Gwyneth Paltrow for ELLE Magazine

Posted on Aug 16, 2011 in Fashion

Gwyneth Paltrow is featured in the September 2011 issue of ELLE , photographed by Carter Smith and styled by T Lo personal favorite, Mr. Joe Zee. Let’s all form an Opinion Circle.

[Burberry Cashmere Tunic] Julien Macdonald Fall 2011 Collection

On getting support from Beyoncé on her surprise duet with Cee Lo Green at the Grammys: “This story always makes me cry…It’s 10 in the morning and Beyoncé schleps it all the way down to the Staples Center to watch. I mean, She’s Beyoncé !”

On her decision to take on other roles like Glee to be able to focus more on family: “I can do short jobs. If I was still starring in three movies every year, there’s no way that I’d be the person my kids want when they fall down.”

On showing the world a different side of herself: “If you speak to my friends who’ve known me since I was four, they’ll say, ‘That is her.’ They always said to me, ‘You’re the dirtiest person in the world and so funny. Show the world that side of you.’ I felt guarded. I felt like if I really showed people more of me and I was still not accepted, then…Who cares. You just realize it doesn’t matter what people think of you.”

On keeping her marriage out of the spotlight: “He makes music for his fans, and he doesn’t want people to conjure a lame famous couple when they’re getting into his music. I get it.”

Even though she’s constantly inserting her well-heeled foot into her mouth, we’re kind of over the Gwynnie hate. We still roll our eyes at her, but we just don’t have the energy to get worked up over it. Besides, so much of the vitriol against her comes off as class-based. We’re not saying “Pity the downtrodden rich” or anything; just that if the criticism is “She’s privileged,” well okay. No argument there. But how long can you harp on that? She’s still somewhat hilariously un-self-aware about her privilege, but at the end of the day, wifty well-paid actresses don’t make the best target for class anger. Better to laugh at her than get pissed off.

Having said that, we were bored and caught that Country Strong thing the other night and man, was that some serious miscasting. No matter how hard she tried — and oh, did she try; Oscar bait from start to finish – Gwynnie as a hard-drinking country western singer is never gonna work.

Enough Gwynethizing. Let’s see the pics.

Louis Vuitton Fall 2011 Collection

Julien Macdonald Sweater

Christopher Kane Fall 2011 Collection

Isabel Marant Fall 2011 Collection

Tom Ford Fall 2011 Collection

When she’s not looking directly into the camera, she takes a great picture. The minute she does, it looks like someone posing for holiday snaps. Love the Isabel Marant with the hat; she looks really gorgeous. And the shot of her in the sweater with the ponytail is very pretty too. We’re not crazy about that Tom Ford dress, although the Christopher Kane granny square sweater is an inspired choice. She’s one of the few stars we can think of who can pull that off. She can also pull off that LV but she doesn’t look very comfortable doing it.

[Photo Credit: Carter Smith for elle.com, style.com]

Tags:

http://twitter.com/LianaBrooks Liana Brooks

The Tom Ford dress is hideous, the rest is cute and casual.
Anonymous

Well, she looks better than Fergie in the LV but that’s not saying much. She looks embarrassed in that pic, actually. I like the rest though. Those are some fab fall clothes.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_2VBWWGHZEBKTVQMXE5SO5NCU2I Mich

i’ve never been much of a gwenyth fan-didn’t really hate her though, either. i kind of loved when she said (something along the lines of) ‘i can’t pretend that i know what it’s like to make $28,000 a year’. i appreciated that honesty. more so than the ‘jenny from the block’ bullshit other celebrities try to peddle to the masses.
- http://twitter.com/warontara Tara
  
  Agreed!! I’ve never understood the hate for her. I’m not sure when everybody got so obsessed with the idea of celebrities being “Just Like Us!!”
  - Anonymous
    
    But that’s the point. She does try that “regular gal” bullshit. Just in a different way. She seems to think that everyone lives like her and has access to what she does. But I just think it’s funny. She’s ridiculously un-self aware. I mean, Goop could be a Saturday Night Live sketch (assuming they still do those).
    
