Indholdsfortegnelse for January 2014 i ELLE

Sunday, January 12 Set your DVR: Tina Fey and Amy Poehler host the Golden Globes on NBC; over on HBO, Woody Harrelson and Matthew McConaughey explore the badlands with True Detective; then, it's the return of Girls. Thursday, January 16–Sunday, January 19 The L.A. Art Show presents historic pieces alongside iconic posters. Tuesday, January 14 FINDING EMO Brian Burton and James Mercer, known together as Broken Bells, deliver their sophomore album, After the Disco. Four years after their beloved debut, the indie-rock outfit outdoes itself with even more extraterrestrial duets and headier new-wave influences. Monday, January 6 CAKEWALK The latest memoir from former Sex and the City writer and producer Cindy Chupack, The Longest Date: Life as a Wife, deals not with the sexy singles scene but rather with what…

She's All That The covers of our annual Women in Hollywood issue [November 2013] were variously graced by film titans Reese Witherspoon, Penélope Cruz, Shailene Woodley, Marion Cotillard, Naomie Harris, and Melissa McCarthy. The photo of this last comedic star, outfitted in a wool cashmere Marina Rinaldi coat, really turned up the heat among ELLE fans and critics, and prompted this year's annual Women in Hollywood event host, Andy Samberg, to refer to the brouhaha as "Jacket-gate": "I picked the coat.… I was just shocked I didn't steal it. Now I think I really should have the coat. I'm petitioning for that coat. Give me that coat. I earned it, dammit!" —Melissa McCarthy, as told to E! News "This cannot be a real issue.… One person's opinion matters—hers. She loves…

Nylon top, threaded cotton and nylon skirt, both, CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION, prices on request, at Calvin Klein Collection, NYC. Suede sandals, WALTER STEIGER, $895, at Walter Steiger, NYC THIS MONTH IN FASHION: TRENDS Fringe sheds its boho rep page 38 // Ruffles get grounded page 39 // Spring's hottest metallic hue page 40 // ACCESSORIES Biker-chic extras page 42 // Menswear-inspired shoes lighten up page 43…

NEW YORK Cutout queens Carly Cushnie and Michelle Ochs are bringing their body-con styles from the runway to the beach, with Cushnie et Ochs maillots and bikinis in supersaturated hues, featuring the design duo's sexy scissor work. cushnieetochs.com LONDON Gianvito Rossi's classic silhouettes are the perfect canvas for Mary Katrantzou's raucous digital prints. Made for her spring 2014 show, the strappy stilettos and skyscraping pumps are guaranteed to take even the most mundane spring wardrobe to new heights. marykatrantzou.com NEW ORLEANS New eyewear line Krewe takes inspiration from Big Easy hot spots like the Lower Garden District and St. Charles Avenue, as well as from the city's musical history, with its range of playfully named, updated classics. kreweduoptic.com NEW YORK Accessories whiz Meredith Wendell teamed up with…

Day: Cotton shirt, RALPH LAUREN BLACK LABEL, $195, visit ralphlauren.com Silk and cupro skirt, ALTUZARRA, $2,995, similar styles at net-a-porter.com Leather pump, REED KRAKOFF, $750, visit reedkrakoff.com Why It Works: A featherweight henley—that grunge-era classic—dresses down a detailed skirt and silver shoe just enough to make it office appropriate. Night: Tencel and cashmere T-shirt, MARC JACOBS, $995, at Marc Jacobs, NYC Sequin pencil skirt, BURBERRY LONDON, $950, visit burberry.com Suede flat, MANOLO BLAHNIK, $645, collection at saksfifthavenue.com Why It Works: Graphic tees and d'orsay skimmers play well with glitzy sequins for an evening look that's not so precious. Weekend: Merino crewneck, MICHAEL KORS, $575, at select Michael Kors stores nationwide Pencil skirt, ASOS, $57, visit asos.com Leather boot, SERGIO ROSSI, $1,295, at Sergio Rossi, Las Vegas Why It Works: Equestrian-inspired…

