Fashion

9 Invaluable Style Tips We've Learned From Blake

by Mary Avant

Sorry stars, being a one-trick pony in Hollywood just isn’t an option anymore. These days you have to be a singer-slash– Wall Street Journal columnist like Taylor Swift or a model-slash–beauty brand creator like Miranda Kerr. And if you’re an actress without her own clothing line (à la Sofia Vergara and her Kmart collection), just forget about it. Which is probably one of the many reasons that seemingly every big name in Hollywood has created her own “lifestyle brand” by this point, from Gwyneth Paltrow and Reese Witherspoon to, just this week, Ellen DeGeneres.

Even former Gossip Girl star Blake Lively is getting in on the action, as revealed in an interview with British Vogue last year that she’s embarking on her very own lifestyle endeavor. And on the heels of DeGeneres’s new brand announcement, the New York Post is reporting that Lively will launched her unnamed lifestyle and e-commerce site later this month.

Though Lively told British Vogue her new brand is all about storytelling and carefully curated items, I’m hoping the lovely lady will be dishing out a few of her own life lessons and pieces of style advice every now and then — because all it takes is one look at her red-carpet style to know that she sure has plenty of them. In fact, I can think of nine fashion lessons right off the bat that I’ve learned from the business- and style-savvy star.

1. A little '60s style is always sexy

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Whether it's with a short and flirty shift dress or a head full of voluminous, swept-back waves, channeling this era of fashion is a surefire way to look both timeless and enviably modern.

2. Old Hollywood hair = Instant glamour

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Speaking of retro, there are few stars who know better than Lively that soft, glamorous barrel curls (paired with a red lip and lacy slip dress, to boot) simply scream vixen.

3. Even the most casual tank can be dressed up

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Everyone loves the occasional high-low look, and there's no easier way to get it than by tucking a basic tank or tee into a glitzy, curve-hugging pencil skirt.

4. A high slit can definitely be classy

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Sure, it can easily veer into too-sexy territory, but showing this much leg can be quite tasteful when paired with a flowing skirt and covered-up neckline.

5. Embracing your inner bombshell looks (and feels) great

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Sometimes a voluptuous beauty just needs to show off her ultra-glam side, and Lively has proven again and again that there's no shame in that.

6. Sheer details glam up a delicate ensemble

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Worried your lacy LWD is just too twee? Follow Lively's lead and tack on a sheer skirt for an instant boost of edgy sex appeal.

7. Sleek and sophisticated can be seductive, too

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Whoever says a simple sheath dress and thick-heeled shoes can't be sultry has obviously never seen Lively walk the red carpet.

8. Outerwear makes the outfit

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Not that your ensemble underneath shouldn't be fantastic, too, but a stunning coat can turn heads quicker than practically anything else (except maybe a great pair of shoes).

9. Sometimes a good-looking man is your very best accessory

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I'm all for girl power, but there's no denying that man candy like Ryan Reynolds is bound to make a lady look her best.