lambs"… We were driving back from the movie theater, and I was going back to work [on "Hook"] the next day. I was looking in the rear-view mirror and she was talking about the film and she had this really frightened look on her face, and it suddenly clicked, and I said, 'Hey, you could be the young Wendy! You could be the young Maggie Smith [who plays ].' ...I turned around and said, 'Do you want to make a movie?' She got a SAG [Screen Actors Guild] card because of it."

Paltrow, right, and her mother Blythe Danner (Photo: Gary Gershoff/WireImage for Baby Buggy)And that's how "Gwynnie," who was 18-years-old at the time, was cast in Spielberg's swashbuckling retelling of the Peter Pan story in the star-studded 1991 adventure film "Hook." In the film, as young Wendy, Gwyneth had a British accent -- something that surely later came in handy for her Oscar-winning role as the fearless Viola De Lesseps. Her gender-bending character pretends to be a man to get cast in a play put on by Shakespeare himself in "Shakespeare In Love." The film won six other Academy Awards that year including one for Best Picture.

[Photos: Gwyneth Paltrow's Style Evolution]

Paltrow's late father Bruce was a director-writer-producer, most famously for the hit '80s show "St. Elsewhere." And her mother is actress Blythe Danner -- who has been experiencing something of a career renaissance ever since her appearance in "Meet the Fockers" in 2004. Paltrow has worked with her parents on a few projects over the years -- her father produced and directed karaoke-themed film "Duets" (2000) and Danner played her mother in "Sylvia" (2003). Ironically, both films were poorly received by critics.

Paltrow, left, and Brad Pitt in 'Se7en' (Photo: New Line)After her role in "Hook," Paltrow appeared in smaller roles in a string of films until she appeared in an unforgettably integral part in David Fincher's spooky serial killer hit "Se7en" (1995). And it was that role, along with her high-profile off-screen romance with costar Brad Pitt, that turned her into a '90s film darling. Yet that didn't guarantee her a spot in the 1997 megahit "Titanic" -- she lost out on the leading role to Kate Winslet. Oh well, Paltrow made up for this year by appearing in her biggest hit to date in "Marvel's The Avengers."