    Oh, another favorite was the interview she gave about the “casting couch.” Uh huh. Your godfather gave you your first job. That’s great. And you can act, so why pretend you struggled mightily?
    - http://twitter.com/warontara Tara
      
      Meh. I just don’t get why she’s such a lightening rod. There are far more despicable people in the public eye. Just laugh at her, or better yet, ignore her! The droves of people who take the time out to hate her so are really what keep her in the spotlight.
http://twitter.com/VicksieDo Vickie Lord

Gorg!
- Anonymous
  
  Oh dear, let me do the Heimlich! There you go… feel better?
http://twitter.com/foodhussy foodhussy

i always hated her – until she was on Glee – suddenly that made her likable. I guess she was more real in that than most movies, etc… She had flaws and was a little naughty. I liked that better. So yeah – I got tired of hatin too!
Eclectic Mayhem

The second shot looks like she’s auditioning to play Joan of Arc…
- Anonymous
  
  This is OT, but I noticed that your avatar is a picture of shoes that I actually have (in black) and it made me smile!
  - Eclectic Mayhem
    
    Aren’t they gorgeous?! I have them in a burnt orange colour as this fabulous bottle green was not available in my size. I had a look around recently to see if I could find a new beautiful shoe to be my avatar but I couldn’t find anything I liked half as much!
    
    Eclectic
Anonymous

The granny square sweater is just wrong.
Anonymous

How about hating her because she bulldozes anyone who gets in her way and is a ruthless backstabber to boot? It has nothing to do with class, though it must be said that her ambition is especially nasty when you consider the kind of Hollywood connections she grew up with.

Those are terrible qualities in themselves, but the Suzy Homemaker front she puts up is the final straw. She’s absolutely putrid.
- Anonymous
  
  Wow. How do you know she’s a ruthless backstabber / bulldozer? Maybe it’s true; I don’t know, so I’m wondering how you know.
  - http://www.facebook.com/joanna.cornish Joanna Cornish
    
    Goes like this: Gwyneth read the script to Shakespeare in Love at Winona Ryder’s house, who was up for the role. They were very good friends, (dating Matt Damon and Ben Affleck, respectively) but Paltrow was sneaky and campaigned hard for it behind Ryder’s back.
    
    They are no longer friends. Paltrow alluded a bit to it on Goop. Don’t know how much of it is true, other than the no longer friends and allusions to it on Goop. But that’s where it comes from.
    - Andrea Rossillon
      
      Hmmm. I would have to say that Gwyneth was right to do it; Winona Ryder in that role would’ve been…. not right. She’s too sarcastic, and GP is disarmingly unself-aware, which pisses people off a lot in real life but was kind of necessary to participate in that charming, romantic, love-and-art-as-the-bread-of-life picture. I believed that her Viola couldn’t live without poetry.
      
      I didn’t like Winona Ryder in “The Age of Innocence”; I didn’t believe her; that’s why I think she would’ve been miscast as Viola.
      
      So, yeah, probably a crappy thing to do, but the picture was better for it.
      - http://profiles.google.com/thisiscelia Celia
        
        Just wanted to add that Ryder’s character in “Age of Innocence” was meant to be a false naif. She knew that Newland was in love with the Countess–that’s why she finally agrees to marry him earlier, and tells him she’s pregnant at the moment he’s about to leave her for Michelle Pfeiffer. So if she comes off as fake, I think it’s meant to be that way.
        
        That said, Winona is definitely a worse actress than Gwyneth but still, it’s a dick move to backstab a friend that way if the story’s true.
      - http://profiles.google.com/thisiscelia Celia
        
        Just wanted to add that Ryder’s character in “Age of Innocence” was meant to be a false naif. She knew that Newland was in love with the Countess–that’s why she finally agrees to marry him earlier, and tells him she’s pregnant at the moment he’s about to leave her for Michelle Pfeiffer. So if she comes off as fake, I think it’s meant to be that way.
        
        That said, Winona is definitely a worse actress than Gwyneth but still, it’s a dick move to backstab a friend that way if the story’s true.
      - Andrea Rossillon
        
        No, I know all that about May’s character– I just didn’t believe Winona Ryder as May. To me, it just came across as bad acting, not as deep-minded subtlety.
      - Helen C
        
        I hated her acting in “Shakespeare in Love”. She was so fake. She was so painful to watch, especially when other actors in that movie were so much better.
        
        Her acting is always to forced to me. She seems to have one fake smile expression…
    - Anonymous
      
      I have heard that story a few times over the years, too. I had always wondered why they had such a sudden falling out.
      - http://www.facebook.com/joanna.cornish Joanna Cornish
        
        Either way, it’s still a sort of dick move if it’s true.
        
