Alexa Chung Tells Us How To Dress Like Her (‘Wear Stupid Shoes!’) and Elle Fanning and Kate Bosworth Gush Over Her New Collection for Madewell

Photo: WireImage

LOS ANGELES–When it comes to personal style, there’s no better embodiment of a brazen fashionista than Alexa Chung; and it’s no wonder that Madewell tapped her for a second collaborative collection (sales of her debut collection went through the roof) this fall. InStyle hosted a celebratory soiree in her honor last night, the eve before the collection hits stores, at the Chateau Marmont and packed the house with a stylish set including Amanda Seyfried, Diana Agron, Abbie Cornish, Jena Malone, Zelda Williams and more.

A pop-up shop displaying the entire line occupied guests for hours, while we made the rounds to see just what it is about Chung’s style that’s so decidedly addictive.

“She’s my favorite kind of sexy,” said Kate Bosworth, hot off her European run as the face of Vanessa Bruno. “I think Alexa is so chic and unique and playful. That tomboyish femininity…like she’s not trying too hard. You can tell she’s sharp, totally a smart girl.”

Clad in a prim ivory lace dress from the collection, Elle Fanning excitedly fawned over the fashion before embracing Alexa in a sweet hug to congratulate her. “Everything is so cute! I love Madewell and I love Alexa…having them together is like heaven!” enthused the young actress, who first met Chung at the Met Ball months ago. “She’s really, really fun. I love how she sort of wears baby doll dresses but still has the tomboy thing going on. It suits her so well.”

So what did the girl of the hour have to say about all of the fashion flattery? “Yeah, it’s true. I like to kick against the mainstream. When people hate what I’m wearing, or just don’t get it, it’s like validation that I’ve got it right. It’s like cool, I didn’t want you to anyway!” the style icon laughed. As for the collaboration, she elaborated, “It’s like a dream world to work with Madewell because we have the same vibe, we appreciate the same visual aesthetic. I’m very happy with everything, but the leopard print boots are my favorite because they came out exactly as I drew them. They were missing in my closet. I dreamt them up and now they’re on my feet!”

And after all that, we had to ask, what are the tenets to dressing like Alexa Chung? Without missing a beat, she outlined the following: “Have fun. Don’t take anything too seriously. Try a bit of irony now and again. Don’t wear anything too tight. Borrow things from your brother, boyfriend or father’s wardrobe. And wear stupid shoes!”

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Dakota Fanning: Livin' the University Dream

Posted Sunday September 11, 2011 10:31 PM GMT

Situated on the east coast as she begins her collegiate career, Dakota Fanning was all smiles while out and about in SoHo on Sunday (September 11).

The "Twilight" actress was joined by a gal pal as the two ladies made their way around town with Miss Fanning reportedly having just started up the fall semester at NYU.

The academic efforts come just after the 17-year-old wrapped up filming a new movie titled "Now Is Good" in London, England.

Portraying a "terminally ill girl who makes a list of things she wants to do before dying," Miss Fanning's co-star Olivia Williams recently spoke with press about how well the young actress did with her English accent.

Olivia dished, "Dakota did very well, she got an accent coach - there's a big business in accent coaching these days."

She added, "(Accents) just aren't a big deal, it's part of the job. It's a shame that people find it so distracting."

Enjoy the pictures of Dakota Fanning out and about in SoHo (September 11).

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Rumor Mill: Elle Fanning, Dakota Fanning and Sofia Coppola Are the Only Celebs Attending Marc Jacobs This Season

Photo: Getty

Only three celebrities will have the honor of gracing Marc Jacobs‘ exclusive front row this NYFW, we hear from two separate sources: Sofia Coppola, Elle Fanning and her sister Dakota.

For the past few seasons, Marc has been especially selective in deciding which celebrities, if any, receive invites to his runway shows. He told Style.com last February: “I’m not into the celebrity thing like we used to. That’s boring . . . We’re not going to have celebrities. We used to have all the celebrities and people there, and I think that at that moment in time, that’s what people loved. It generated so much press and at a certain point it was like, ‘Did anybody actually watch the show?’”

Of course, the presence of Leighton Meester, Vanessa Hudgens, Whoopi Goldberg and Martha Stewart at last season’s show seemed like a departure from that, but only one or two celebrities attended the seasons preceding that one, up until Spring 2009, to which every celebrity you can think of–from Jay-Z to J.Lo to Wynona Ryder–showed up.

If this rumor is true, we like this season’s tightly-edited guest list. Sofia has been a friend and supporter of Marc since the very beginning, while Elle, star of the Marc by Marc fall campaign (and Sofia’s film Somewhere) represents a younger market and, perhaps, the future of Marc Jacobs. Dakota, of course is the face of the Oh Lola fragrance and also starred in one of Marc’s most memorable ad campaigns and it would be kind of awkward to invite Elle and not Dakota.

Marc's Favorite Girls

Speaking of which, we heard Dakota wasn’t originally going to go because it’s her first week of school, but they’re now thinking she can probably swing it since the show was postponed to Thursday due to hurricane delays. Thanks, Irene!

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Dakota Fanning & Emma Thompson Sign Up for "Effie"

Posted Wednesday August 17, 2011 9:15 AM GMT

Everyone loves a good period piece, and Dakota Fanning and Emma Thompson are joining forces on the new 1850s biopic “Effie.”

In the film, Dakota will play Euphemia Gray, who married famed critic John Ruskin. Though Effie was gorgeous, her husband never consummated the marriage over five years because he was disgusted by her body. In the end, Effie falls in love with Ruskin’s protege John Everett Millais.

Meanwhile, Thompson plays the part of Lady Eastlake who takes Effie under her wing and helps her cope with her dysfunctional marriage.

Emma also wrote the script for the film. Producer Don Rosenfeld told press, “It’s Emma Thompson’s first original script after doing several fine adaptations, and it gets to the heart of Victorian England. The script for Effie was always brilliant, but sometimes these things take time.”

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