TV shows

Hart of Dixie, returning with more episodes on April 9, is one of the most fashionable shows on TV right now. Between Rachel Bilson's character's fab designer duds and Jaime King's prim and proper frocks, it's one to draw major inspiration from. So who's behind all of those insanely adorable onscreen clothes? Costume designer Meredith Markworth Pollack, who's also worked on Gossip Girl. We got a chance to chat with the talented stylist all about her start, how she got involved with the show, what she does on set, and the characters' styles.

CelebStyle: When did you start styling and what inspired you about the profession?
Meredith Markworth Pollack: I was introduced to the world of costume design when I moved to New York in 2003. The first film I worked on was in the wardrobe department of The Notorious Bettie Page. I knew right away that I wanted to pursue a career in designing for film and TV. I loved the history, the research, and the character study that went into each look. It was a great combination of my love and intrigue for both film and fashion. I then went on to assist Eric Daman and ended up working on Gossip Girl with him, which then led me to Hart of Dixie.

CS: How did you get involved with Hart of Dixie?
MMP: I designed a couple pilots for Fake Empire, Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage's production company, that didn't get picked up. When Hart of Dixie got the green light, they asked me to design it. I was thrilled. I loved the premise, and of course, was a fan of Rachel.

CS: Is there a funny anecdote you can share about your styling experience on the show?
MMP: I'd say the look on Rachel's face when she came in to the fitting room and saw the red Southern Belle dress that she had to wear for Hell's Belle's was pretty priceless. She hadn't read the script yet and there was a definite WTF? moment. I got a good laugh out of that one.

To hear more from Hart of Dixie's costume designer, read more

As The Carrie Diaries continues to shoot on the streets of NYC, we continue to get glimpses of what the young Carrie Bradshaw wore back in the day. The latest ensemble is quintessential Carrie: a poufy sequined dress topped with a leopard cardigan by Autumn Cashmere with clashing hot orange pumps and a heart belt. While this look would be hard to pull off on a regular day, it would be fun for an '80s-themed party or Halloween. You can also tame it by wearing the lemongrass leopard cardigan and hot orange pumps with jeans and a white tee. Get the young Carrie's exact cardigan now and play around for a Carrie-inspired combination that's all you.

More Festamilano...

For her first day on set of The Carrie Diaries, AnnaSophia Robb strutted NYC in a floral Derek Lam blouse and shorts, and for her latest take, the actress was spotted prancing around the streets in a glamorously poufy and sequined dress. In true Carrie form, the outfit was completed with a sassy green cropped denim jacket, caged sandals, colorful bracelets, a black clutch, and, of course, a "C" initial necklace. While this look isn't one for the sidewalks, it would be darling for your next soiree. Just throw on an equally standout gown with a casual denim jacket and spend the night in Carrie Bradshaw's fabulous shoes.

More Betsey Johnson...

Jaime King may be rocking blue hair at the moment, but her character on Hart of Dixie, Lemon, would never do such a thing. In fact, she would snicker at it. There are huge differences between the actress's style and that of her goody-two-shoes character, but one commonality is that they both love fashion and look amazing in clothes. At a party at Pink Taco on Sunset Boulevard over the weekend, Jaime popped by for a quick chat about both her own and Lemon's style. Hear what she had to say.

CelebStyle: How would you describe your personal style?
Jaime King: Eclectic but classic.

CS: Who are your go-to designers?
JK: Jason Wu, Prabal Gurung, Prada, Miu Miu, and the thrift stores, like Goodwill.

CS: What do you think about your character's style on Hart of Dixie?
JK: I think it's fantastic. I love it. It's really fun to wear custom-made dresses and play someone so well put together.

While we impatiently await the arrival of The Carrie Diaries, we're lucky enough to get a sneak peek of what's to come in the wardrobe department. On the NYC set of the show, actress AnnaSophia Robb, who plays Carrie, was spotted sporting a fabulous floral tie-neck blouse by 10 Crosby Derek Lam — which you can buy now! — with loose-fitting black shorts and a neon Carrie-clad bag. As we know, Carrie's love of shoes transcends the usual black patent pump, but we'll have to wait and see what glamorous footwear the young Carrie wears through the season. If you love the young Carrie's flirty blouse, pair it with high-waist black trousers for work. Then switch the pants for denim as classy weekend wear.

More Paola Frani...

On the latest episode of American Idol, Jennifer Lopez turned it out in an all-black ensemble that's part sexy, part badass. Clad in a form-fitting black pencil skirt, the singer proves that you don't need to be stick-skinny to pull off leather. On the contrary, you can use it to accentuate your luscious curves just like Jennifer does. For your next night out, pair your black leather skirt with a long-sleeve black tee, ankle-strap Giuseppe Zanotti platform pumps, rhinestone hoop earrings, and some chunky cocktail rings for extra pizazz. If you need color in your life, add a punchy orange clutch, or instead of a black top, wear rich red.

More GUESS...

Leighton Meester's Gossip Girl character, Blair Waldorf, shows off her Spring style in a floral Peter Som frock, bright nail polish, and a matching lip on set in NYC. The brunette beauty layers a zesty yellow peacoat over her dress, then slides on a pair of burgundy mary-jane Miu Miu pumps to create a new color pairing of yellow and maroon. A triple-strand beaded necklace, maroon Stella McCartney bag, and retro hairdo complete her on-screen style. Another more casual way to re-create this Gossip Girl's transitional color combo is by pairing cropped yellow trousers with a maroon sweater. Don't forget a pop of floral via shoes or a handbag to really nail this chic Spring mix.

More K. Amato...

Sequins can be too over the top at times, especially during the day or outside the holiday season. But last night on Fashion Star, Elle Macpherson proved that sequins can totally be fashion-forward and tame. All you have to do is follow the host's lead by pairing your gold sequin top with a pair of cropped, draped trousers. The key is for the pants to be slightly baggy to counterbalance the glitz factor of the top. For a party setting, finish off with a pair of embellished sandals, like Elle did, or for more fashiony flair, wear black booties. Love Elle's Fashion Star ensemble? Shop similar pieces below.

More GUESS...

Photos courtesy of NBC

You already know about Nicole Richie, Jessica Simpson, and Elle Macpherson's involvement on Fashion Star, which debuts tomorrow, but now get to know the backstage style maven, How Do I Look? host Jeannie Mai. In the past, Jeannie has styled everyone from Sarah Jessica Parker to Rose McGowan to Christina Aguilera to Demi Moore to Rosario Dawson, and now she's lending her expertise to the show. "My role is to give firsthand experience on everything that brings the show to life," Jeannie told us. To find out more about Jeannie's role and what she thinks about the judges' styles, read our chat below.




CelebStyle: Can you give us a quick peek into what we can expect from the show?
Jeannie Mai: One word: intensity. And, a new-born excitement for real women and the runway. Being in this business for as long as I have, the runway has always been the more "dream world" for the fashion industry. Specifically for designers, buyers, and trendsetters; the runway is much more catered towards the creative world of fashion and not so much the real world of women who think more in terms of function rather than fashion. But now, on Fashion Star, the fashion-forward trends for the runway and the ready to wear aspects that are sought after by the real woman are tied together through the mentors and through the featured stores.

To hear more from Jeannie Mai, read more