For pop music to be truly great, it can't just make us want to jump around in our underwear—it also has to make us cry. Currently officiating that marriage of energy and emotion is 22-year-old Australian-born singer-songwriter Betty Who, née Jess Newham. With her first EP, 2013's self-released The Movement, the 6'1" bottle blond—who relocated from Sydney to Michigan's Interlochen Arts Academy in 2007, before going on to attend Boston's Berklee College of Music—proved with just four songs that the pop genre, however saturated, could use a shot in the arm. Whether confessing devotion ("Somebody Loves You"), fantasizing about the glam life ("High Society"), or calling out hot-then-cold lovers ("You're in Love"), her tracks, with their fresh '80s-inspired dance beats and synths layered over vividly narrative lyrics (Betty Who counts…

In the opening pages of Sarah Cornwell's bewitching first novel, What I Had Before I Had You (Harper), newly divorced Olivia Reed and her two children travel from Texas back to her hometown on the New Jersey shore. There, on the busy boardwalk in the gathering summer twilight, her troubled nine-year-old son, Daniel, vanishes. "Of course I would lose him here; this is where I lose people," Olivia says to herself. "My past is leaching into my present, and even in the midst of this panic, I feel a sensation of walking a few steps behind myself." The tension compulsively accrues as Olivia and her teen daughter, Carrie, aided by the police, search desperately for Daniel, whose bipolar illness causes him to experience hallucinations, night terrors, and other symptoms of…

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"Have you ever considered taking an SSRI?" On the long, long list of things you never want a supervisor to call you into a conference room to suggest—maybe, okay, please don't take this the wrong way, just think about it—you should look into psychopharmaceuticals ranks pretty high. The inciting event: My editor returned a draft of a story I'd submitted, asking me merely to tweak the last two sentences. I ended up rewriting nearly every single word. ("I wouldn't have minded, if you had changed it to something better," she said, equal parts ticked off and, I think, sincerely amazed. "But you just…changed it.") Now, sitting across from her at the kind of corporate-cold wooden table designated for discussing "issues," the rogue manuscript lying between us, her probe stung. It…

It doesn't get much more English than this. Rain is drizzling, the bells of Westminster Abbey are ringing, and, in an Edwardian apartment building a few blocks from Buckingham Palace, Charlotte Stockdale, half of the impossibly cool London power couple that also includes mega-designer Marc Newson (whose supersleek sensibility has been applied to everything from airport lounges to Pentax cameras), is holding a traditional Sunday lunch. On this day, the 43-year-old stylist, who, in addition to being named style editor of posh English fragrance house Jo Malone London two years ago, consults for Karl Lagerfeld and Peter Pilotto and serves as fashion director for art magazine Garage, is every inch the paradigm of taste one would expect. Their flat, an airy triplex inside a converted post office, is quintessential Newson:…

I am not sure what caused me to start sleeping with married women, especially ones who were much older than I was. The easy explanation is that I was abandoned by my mother, and so I wanted to have a relationship with someone who would comfort me the way a mother can a child. The truth, as with everything involving love and sex and loss, is more confusing to me. The single most important event in my life is my brother's accident. When I was 10 and my brother 14, he dived into a swimming pool, struck his head on the pool's bottom, and remained underwater for three minutes. When he was pulled out, he could no longer walk or talk. He could no longer roll over in his sleep.…

Like schoolteachers and bosses, celebrities tend to be either intimidating or likable but rarely are both. With stars, it's a matter of the little things: eye contact; warmth or a lack thereof; whether they insist on being flanked by an entourage; and how seriously they take their job or, worse, themselves. If you were to judge Joan Smalls on her modeling work, you might designate her a member of the "intimidating" camp. You would be incorrect. Smalls arrives sans entourage at SoHo's The Mercer Kitchen and peers around the room with a shy smile until she spots the stranger waving at her and zooms over. Originally, the restaurant had been unable to offer a table other than a calamitously loud one at the bottom of a staircase, but within 60…

The artfully wrought nipped-waist dresses in Peter Pilotto's spring/summer 2014 collection—digitally engineered prints painstakingly overlaid with acid-hued lace, broderie anglaise, and sequins—look fit for a futuristic garden party and prove that Pilotto and his co–creative director, Christopher De Vos, are indisputable masters of merging cyber savvy with couture sophistication. But while the duo have been cleverly maturing the British brand's luxury profile, they don't intend to get stuck in the industry's ivory tower. Leading members of today's plugged-in generation of designers, Pilotto and De Vos are acutely aware that there's more to life than $5,000 dresses. So, when Target came knocking, they jumped at the chance to extend their craftiness to more commercial ambitions. Of course, rompers, rash guards, and beach totes for under $100 can't have the same hand-touched…