        And Cate Blanchett was Oscar robbed that year.
      - Anonymous
        
        Agreed 100%! Cate the Great will win her Best Actress Oscar one day.
      - http://www.facebook.com/rachel.council Rachel Council
        
        Seriously. Was I the only one who hated Shakespeare in Love?
      - http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QCJEZMOV4VYMXC5WJALLZNYEB4 Mari Rose
        
        Not at all. I thought it was terrible.
      - Anonymous
        
        I hated it a lot.
      - http://pulse.yahoo.com/_T3AKDE5FZ7RMCWOKNQBWNQ3NUQ JD
        
        Soooo robbed! I am annoyed by that to this very day. And honestly, I think Gwyneth was awful in the movie to boot.
        
        And, as a REAL working mom, she annoys the crap out of me when she writes things about how hard it is to be a working mom. She doesn’t get it, most of us don’t have nannies etc.
      - http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EDI2DLE7DE3YPW2ONIHBWOVHMA ecallaw
        
        As was Saving Private Ryan for Best Picture. Travesty.
      - http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GFMOZFM3WT3T56EZHVZFK7UXSI Ramon
        
        Not only was Cate robbed at the Oscars, so was Fernanda Montenegro who was devastating in “Central Station.” What I don’t like about Paltrow is how she comes across (until “Glee”) as lacking a sense of humor (Kathy Griffin has her down pat). She could take lessons from her mother who might be a snooty witch in real life for all I know, but seems so warm and likable on stage.
    - Anonymous
      
      I had no idea. I remember that when the movie came out the story was that Ryder selflessly recommended Paltrow for the role.
    - Anonymous
      
      Thanks for filling me in. For me, the problem with a story like this is that whether it’s entirely true, a little true, or entirely untrue, it gets repeated by people who weren’t there and who don’t know the parties involved, and takes on a life of its own. It becomes “the official story,” and leads to statements like the one above.
      
      Also, Shakespeare in Love came out in 1998, so if she did do what she’s accused of doing, it was 1996 or 1997 – approximately 14 years ago. I’ve done some things in my life that were motivated entirely by self-interest that now I regret having done. I’d hate to think I’d be branded for the rest of my life because of something I did 14 or 18 or 25 years ago; it really would be unfair, because I don’t do those things anymore.Maybe she’s truly horrid. But I have no way of knowing that.
      - Anonymous
        
        I know it’s all hearsay and you have to take it with a grain of salt, but when the same type of story keeps cropping up you have to wonder.
      - Anonymous
        
        I suspect they keep cropping up because people keep repeating them!
        
        Anyway, I don’t know how many people remember when Ross Perot was running for president, but one day I saw a newspaper headline that said, “Alien Endorses Clinton.” There was a picture, and everything; I think Clinton and the alien were shaking hands. A couple days later I saw another headline that said, “Perot Endorsed by Alien”; again there was a picture, and it was the same alien! Clearly the alien endorsed someone, but how were we to know who? Just goes to show you can’t believe everything you read.
      - Eclectic Mayhem
        
        Have I told you lately how fabulous you are BB? Well, you are.
        
        Eclectic
      - Anonymous
        
        I love that story! The Clinton/Perot/Alien one, I mean.
        
        But I think you’re being kind to a fault here. It’s also worth pointing out that Rebekah Brooks, despite all the scuttlebutt that circulated for years, also had her staunch defenders. In a court of law it’s essential to presume innocence, but this is the court of public opinion. And fortunately, we won’t be stuck in a Holiday Inn because we disagree!
      - Anonymous
        
        Yes, I remember that headline (from the Weekly World News): I still have it!
        
        I’ve saved it in the hope that someday I’ll be able to get Bill Clinton to sign it for me. If there was a way to post pictures here, I’d post it. Maybe I should post it to Twitter?
        
