10 Most Fashion-Forward Starlets
Who are Hollywood's next big names? These 10 fresh faces have major films or TV shows under their belts, and a select few have already been feted at this year's award shows. Whether they snagged statues or not, all have proven to be style stars with gorgeous red-carpet gowns and unique off-duty looks. Trust us: these are the ones to watch in 2010.
Dakota Fanning
If the name Dakota Fanning conjures up images of a wide-eyed child star with blond braids and Mary Janes, it's time to think again. After years of children's fare, 16-year old Fanning recently starred as punk rocker Cherie Currie in The Runaways, a biopic of rock star-proportions with cover girl Kristen Stewart playing Joan Jett. Fanning has channeled her new mature role on the red carpet with lots of black, like this stunning Valentino lace mini (paired with soaring burgundy heels) and the chic black blazer-and-skinny pants combo she wore at Sundance. Savvy style is matched by smart career moves: Fanning's next film is none other than the next film in the Twilight series, Eclipse.
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Zoe Kazan
As the granddaughter of famed director Elia Kazan and the daughter of successful screenwriters, a berth in the movie business was Zoe Kazan's for the taking. The Yale grad jumped in with numerous Broadway appearances and big-screen roles in Revolutionary Road, The Private Lives of Pippa Lee, Me and Orson Welles and It's Complicated. Like those movies, her fashion choices have been consistent successes, with delicate, feminine frocks in blush tones to complement her fair complexion or deep purples and blacks that strike a contrast. With such understated elegance, Kazan lets her rising celebrity speak for itself: she appears in happythankyoumoreplease, which earned her recognition at Sundance as one of the festival's "7 Fresh Faces." We couldn't agree more.
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Amanda Seyfried
From small-screen roles in Veronica Mars and Big Love to her big-screen debut in Mean Girls and singing her heart out in Mamma Mia!, this porcelain-skinned beauty has acted her way to the top, literally: her latest movie, Dear John, knocked heavyweight Avatar out of the #1 spot at the box office. Now Seyfried's a bona fide movie star, showcasing versatile style in jewel-tone cocktail dresses and sweeping pastel gowns, like this Armani Privé confection she wore to the 2010 Oscars. There's even more in store in 2010; Seyfried heads for another box-office win with the upcoming romance Letters to Juliet. For a former Mean Girl, this star is doing quite nicely.
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Anna Kendrick
She may count herself among Hollywood's "popular kids" as a Twilight cast member, but Kendrick broke away from the pack to shine alongside older and more famous co-stars in Up in the Air. The 24-year-old's star turn garnered Golden Globe, Oscar, and SAG Award nominations, which meant plenty of chances to ogle her sartorial choices. Kendrick plays up her tiny waist in form-fitting looks and experiments with every color of the rainbow (like this brilliant violet Alberta Ferretti at the SAGs). And this year isn't just about award shows: Kendrick has already begun shooting a new movie called I'm With Cancer with Joseph Gordon-Levitt, and she'll reprise her role as Jessica in the upcoming Twilight films. When it comes to her style and career, things for Kendrick are looking up.
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Carey Mulligan
This fresh-faced Brit has won over Hollywood, and not just because of her adorable pixie haircut. Mulligan appeared in three films in 2009, including the critically acclaimed An Education, which earned her Best Actress nomination at the Oscars (and the Golden Globes and the BAFTAs and the SAGs...). Lots of nods means lots of red-carpet dresses: Mulligan's demonstrated style beyond her years by wearing the best of the runway, from Lanvin to Prada. There's no rest for the weary, as Mulligan will star in two more movies in 2010 including Oliver Stone's Wall Street 2. As Peter Sarsgaard reminded us at the Oscars, we've only just begun to see what this fashionable beauty can do.
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Emma Roberts
She may have a very famous Aunt Julia, but this actress has transitioned from child star to movie star in her own right. Roberts left her Nickelodeon days behind for good when she appeared in the blockbuster Valentine's Day, co-starring with some of Hollywood's biggest names. She's also held her own on the red carpet, accenting her long legs and fair skin with short dark-hued frocks with just a hint of shine. The dramatic colors hint at what's ahead: Roberts will take on a more somber role alongside Chace Crawford in the upcoming film Twelve, a gritty drug-dealing drama. She may have to suppress that famous smile, but we think Roberts will handle the dark turn just fine.
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Gabourey Sidibe
This first-time actress stunned audiences in the movie Precious, and since then the nominations have been rolling in for this extraordinary talent. Sidibe's already a pro at striking enthusiastic poses on red carpets, favoring beautifully draped dresses in shining jewel tones like this navy Marchesa gown at the Oscars. Sidibe's out to prove that her film success was no fluke: filming for her second movie, an indie entitled Yelling to the Sky, is already complete.
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Lea Michele
She may have started on the Broadway stage, but these days Lea Michele is the hottest thing to hit TV. The musical-theater geek belted her way up the showbiz ladder, starting with Les Miserables at age 8 and growing into the rock-musical Spring Awakening. Now the bubbly actress shows off her power pipes on Glee, the TV musical phenomenon that earned her a Golden Globe nomination as well as red-carpet star status. Michele's style is sleek, with strapless or one-shoulder dresses and sophisticated solids. Hitting particularly high notes in Oscar de la Renta at the Golden Globes and Catherine Malandrino at the SAG Awards, Michele has us watching her every move.
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Zoe Kravitz
Although her famous last name provides ready-made credentials, Kravitz has become a veritable fashion star thanks to her personal style savvy. The 21-year old daughter of rocker Lenny and actress Lisa Bonet has garnered attention for an eclectic look that's equal parts bohemian hippie and downtown rocker (she's a front-row regular at Alexander Wang). Having already nabbed a beauty contract as the face of Vera Wang's Princess perfume, Kravitz's 2010 will be all about the big screen: she'll appear alongside Chace Crawford and Emma Roberts in Twelve and with Gabby Sidibe in Yelling to the Sky. All, of course, after attending Paris Fashion Week.
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Zooey Deschanel
She won our hearts as the elusive object of Joseph-Gordon Levitt's love in (500) Days of Summer, but Deschanel's not done yet: she's set to star in the upcoming HBO pilot I'm With the Band: Confessions of a Groupie and return to the big screen in October's Your Highness with new leading man, James Franco. Sound like music to your ears? The brunette beauty is also reuniting with musical partner M. Ward for their second album, "She & Him: Volume Two," due out this month. While Deschanel's career launches forward, her quirky style nods to the past in the loveliest ways: retro Fifties-inspired dresses, playful bows and floral prints, and unexpected color combinations. Actress, singer, and style star? Now that's one multitalented lady.
Tell us: Who would you add to the list of Hollywood's youngest and best dressed?
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