liked it, we were meant to be together. The Theory blouse now sits in my closet. I asked if I could keep it. Not because I ever want to wear it again but because I couldn’t bear the thought of meeting again, in another anonymous dressing room, pretending we didn’t know each other, playing that tired game. Then, trying it on, nodding my head to signify, ‘‘I think this could work’’ — knowing damn well how things would end up.
flattering for, women. It’s downright undignified how many blazers I’ve bought over the years. And will continue to buy. They immediately give shape and add authority. With the perfect blazer, anything is possible. Almost like magic, a strong, angular but subtle shoulder lifts your center of gravity, while the clean straight line of a lapel can justify the rest of your outfit. Whether it’s printed trousers from Miu Miu or Etro, a longer, fuller skirt
PAUL SMITH araks
chloé marc jacobs
céline
etro
A longtime lover of buttoned-up fashion, Jones shares her favorite office-ready looks from the runways: a blazer with a strong shoulder and a crisp lapel, as at Etro and Araks, adds authority to any outfit; she might even throw one over Chloé’s full skirt. Volume goes with wild pattern at Marc Jacobs, a ‘‘beautiful variation’’ on a traditional combo. The actress can’t wear boyishly oversize clothes, but at Paul Smith she finds flattering men’s-wear-inspired pieces. And Céline’s faux-leather blouse is a bold analogue to the ivory silk shirt that has haunted Jones’s on-screen wardrobe.
You see, even though I have no real office to go to every day, I always err on the side of traditional. I start with a classic palette and sophisticated tailoring. Looking at the fall runway collections, there’s a lot of Theyskens’ Theory in my near future. I know a chunky earring and chartreuse shell might be of the moment, but they’ll never be of my moment. I always want to rock the oversize, men’s-wearinspired look; it just doesn’t work on my body. Luckily there are beautiful cuts at Balmain, Paul Smith and Hermès this season that suggest men’s-wear tailoring but are actually cut for, and
from Left: Go RUnway (2); Courtesy of Araks; go runway (2); courtesy of céline.
power suit?! You would think that my decision to be an actress was inspired by the chance to dream up the endless spectrum of characters I could play and all the colorful costumes they would require. Acting is predicated on imagination. It is the ultimate dress-up fantasy! Think of all the rules I could break! But sadly, it’s just not how I’m built. I’m a little more boring. I’m a pragmatist. I revel in consistency and order and justice. I am ruled by my intellect. So my acting goals were mainly driven by the challenge of creating a realistic, grounded character. And I lucked out with a very busy career. I do often end up as the levelheaded professional. Maybe I was driven by the opportunity to work with talents like Steve Carell and David Fincher and the Muppets. Or maybe, just maybe, I was pulled by the deep, unfulfilled hankering for corporate dressing. Did my childhood instinct and the years in a uniform create my inevitable sartorial fate? Could it be just a coincidence that I end up playing these well-suited corporate types? I think not. A sad parable of just how far this pattern has played out: as Karen Filippelli, the savvy yet sympathetic new girl on Season 3 of ‘‘The Office,’’ I had a distinct men’s-wear vibe. I wore many black and gray suits either with a crisp cotton shirt or a blouse. One blouse in particular was part of my regular wardrobe: Theory, ivory silk, sailor tie to be worn in a bow or a knot. The costume designer added an invisible hook closure at the décolletage to keep it modest. I only mention this detail because a few years later I was in a fitting for ‘‘The Social Network,’’ in which I played Marylin Delpy, the savvy yet empathetic law associate; and, to my chagrin, there it was: my Theory friend, recognizable as the exact same blouse (the custom hook closure detail made that clear). One had to assume it had been waiting patiently in an enormous Hollywood costume house for my inevitable return to corporate dressing. Fast-forward to my costume fitting a couple of years later for ‘‘The Muppets,’’ in which I played Veronica, the stressedout yet empathetic television executive who gives Kermit and his friends the chance to win their theater back. Once again. Staring at me. Knowingly. Theory. Ivory silk. Sailor bow. Hidden hook. It was clear, whether or not I
like those at Chloé, or even a brightly colored Araks blouse, the blazer makes it all work. In fact, fall 2012 has so many beautiful variations on office dressing — from volume and color at Marc Jacobs to fur and leather at Céline — that, even though I know my acting future will be filled with Eames chairs, staplers and power suits, moving forward, perhaps I can take a few chances. And maybe my next savvy, stressed-out but ultimately empathetic character can shake it up with a ladylike dress and forfeit the blazer? That sounds extreme . . . maybe the dress under the blazer. n 23