        –GothamTomato
        Twitter.com/GothamTomato
      - Anonymous
        
        You know, I thought of you, GT — I thought if anyone else had seen it, you’d have! Did you see the Perot version, too? I wish I’d bought that paper. Well, here’s an article; no picture, though: http://nyti.ms/quw6ov
      - Anonymous
        
        I just posted a picture of that Weekly World News ‘Alien Backs Clinton’ cover in my Twitter stream: twitter.com/gothamtomato
        
        That’s the sad thing about the demise of Weekly World news – now we’ll never know who the alien endorses in 2012.–GothamTomato
      - Anonymous
        
        That’s it! That’s the same guy who endorsed Ross Perot a few days later! You know, I heard that aliens can shape shift; I wonder if he got tired of endorsing people and decided to run himself– in the form of Michelle Bachmann.
      - Anonymous
        
        You took the words right out of my mouth (though, that’s kind-of an insult to aliens.)
        
        –GothamTomato
      - scottyf
        
        loles said…
        “I know it’s all hearsay and you have to take it with a grain of salt, but when the same type of story keeps cropping up you have to wonder.”
        
        I wasn’t a part of the original conversation, so excuse me for butting in. Personally I think you have to take hearsay with a truckload of salt–not just a grain.
        
        In regards to a story’s prevalence being the sole arbiter of it’s validity: so if I were to make up a negative story about you (and I’ve no doubt you’re a very lovely person), and post it on this blog, and Facebook, and Twitter–does the fact that it appears in those places make it automatically true?
        
        I don’t know Ms. Paltrow now, but I did spend a decent amount of time with a young Gwyneth and her mother when I was an actor at the Williamstown Theatre Festival in Massachusetts light-years ago. I know people change, but I found her to be delightful, caring, incredibly talented with an obviously strong work ethic instilled by her parents.
        
        I don’t know if personal dealings with her have prompted such strong and negative language, but I wanted to give you my perspective for a little balance, having spent some time in her company.
      - http://profiles.google.com/shannonlstewart Shannon Stewart
        
        Well, and you don’t know any of the reasons behind it. Maybe she told Winona Ryder that she wanted the part. Maybe Ryder said she’d been offered the part but wasn’t that interested/didn’t think she’d get it. It can be completely true but still not be really the same as it looks.
      - http://profiles.google.com/shannonlstewart Shannon Stewart
        
        Well, and you don’t know any of the reasons behind it. Maybe she told Winona Ryder that she wanted the part. Maybe Ryder said she’d been offered the part but wasn’t that interested/didn’t think she’d get it. It can be completely true but still not be really the same as it looks.
      - http://pulse.yahoo.com/_EDI2DLE7DE3YPW2ONIHBWOVHMA ecallaw
        
        Amen to not being branded for the rest of your life for things you did in your early 20s!
    - Anonymous
      
      Well if a gossip site published it, it must be true.
      
      –GothamTomato
      - http://www.facebook.com/joanna.cornish Joanna Cornish
        
        I don’t remember where I read it. But if one remembers, Paltrow was much less famous than Ryder at the time. Paltrow was basically known as being Brad Pitt’s former fiancee in the tabloids/general public and as being Bruce Paltrow’s kid in the industry. And the story goes that Paltrow took the script from Ryder’s house…not that Ryder said no, take it. But again, I dunno 100 per cent.
        
        Kate Winslet was offered the part of Viola, but she wanted to do something small after Titanic. She did a movie called Hideous Kinky instead.
        
        I think the writing in Shakespeare in Love is incredible, and very, very funny to people that know theatre/Shakespeare. I don’t hate Paltrow in it, I just don’t think she is the strongest part of it.
      - Anonymous
        
        Kate Winslet would have made a brilliant Viola.
Anonymous

Some nice pictures here. But they’re just nice–that’s all.
Judy_J

I like the shot of her in the Julien Mcdonald sweater. She looks very real in that photo. I’ve never really given her much thought one way or the other, although I have hated many outfits she’s worn on the red carpet.
Rand Ortega

Still just a pale shadow of Blythe.
- http://pulse.yahoo.com/_UCLO5V2YD36T7QMPKOC7YXPOFU Erica
  
  Wow–I hope people aren’t commenting that I’m a pale shadow of one of my folks. For better or worse, we’re all are own people, and we should stand (and be judged) on our own merits and faults.
  