That Orlando Bloom is starring in Romeo and Juliet on Broadway makes sense, despite his age. (He's 36, while Romeo is traditionally a teenage character.) Bloom's beauty is so ethereal, one could easily imagine a young woman giving her life for it. It has been ever thus. Days before graduating drama school, Bloom was cast as the dreamy elf-prince Legolas in the Lord of the Rings trilogy, which he followed with a turn as Johnny Depp's protégé in Pirates of the Caribbean. His reputation for romancing leading ladies such as Kirsten Dunst, Kate Bosworth, and Penélope Cruz quickly cemented his lothario status. As the actor says now, "Love is what we aspire to most in our lives." Bloom, a Buddhist, wears that boyish optimism well, which is a good thing,…

I've built a life and career on translating the principles of spirituality to a new generation of seekers. But don't get me wrong: I also love a good Isabel Marant sweater. People often assume that fashion and spirituality are at odds, equating style with materialism and out-of-whack priorities. So—as a loud and proud fashionista and an outspoken spiritual guide—I'm frequently asked how I can be passionate about both. My relationship with fashion used to be much different from what it is now. When I moved to New York City at 21, the city and its emphasis on style were intimidating. Since I had no true sense of self, I tried to imitate others—one day, I'd dress as a hippie; another, I'd be looking like Mariah Carey. Meanwhile, I was trying…

Say you've always wanted to be a fashion designer, and you've just hit upon the kind of blue-moon idea that could get you there: an ingenious—if you do say so yourself—jumpsuit that's actually user-friendly. How, beyond the old sewing-machine-at-the-kitchen-table routine, are you going to get that jumpsuit onto the women you know would love it? Just hire someone to make a sample (usually for thousands of dollars); find a factory (probably in China); and persuade a retailer to sell it or start your own online shop. Easy, right? In the era of feature films edited on iMovie and studio-quality albums recorded with GarageBand, sooner or later someone was bound to find a simpler way. Launched this past spring, BYCO (short for "By Company") aims to hack the ready-to-wear world by…

Leather fringe sandal, GIANVITO ROSSI, $760, collection at Barneys New York Rose gold and diamond earrings, JACK VARTANIAN, price on request, call 212-988-2881 Leather fringe handbag, TOD'S, $2,425, at Tod's boutiques nationwide Leather fringe dress, ALTUZARRA, price on request, collection at Saks Fifth Avenue stores nationwide Eyeing these Gianvito Rossi heels for your next black-tie evening? Do some comparison shopping at ELLE.com/partyshoes.…

There's an oft-quoted line from Oscar Wilde, "Life is far too important a thing ever to talk seriously about." The same could be said of fashion. State the obvious on the subject, and you risk being a bore. Parse the merits of the thing in an original way, and you risk playing the fool. To be sure, the spring/summer 2014 collections had their share of designers with heavy-handed ideas, and there were plenty of others who played it safe. But the best collections managed to combine the playful, the artful, and the intellectual to great effect. Gone are the days when the truly talented designers were trapped by trends, though the season offers plenty of palatable options. I'm thinking of a handful of smart, mindful designers who, without taking themselves…

Day: Silk and cotton slipdress, GARY GRAHAM, $475, at Gary Graham, NYC Leather coat, MARC BY MARC JACOBS, $1,598, at Marc by Marc Jacobs stores nationwide Patent leather oxford, AGL, $395, collection at shoescribe.com Why It Works: A blend of two metallics adds up to a new neutral; black patent oxfords bring it all into the daylight. Night: Silk-chiffon slipdress, NARCISO RODRIGUEZ, price on request, similar styles at narcisorodriguez.com Waxed-leather jacket, BELSTAFF, $1,950, at Belstaff, NYC. Python sandal, CH CAROLINA HERRERA, $580, at CH Carolina Herrera boutiques nationwide Why It Works: Picture Kate holding Johnny's hand, the king and queen of downtown cool. A leather perfecto plus a wisp of chiffon is the easy, effortless way to do evening. Weekend: Slipdress, TOPSHOP, $70, at Topshop stores nationwide Denim jacket, SEE…

