The Most Stylish Stars

Today is the start of Fashion Week here in New York. And while most of us will never get the chance to sit front row at a runway show, it's just one of the many perks of being a celebrity. (They even get paid to attend!) Mainly because fashion, film, and celebrity are so closely connected. The designers know what the stars wear influence our everyday fashion. When Clark Gable appeared without an undershirt in It Happened One Night, sales of the item plummeted. And when Marlon Brando in Streetcar Named Desire starred in the film wearing just the undershirt by itself, the item found new popularity with a new generation. And the red carpet at the Oscars is a televised runway in which a star can be made. Uma Thurman's lilac Prada at the 1995 ceremony brought a new life to the design house. In 1996, Sharon Stone was the talk of the Oscars. The reason: the Gap turtleneck she wore. Who knew wearing something you could get at the sale rack in the mall could be so chic? Elie Tahari is now a red carpet staple, but it all started because of the designer's burgundy dress that Halle Berry wore when she won Best Actress in 2002.

In honor of Fashion Week, I have compiled a list of who I think are the most stylish actors at the moment. All four have a style that's all their own. It may not make them better actors, (luckily, all four are already pretty good at their day job) but it certainly adds to their persona.

Ryan Gosling

It's hard to make menswear interesting. Try to go classic and it can get boring (oh, another black tux). On the other hand, if you get too creative it can start to look like a costume (Alan Cummings, I'm looking your way). Which, is why it's so amazing that Ryan Gosling is able to pull off what he does. A maroon tuxedo shouldn't work and yet it does on Gosling. Even his casual clothes are interesting. Whether it's a short-sleeved cardigan on the Today show (I've been looking everywhere for one and there's Gosling wearing it like it's no big deal) or a striped tank worn to break up street fights, he always brings a twist to make it unique. 

Rooney Mara

We can thank David Fincher and the role of Lisbeth Salander in The Girl With a Dragon Tattoo for the emergence of Rooney's new-found style. This time last year, she was sporting long, brown, wavy hair and dressed in a way that no one would call memorable. What a difference a black bob and some goth inspired couture makes. It all may be a little manufactured, but they are doing a damn good job. At every premiere and event that she's attended in the last few months, she's brought a style that is becoming her own. Her clothes are edgy and modern, but in a way that isn't over the top. And unlike her character in the movie, who's punk look can be off-putting, her red carpet looks may be hard, but they still have a femininity to them. 

Emma Stone

You can actually pinpoint the exact moment that Emma Stone became fashion's new one-to-watch. At the 2011 Golden Globes in a simple peach colored Calvin Klein dress and blonde hair pulled back, she made her presence known. It was so simple, yet elegant. And with two hit movies to promote this past year, she continued to show-off the fashionable star she has become. I love that her hair is back to it's signature red color because it just makes her stand out more. She's not afraid of bright colors or trends, but doesn't get upstaged by them. And she always wears items that are flirty and fun, like her 50's influenced Alexander McQueen dress at this year's SAG awards.

Tilda Swinton

There is no one else quite like Tilda. To put it simply, she is a fashion icon. Who else would wear what looked like a garbage bag to accept their Best Supporting Actress Oscar and make it look high fashion? She has a taste for the avant-garde, favoring unconventional designs that challenge our view of how an actress should dress. Her look has even inspired an entire runway collection by Viktor & Rolf in which all the models were made up to look like the actress. Recently she's been doing a David Bowie-inspired androgyny thing that is executed effortlessly in a way only she could pull off.