  She’s got great legs, but shorty shorts are not her friend. She can wear the heck out of a sweater, though. I think I’m just tired of reading quotes from her. I think a lot of PR people would do their clients a favor if they would encourage silence for a period of time. Then I’d think, hey, I haven’t heard anything from her lately. She sure is pretty, and she was kinda good in that one Glee episode I watched that she happened to be in….
  - Rand Ortega
    
    I am judging her on her own merits & faults. That’s exactly why she doesn’t measure up to her mother. Blythe Danner has been a gorgeous pillar of strength, class & an asset to the acting community for some 40+ years. I agree w/ you PR people should encourage their clients to be silent for a time. Ms. Danner came from an era where actors knew what decorum meant w/out the assistance of some flack. While lately Ms. Paltrow has kept a rather low profile, her condescending blog & hypocritical attitude towards the press & celebrity in general in the past still precedes her. She’s a lovely woman physically, but that’s the easy part. What makes a talent, a “star” if you will, is the ability to navigate the difficulties of celebrity w/ panache & aplomb.
- http://pulse.yahoo.com/_UCLO5V2YD36T7QMPKOC7YXPOFU Erica
  
  Wow–I hope people aren’t commenting that I’m a pale shadow of one of my folks. For better or worse, we’re all are own people, and we should stand (and be judged) on our own merits and faults.
  
  She’s got great legs, but shorty shorts are not her friend. She can wear the heck out of a sweater, though. I think I’m just tired of reading quotes from her. I think a lot of PR people would do their clients a favor if they would encourage silence for a period of time. Then I’d think, hey, I haven’t heard anything from her lately. She sure is pretty, and she was kinda good in that one Glee episode I watched that she happened to be in….
- http://profiles.google.com/thisiscelia Celia
  
  I once heard a comment along the lines of, “I don’t know why people say that Gwyneth Paltrow is one of the most beautiful actresses in the world when she isn’t even the most beautiful woman in her family.”
- http://profiles.google.com/thisiscelia Celia
  
  I once heard a comment along the lines of, “I don’t know why people say that Gwyneth Paltrow is one of the most beautiful actresses in the world when she isn’t even the most beautiful woman in her family.”
  - http://profiles.google.com/sara.e.munoz Sara Munoz
    
    Ouch!!!! *snicker*
  - Rand Ortega
    
    Word, Ms. Celia.
    Word.
Anonymous

Nope. I tried. I still don’t like her. Cute photo spread though.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Kimberly-Burke/100002384493067 Kimberly Burke

The shot of her in the sweater and pony is the prettiest I think I’ve ever seen her look. In my mind, that is the REAL her. If it is or not is completely irrelevant.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Kimberly-Burke/100002384493067 Kimberly Burke

The shot of her in the sweater and pony is the prettiest I think I’ve ever seen her look. In my mind, that is the REAL her. If it is or not is completely irrelevant.
http://twitter.com/scriptgrrl scriptgrrl

The Leighton Meester-Garrett Hedlund storyline in “Country Strong” was so much better than the Gwyneth side. The movie should have been about them.
- http://pulse.yahoo.com/_2VBWWGHZEBKTVQMXE5SO5NCU2I Mich
  
  i think i remember reading somewhere that the original screenplay did focus on their relationship, and the young girl in the big business angle, but once the got so much Star Power attached, they changed the focus of the film to give gwenyth more screen time. i don’t remember where i read that, so it is completely possible i’m making it up.
- http://pulse.yahoo.com/_2VBWWGHZEBKTVQMXE5SO5NCU2I Mich
  
  i think i remember reading somewhere that the original screenplay did focus on their relationship, and the young girl in the big business angle, but once the got so much Star Power attached, they changed the focus of the film to give gwenyth more screen time. i don’t remember where i read that, so it is completely possible i’m making it up.
http://twitter.com/scriptgrrl scriptgrrl

The Leighton Meester-Garrett Hedlund storyline in “Country Strong” was so much better than the Gwyneth side. The movie should have been about them.
Anonymous

She looks like Dina Merrill (I know, I’m really dating myself here–but Dina was pretty fab) in several of those b/w candid shots. I don’t hate her but I do wonder about her need to promote herself so relentlessly at this stage of her career.
Anonymous

She looks like Dina Merrill (I know, I’m really dating myself here–but Dina was pretty fab) in several of those b/w candid shots. I don’t hate her but I do wonder about her need to promote herself so relentlessly at this stage of her career.
MilaXX

In terms of Gwynnie hate. I’m at the whatev stage. I still don’t want her stinking up Glee, but whatever. The pics are nice. My fav is the sideview in the sweater. I like the Tom Ford, but it may be color more than the dress.
MilaXX

In terms of Gwynnie hate. I’m at the whatev stage. I still don’t want her stinking up Glee, but whatever. The pics are nice. My fav is the sideview in the sweater. I like the Tom Ford, but it may be color more than the dress.
http://twitter.com/wrenaria Kimmy Hescock

I must be in the minority. I love her. She’s absolutely gorgeous and a good actress. That’s all I need from her.