On the face of it, Judi Dench and Steve Coogan, the squirmingly funny British comedian, might seem a most improbable match. Coogan has long reveled in portraying a gallery of anxious egomaniacs and crudely competitive strivers—the kind who roll right over friends and colleagues alike, so god-awful you'd have to detest him if you weren't laughing so hard. As for Dame Judi, her brand is as finely honed as Coogan's; the formidable women she plays so well have included two of Britain's greatest monarchs—Elizabeth I in Shakespeare in Love and Queen Victoria in Mrs. Brown—and she has ruthlessly wielded power as the British spymaster M in the past seven Bond movies. But these are troupers of the highest caliber, and in the fact-based Philomena, Stephen Frears' gritty, twisty new drama,…

In The Last Days of California (Liveright), debut novelist Mary Miller follows the Metcalf family on a road trip from Alabama to the California coast, where they plan to await the Rapture. Miller portrays her characters—15-year-old Jess; her dangerously beautiful, secretly pregnant 17-year-old sister, Elise; and their prayer-loving parents—with an unwavering intensity as they traverse America's sprawling suburban no-man's-lands. Miller's prose bestows a magnetic beauty on gas-station bathroom stops, Waffle House lunches, and the cast of overfed, overstimulated travelers the Metcalfs encounter along the interstates. The story flows forth via Jess's deadpan inner monologue: "Our father said heaven was going to be perfect in a way we couldn't even begin to comprehend," she reflects, contemplating the prospect of the Rapture. "I was already young and healthy and surrounded by my…

Night Life Like a top coat for your lids, Lorac Rockin' Red Hot 3D Liquid Lustre in Platinum can be layered over existing shadow for high-impact eyes. Black Magic With a potent blend of black algae sap and hyaluronic acid, Givenchy Le Soin Noir Sérum vanishes on contact, energizing cells and boosting radiance. Mighty Mouth Revlon's ColorBurst Lacquer Balms in Enticing and Demure prove you don't have to sacrifice intense moisture for ultrarich color. Light Source Fortified with vitamins E and B5 for an extended glossy finish, Sally Hansen Triple Shine Nail Color in Slick Black and Drama Sheen leave tips glistening. Stroke of Genius Sonia Kashuk's versatile Lavish Luxe Fan Brush can be used flat to sweep blush across cheeks or flipped on its side to apply contouring powder.…

I am in Lapland, within spitting distance of the Arctic Circle, beating myself with a birch branch and wondering how long it will take for me to faint. This is my introduction to the Finnish institution of sauna—which, it turns out, isn't at all like what I've experienced at my local gym. First of all, there are three different rooms in which to swelter (a local favorite, the smoke sauna, leaves your hair smelling like a forest fire), and after sitting in each one for as long as you can possibly bear, whipping your skin periodically with the aforementioned greenery in order to boost circulation, the custom is to run outside and throw yourself into a plunge pool fed by the icy waters of a nearby lake. It's madness, but…

At a sidewalk campaign stop on an Indian-summer afternoon, Chirlane McCray chats warmly but warily with a high-strung blond about real estate, fashion, and McCray's husband, who stands fast by her side. Soon to become mayor of New York, Bill de Blasio is pale, 6'5", garrulous, and gawky, while McCray is petite, cornrowed, and dark, with low-lidded eyes—her husband's opposite in all the ways that don't really matter. Her well-wisher, meanwhile, looks more like what McCray recently called a "Muffy person"—the kind of woman, she explained, whom politicians typically marry. "He's got a beautiful shirt on," says the blond, pointing to de Blasio. "What do you call that, like, a tattersall?" "Yeah," McCray says, laughing, in a languid, measured drawl as hard to pigeonhole as the first lady–elect herself. "I…

