Style Crush: Maggie Gyllenhaal

I love Maggie, she is a terrific actress and represents a very small group of actresses that I think fit into a category all there own.  Actresses like Marion Cottiard, Audrey Tautou, Rachel McAdams, .... these ladies are unconventionally pretty women that for the most part, keep themselves away the papparazzi, and just get on with the business of building their careers and living their lives like us normal people.  I like that.

Of course, part of their normal lives is attending world premieres of their movies and often being invited to be the body and face of a major fashion label.  Which I guess is a nice little perk, wouldn't you say?  That and the free clothing!

She's unconventional, takes risks with her clothes and her hair and can wear just about any colour in the spectrum, and quite often does.  J'adore!


Maggie stepped out from brother Jake’s shadow when she starred in the 2002 S&M comedy The Secretary (I love that movie - H). 

Maggie, who is married to actor Peter Sarsgaard, gave birth to the couple’s first child, Ramona, in October 2006.  The Dark Knight star replaced British supermodel Kate Moss as the body of Agent Provocateur in 2007.

The Hollywood actress couldn’t believe she was fronting the raunchy campaign for the French lingerie company so soon after giving birth to her daughter: 

“I never think of it as modeling—it is just like playing a character. I mentally disconnected when I agreed to the Agent Provocateur campaign. Then, suddenly, I’m in my underwear on top of a piano adjusting my garter belt for a picture, having just had a baby. I thought, ‘What? How did I end up here?’”

Maggie says she “mentally disconnected” when she agreed to model underwear for Agent Provocateur.

Maggie also revealed she loves wearing expensive clothes and was thrilled when top designers began sending her free outfits. The 31-year-old brunette star explained to Britain’s ELLE:

“I couldn’t believe it. When they started lending me clothes, I didn’t know what Louis Vuitton was. I love fashion. I think Stella McCartney and Vivienne Westwood are great.”

Maggie Gyllenhaal doesn’t “have motherhood down” (- who does? - H).  Maggie has two-year-old daughter Ramona with husband Peter Sarsgaard – worries she is not giving her child the best start in life because she still works.  She explained: 

“I want to give my daughter the same gift that my mom and my grandmother gave to me, which is the knowledge that, as a woman, I can do anything professionally and personally. I have everything open to me. But that doesn’t mean it’s going to be easy."

“I continue to make lots of sacrifices to make sure my daughter feels comfortable, or at least as comfortable as she can. But I can’t and don’t pretend I have it down.”


Maggie she finds the challenge of motherhood “complicated”, and often feels pained when she leaves Ramona to go to work.  She thinks it would be easier for her daughter if her job had more structured hours, and so has decided only to commit to films which make the wrench of leaving home worth it.

Maggie also appeared in the Miu Miu Spring/Summer campaign in 2004.

“Sometimes I fantasise about staying home with Ramona all day, so that I don’t miss a thing in this amazing two-year-old’s life."

“I’m an artist; I love my job. I feel very, very lucky to be in the position where going to work means I’m feeding myself. As a mother, you have to make sure you do that because that will nourish your child too.”

Maggie's street style is cute and unfettered.  She doesn't care what the critics say about her red carpet choices either.  Some have claimed that they are a tad boring.  What?  Boring?  Hardly!  Here is a woman who knows herself and her personal style perfectly.  Just because they don't look like all the other numbers on the red carpet does not make her boring.  I think she is ultra daring with both her red carpet and her everyday ensembles, something which I admire greatly about her.  I love those days when I feel like trying something different and taking a risk - sometimes it works, sometimes not - the point is to do it!

Ciao for now,

Hx

Sources: Style.com, AgentProvocateure.com, People.com, MiuMiu.com, Elle.co.uk