I never saw Country Strong, but I loathe country music. Without even seeing it, I thought that was an oddly cast role. Oh well.
- http://twitter.com/remediva d.e.b
  
  I’m right there in the minority with you!
- http://twitter.com/remediva d.e.b
  
  I’m right there in the minority with you!
http://twitter.com/wrenaria Kimmy Hescock

I must be in the minority. I love her. She’s absolutely gorgeous and a good actress. That’s all I need from her.

I never saw Country Strong, but I loathe country music. Without even seeing it, I thought that was an oddly cast role. Oh well.
vluong

Love the Christopher Kane sweater, everybody should go get one.
Anonymous

so right about the difference when she looks in the camera. The other shots are very nice and versatile.
I’ve never been down on the gwennie hate. she’s so harmless!
So many much more worthy contestants to hate who do so much harm.
http://profiles.google.com/alison.sigman Alison Sigman

I kind of love her in the sweater, as well as the Christopher Kane sweater. & I think it’d be hard to pull off LV when you’re next to Kate Moss smoking a cigarette working the shit out of the look.
Anonymous

I have no problem with the fact that she’s privileged. It isn’t my business how much money and privilege she or anyone else has.
My beef with her is that she always comes across as a self-centered knucklehead. I’ve actually enjoyed her in a few movies, but I pretty much can’t stomach her when she’s playing herself.

The pictures: she’s a pretty girl and I think she looks particularly fabulous in the Isabel Marant shot.
That cover shot is terrible, though. They made her head look too big for her body.
Anonymous

I require that Isabel Marant dress.
Shona S

Is it just me or does she sorta look like Claire Danes in the Julien Macdonald Sweater pic?
- http://pulse.yahoo.com/_PRM766RS56X25A5742XLACK2LM Sam
  
  I was just checking to see if anyone else saw that too.
  
  For a second I thought it really was Claire.
Anonymous

I don’t hate her or like her. She can’t sing-I mean, she sings better than I do, but that’s not saying much-and I’m thankful they quit playing those horrible songs from the movie. She looks pretty tired on the cover, though. I like the IM shot, the rest…eh.
- Anonymous
  
  I think she always looks tired and limp. She seems very low-energy to me. I know she eats some kind of alternate diet, so perhaps she isn’t getting enough iron or something.
  - Anonymous
    
    Yea, she does. The cover was just even more so. Her eyes are puffy.
http://twitter.com/hamsteaky Maria Smith

The Isabel Marant shot should have been the cover! But for some reason covers have to be generic these days
http://www.facebook.com/joanna.cornish Joanna Cornish

Love the knit wear
Anonymous

So she is the “dirtiest person in the world”? Hmmmmmm. Nope, still don’t like her, in fact her being dirty is not something I want to even think about.
Anonymous

So she is the “dirtiest person in the world”? Hmmmmmm. Nope, still don’t like her, in fact her being dirty is not something I want to even think about.
Anonymous

It’s the oversaturation of pious celebrities doing fashion photo spreads.
Anonymous

It’s the oversaturation of pious celebrities doing fashion photo spreads.
Anonymous

The Louis Vuitton is fugtacular… it was bad on Kate Moss and Fergie and I can only assume that Gwyneth is wearing it here as a dare.
Anonymous

The Christopher Kane photos are the best. Very natural. Paltrow works my nerves. I don’t hate her. I try to reserve hatred for those who truly deserve it. She just seems so pleased with herself all the time.
Anonymous

Spot on, TLo. If I had Gwynnie in front of my camera, I’d be all like, “Look, is that Beyonce and Flavor Flav over there?”
Anonymous

Gwynnie is vanilla. She’s a great vanilla. She should just embrace it instead of pretending she’s “the dirtiest person in the world”. You may be at home, honey, but not in the public eye.