FAKEBOOK DEAR E. JEAN: On a lark, I created a fake profile on Facebook with another person's pictures and a false name. I had no evil purpose, and as it turned out, a guy began messaging me. We continued a long-distance friendship by text and phone calls. And he sent me some presents. Now he's found out that I was a phony and swears he's going to sue me and that I'm going to jail! He says he spent more than $10,000 on gifts—most through Amazon—and that he has the receipts. At first he refused to let me begin to pay him back, saying he wanted to "save the friendship." Now he wants the money. All of it. Of course I don't have even half the sum! I feel bad…

Leather jacket, $4,990, pants, $2,890, belt, $295, python pumps, $1,295, all, SAINT LAURENT BY HEDI SLIMANE, at Saint Laurent, NYC. Cotton shirt, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, $280. Metal collar tips, WESTERN SPIRIT, $45. Stretch Lurex socks, THE SOCK MAN, $10. For details, see Shopping Guide. Suede coat, price on request, shorts, $2,590, cotton shirt, $890, all, VALENTINO, at Valentino boutiques nationwide. Leather belt, SAINT LAURENT BY HEDI SLIMANE, $295. Fox and mink coat, price on request, cotton shirt, $1,600, both, CÉLINE, at Céline, NYC. Vintage Levi's jeans, WHAT GOES AROUND COMES AROUND, $98. Metal collar tips, WESTERN SPIRIT, $45. Leather belt, SAINT LAURENT BY HEDI SLIMANE, $395. Stretch Lurex socks, THE SOCK MAN, $10. Leather oxfords, WALTER STEIGER, $1,095. Stylist's own ring. For details, see Shopping Guide. Above: Leather jacket, price on…

COVERS Sequined dress by Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci, price on request, collection at Bergdorf Goodman (NYC). Rose gold, diamond, and colored-stone bracelet, $58,500, gold and diamond cuff, price on request, by Cartier, at select Cartier boutiques nationwide, call 800-CARTIER or visit cartier.com. Cotton sweater, $4,750, tank, $2,450, linen skirt, $2,950, leather clutch, $2,300, by Céline, at Céline (NYC). Sunglasses by Michael Kors, $250, at select Michael Kors stores nationwide, call 866-709-KORS. FIRST LOOK PAGE 37: Top, skirt, $14,995, by Calvin Klein Collection, at Calvin Klein Collection (NYC). Sandals by Walter Steiger, at Walter Steiger (NYC). TRENDS AND ACCESSORIES PAGE 38: Skirt by Altuzarra, $5,695, similar styles at Barneys New York. Handbag by Tod's, call 800-457-TODS or visit tods.com. Earrings by Jack Vartanian, $7,500, visit jackvartanian.com. PAGE 39: Sandals by Emanuel…

SHOWTIME I was having a drink with Bruno Frisoni, the creative genius behind Roger Vivier and all of its modern success, telling him how much I was looking forward to an upcoming trip to Dubai. That is, I was excited for everything but the part where, after a 14-hour overnight flight, I'd wake up next to a colleague who'd see the truth: the messy hair, the thick glasses, the desert-dry skin—basically, a disaster. "Oh," he said, "that's the best part. That's who you are. You have to let people see that. It's important." I loved him for saying that. And on one level, those are words to live by. But on another, his advice raises the question: What is the "real" you—and is there more than one? I'm not talking…

When I started as ELLE's creative director back in 2007, I had a clear mission: to make sure that the idea of the ELLE woman was alive and prominent in each photo, on every page of the magazine. In my first month on the job, the design director and I hung up a list of words in our offices—modern, sexy, strong, cool, smart, fun—in order to keep the code of the ELLE girl dancing in our heads. She was this life-loving, blog-reading, savvy-shopping, smart individual who was as passionate about Balenciaga as she was about, say, Barack. In reality, of course, there is not one individual woman who defines ELLE. And that's proven to me every day as a parade of ELLE girls—who also happen to be ELLE staffers—walk by…

Embroidered faux-leather clutch, STELLA MCCARTNEY, $1,340, at Stella McCartney, NYC Studded leather sandal, MIU MIU, $990, at select Miu Miu boutiques nationwide STRAW DOGS Why so heavy? Menswear-inspired footwear lightens up Straw oxford, ROBERT CLERGERIE, $395, collection at Barneys New York Straw oxford, BOTTEGA VENETA, $820, visit bottegaveneta.com Raffia oxford, DOLCE & GABBANA, $1,295, at select Dolce & Gabbana boutiques nationwide Leather and straw oxford, STUART WEITZMAN, $375, call 212-750-2555 Raffia fiber is harvested from a type of palm tree indigenous to Madagascar.…

If spring's new styles are causing you to experience a bit of déjà vu, you're not alone. Designers looked to the '90s this season, drawing inspiration from the decade that gave rise to supermodels, grunge, and a new breed of fashion royalty, from Kate Moss to Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. We've illustrated three ways to wear each of the season's key shapes—longer pencil skirts, light-as-air slipdresses, and sporty kicks. The resulting looks are rooted in nostalgia yet still undoubtedly modern, thanks to edgy, urban accessories—such as psychedelic sneakers and iridescent leather outerwear—that lend a bite of reality to otherwise minimalist ensembles. Leather handbag, ALEXANDER WANG, $795, exclusively at Alexander Wang stores. Knit sneakers, CÉLINE, $750, collection at Barneys New York THIS MONTH IN SHOPS: Easy updates to classic silhouettes page 52…

Day: Suede trench coat, JASON WU, price on request, visit jasonwustudio.com Silk charmeuse dress, NILI LOTAN, $395, at Nili Lotan, NYC Leather sneaker, KENZO, price on request, visit kenzo.com Why It Works: Sneakers add insouciance to a slinky dress and generous coat for a sporty spin that's dressed down but still superfeminine. Night: Satin blazer, MICHAEL MICHAEL KORS, $175, at select Michael Kors stores nationwide Satin trousers, MICHAEL MICHAEL KORS, $120, visit michaelkors.com Lace-detail sneaker, VALENTINO GARAVANI, $695, at Valentino boutiques nationwide Why It Works: Stand out as the coolest girl at the black tie in this totally '90s combo—modified tux plus neon kicks. Weekend: Triacetate-blend top, 3.1 PHILLIP LIM, $475, at 3.1 Phillip Lim, NYC Denim jeans, PROENZA SCHOULER, $365, at Proenza Schouler, NYC Calfskin and cotton sneaker, BALENCIAGA,…

Marsha Norman's first plays led some to crown her the Queen of Tragedy. In works such as Getting Out (about a young ex-con trying to go straight after prison) and the 1983 Pulitzer Prize winner 'night, Mother (about a woman's final preparations for suicide), she perfected a lean, tough style of capturing women in crisis. So it came as a surprise to learn that she was now writing the book for a musical adaptation of Robert James Waller's The Bridges of Madison County. That best-selling 1992 novel (which was also made into a syrupy movie with Clint Eastwood and Meryl Streep) is about a love affair between an itinerant National Geographic photographer and a dutiful Iowa housewife. The book is nothing if not sentimental fluff, and so, true to form,…

In the hierarchy of ice-queen minimalist beauties, Tilda Swinton ranks near the top, according to makeup artist Polly Osmond, who created this "modern but not too glamorous" look with the British actress in mind. "She wears barely any makeup and she looks striking," Osmond says. For a luminous, foundation-free complexion, Osmond prepped skin with a touch of tinted moisturizer and concealer. To create the modern crimson mouth, she used Hourglass Opaque Rouge Liquid Lipstick in Icon, an ultrapigmented, slightly wet-look formula. "Imagine a fur hood with just that red lip when it's cold and snowy," Osmond says. Pretty cool. For full, polished eyebrows, try NARS Brow Gel in Oural. THIS MONTH IN BEAUTY: Our second annual ELLE International Beauty Awards (with winning picks from 44 global editors) page 72 //…

DETOX BETTER DECIDE FASTER MAKE TIME PERFECT YOUR SKIN DIET SMARTER 1 BODY UPGRADE In writing The Detox Prescription (Rodale), Woodson Merrell, MD, has assumed the role of the sheriff who wants to run magical thinking and hucksters out of alternative-health town. As chairman of the department of integrative medicine at Manhattan's Beth Israel Medical Center ("We've got a staff of 80 seeing 60,000 patients a year—it's not like a bunch of people running around doing new age stuff"), he is on a mission to salvage the much-loved alt-med concept of "detoxification" from what he describes in his new book as "shoot-from-the-hip healers and modern snake-oil salesmen." Which is an excellent idea. The problems that Merrell sees in his (mostly female) patients are real—epidemic levels of fatigue, digestive problems, joint…