I like the multiple b&w frames the best – she seems the most natural. In the ponytail shot, her eyes look like they are bugging out of her head – kinda freaky.
Anonymous

Gwynnie is vanilla. She’s a great vanilla. She should just embrace it instead of pretending she’s “the dirtiest person in the world”. You may be at home, honey, but not in the public eye.

I like the multiple b&w frames the best – she seems the most natural. In the ponytail shot, her eyes look like they are bugging out of her head – kinda freaky.
- Anonymous
  
  Ha! See, to me the multiple b&w frames look obviously posed. (Not that they look bad, they don’t.)
Anonymous

Eh. The clothes are nice, but it’s just another Gwyneth Paltrow cover and story. It’s been done to death. Seriously.
Anonymous

Whatever. Obviously you have to have teeny, tiny, titties to fit them into that Tom Ford dress. It’s a gorgeous color though.
- Anonymous
  
  The word “titties” in a sentence talking about GP made me laugh. Thanks.
Anonymous

I enjoyed her earlier film work, and I haven’t had any opinions about her off screen persona until now. I don’t dislike her, but she does come across as someone trying too hard to impress everyone. Anyone remembers her feeble attempts at speaking Spanish? She desperately wants to be thought of as a renaissance woman–an intelligent person, a devoted wife and mother, a talented singer, a great cook, and an actress with a wide range. She simply can’t compete with the likes of Streep, Blanchett, Moore or Winslet (all mothers). She lacks their finesse, humor and unpretentiousness. Paltrow, like Swank, has a narrow range- both on and off screen. In the right role, dress or circumstances they can be great, otherwise they are, at best, too benign and, at worst, too dull.
- Anonymous
  
  I think her Spanish is actually good, but it illustrates a point about why she can be so insufferable: I rewatched A Perfect Murder the other day and there was a scene of her trying to track someone down in a really sketchy Latino neighborhood in New York, and she busts out this Castilian finishing school Spanish and the tough guys around her are all, “she’s cool, leave her alone.” It was the least credible thing I’d seen in a while. It’s as if she has no sense of what authenticity means in contexts other than her own. It’s part of why she was so good in The Talented Mr. Ripley: THAT’S here milieu.
  - Anonymous
    
    Thanks for responding. I remember that a few years ago there was some sort of controversy in Spain about her being misquoted.
    
    “It’s as if she has no sense of what authenticity means in contexts other than her own.” Your words truly captures her essence. That Beyonce comment also illustrates this point. It is not that big of stretch for Beyonce to be at the Grammys rehearsals
- Helen C
  
  Plenty of Hollywood actresses are intelligent and well-educated, even more than her. She tried on everything and sucks on everything.
  - Anonymous
    
    Why does everyone think she is so well educated? She dropped out of college and never got her degree. Hey, not to get political about it, but even Sarah Palin graduated from college (after attending five different schools.)
    
    TLo, you may be over the Gwynnie-bashing, but I’ve got plenty of vitriol left to spew. So sit back, relax, and let me and the other minions rake her over some hot coals from the wood-burning pizza oven she just installed in her London backyard. Can you even . . .
Anonymous

Gah! That LV one is horrible! Either she is standing at a super awkward angle, or they photoshopped the heck out of her thigh/booty area.
Lisa

I can’t help it, she normally doesn’t bug me, but the Beyonce story irritated the hell out of me. ”Oh, SOB! Beyonce dragged herself out of bed at the crack of 10 AM, that UNGODLY HOUR, for MEEEE!!!” Uhhh, no dumbs hit – it’s The Grammys. Beyonce kind of goes to those every year, you ego-maniac.
- http://pulse.yahoo.com/_QCJEZMOV4VYMXC5WJALLZNYEB4 Mari Rose
  
  And for all we know, Beyonce went there to laugh at GOOP. Or, *gasp*, to hear Cee-Lo!
Anonymous

When I first saw the contact sheet, I got all excited, because at first glance it looks like it was shot on film (which I LOVE).
But on closer inspection, I think those are digital images designed to look like an analogue contact sheet – all of which, I know, probably means nothing to anyone else, but I just thought I’d share.–GothamTomato
- Anonymous
  
  It means something to me, and I agree. The days of contact sheets and grease pencils are behind us. I think I miss them. Looking at a computer screen just doesn’t have the same romance.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_T24URKJGBLJQPBWCRPU37IIHLU Krab Louse

The criticism HERE isn’t that she’s “privileged.” Puh-leese! On what planet? No, the criticism is that she’s DULL.
- http://www.tomandorenzo.com Tom and Lorenzo
  
  We’re not sure what planet the “HERE” in your reply refers to, but on planet earth, a simple scan of the internet (or just of this comments section) reveals that quite a bit of the criticism has to do with her privilege.
  