DETOX BETTER DECIDE FASTER MAKE TIME PERFECT YOUR SKIN DIET SMARTER Unlike certain B-list celebs, who take to the covers of tabloids to trumpet their diet success stories, I'm hoping no one will comment on the fact that I've lost more than 60 pounds in the past eight months. Dieting is my biggest secret. I wish I could say it's a thrilling one, like dating your college TA, but it's more like waxing my lip—I don't ever want to talk about it, and I'd rather people thought I never had to worry about it in the first place. As the pounds started coming off, physically I felt lighter. I slept well. I was in a better mood. But I also felt strangely furtive and isolated. I've told exactly one friend…

The world is full of big and thorny problems, but right now there's one—bigger and thornier than most—that seems to be connected to, oh, just about everything. I'm referring to (and worrying about, naturally) the great "crisis in creativity." Why have creativity-test scores steadily declined in American children and adults since 1990, as one recent report showed (which was pounced on by education critics charging that the increased focus on testing crushes unconventional thinking)? Why does a robust economic recovery still seem a pipe dream, despite exhortations from the president (and every other leader in the land) to innovate, innovate? Why do we understand that climate change is already bearing down on us—lethally, in the cases of Hurricanes Katrina, Irene, and Sandy—yet largely ignore its future risks? Why are countless…

"Whatever you do in life, you have to evolve. You have to make yourself better. If you want bigger and better things, you should push yourself harder." That's just a teaser of the advice that preternaturally wise—at age 25—Joan Smalls offered writer Molly Young in this month's cover story, and it could certainly serve as a rubric for our Make Better Issue (our theory being that you, the ELLE reader, don't need a makeover, but we all could make ourselves a little bit better). Whether it's the perfect white shirt that will ground your spring wardrobe or a supermodel's expert tips on reinvention, we're all about making small fixes that bring with them huge payoffs. You're welcome—in advance. Silk-blend T-shirt, $1,395, bandeau top, $2,495, skirt, $695, all, CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION,…

Polyurethane trench, WANDA NYLON, $1,050, collection at Opening Ceremony stores nationwide. Wool peacoat, $4,150, silk skirt, $1,590, both, VALENTINO. For details, see Shopping Guide. Cashmere sweater, $775, double-faced crepe skirt, $1,475, both, MICHAEL KORS, at select Michael Kors stores nationwide. Vinyl and felt hat, WANDA NYLON, $500. Sneakers, SEE BY CHLOÉ, $350. Double-faced cotton coat, $990, viscose-blend sweater, $595, both, CARVEN, visit carven.fr. Appliquéd embroidered skirt, STELLA MCCARTNEY, $1,460. Cotton baseball cap, MAX MARA, price on request. Canvas slip-on sneakers, VANS, $47. For details, see Shopping Guide. Cashmere sweater, GUCCI, $950, at select Gucci stores nationwide. Vinyl and felt hat, WANDA NYLON, $500. From top: Plexiglas bangle, SALVATORE FERRAGAMO, $790. Resin bangles, both, DINOSAUR DESIGNS, $75–$101. Metal bangle, ALEXIS BITTAR, $195. Ultrasuede coat, CALVIN KLEIN COLLECTION, $4,595, at Calvin Klein…

After a hectic holiday season, January promises smoother sailing. Though Venus is in retrograde, two new moons—a rare astrological phenomenon—occur this month, bringing excitement and opportunity for all CAPRICORN THIS MONTH FOR CAPRICORN: (DEC 22–JAN 19) This will be an extraordinary month from the get-go, thanks to five heavenly bodies in Capricorn, including a new moon, filling your first house of personality. You'll certainly enjoy this celestial good fortune, but Mars in Libra will put stress on your career, so don't lose professional focus. At the same time, Uranus will demand attention at home, and though juggling all these areas may stretch you to the limit, remember that the planets are still stacked in your favor. By the full moon on the 15th, a romantic or business relationship may culminate…