  “Puh-leese” yourself.
http://twitter.com/mellafe natalia h

I feel like I’ve seen all of those pictures before.
Elizabeth Denton

The styling is fine but she is SO unlikeable. I just can’t.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1214755227 Meira Niibori

What did they do to her legs on the cover? Thy look seriously wonk-ified, especially her right leg. Two different colors and thighs the size of her hand……….. seriously weird.
http://twitter.com/#!/Space_Kitty Space Kitty

I agree that she looks great in the Marant, and that would have been a better cover. The Burberry tunic is nice, but the effect of covering so much of the skirt makes it look like she’s wearing strange, fluffy thigh highs. Not the best look.

The snark does get tiresome, but at the same time I think her career would benefit from a bit less exposure…
Anonymous

Just refreshing to see a celebrity do a magazine photo shoot and not looking pouty-sexy. I’m so fatigued by all the girls trying to out sex each other on the covers.
Patricia Biswanger

She keeps her marriage out of the spotlight? Since when? What about that cookbook she was hawking, that was all about how she feeds her family? And her blog? Maybe I am missing some molecular-level distinction here, but it seems to me that when she wants to sell something, family life is front and center.
- Christine Campbell
  
  I’m not a huge Gwyneth fan (I’m kind of indifferent to her actually) but I did want to point out that she does largely keep her marriage out of the public domain. There are almost no pictures of her and her husband together, they rarely (if ever) appear at events together and she almost never discusses him or provides any details about their marriage. Her column/book focus on her ROLES as mother and wife, I agree, which I think is different than exploiting the celebrity of her particular marriage between a movie star and rock star the way it certainly could be.
Anonymous

The problem with any actor showing the real “them” very often (and Gwynnie does seem to want to do that through GOOP and most of her other publicity) is that you no longer see the character they’re playing when you see their work, you see them. Not a good thing if your profession is, by definition, about playing someone else.

You’re mucho correcto about some of the photos being quite striking though.
http://profiles.google.com/shannonlstewart Shannon Stewart

I thought some of her soundbites were great, though I’ve never really hated her anyway. It makes sense to me that she wants to work less so she can spend more time with her kids, because even if she has a nanny, that doesn’t mean she doesn’t want to be a parent. Nobody hates on working moms with great sitters, but a nanny is somehow a crime….

And I like that she’s accepting of her husband’s career and priorities.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_T53WBEPGJZ7MMMZC4O563YU5HA Observer

Actually, I think that Fishsticks looks better than usual in the pics. I suppose it is because of Joe Zee. What’s not to love about that guy!
http://profiles.google.com/thisiscelia Celia

You know…it’s okay. She’s about as interesting here as she’s ever going to be and Zee really tried with the styling. Apparently though, you guys must’ve missed her Elle Decor interview in which she lists “hand-painted wallpaper” as one of her “10 Things I Can’t Live Without”. Roll. Eyes.
- Anonymous
  
  OMG! that list of “things she can’t LIVE without” was just obscenely disgusting. Really though, that little bit they do with other celebs and designers is rarely not a show of materialism. Occasionaly, someone will throw in a reasonable item, like food or their children.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_HBS4KWJ6XTPDEL2JMD37ZS5YHA Ben

The ones where she’s with the hat and the MacDonald sweater are so gorgeous. Yeah, once she smiles, look directly into the camera, she just looks so normal.
Anonymous

I don’t think it’s the class thing. Plenty of celebrities are rich; plenty come from connected families. It’s that Gwynnie is smug and pretentious. Also, I like to feel smug because I’ve disliked for ages–her back when she was dating Brad Pitt. A head of the curve or just jealous???
- Helen C
  
  Exactly!!!
Anonymous

I won’t lie, most of my hate towards her comes from her very undeserved winning of that Oscar over Cate Blanchett in “Elizabeth”, looking and sounding like a nails-on-chalkboard-grating, weeping Disney princess while doing so. Also, her unrepentant stupidity, which seems to be encouraged by the people around her.

It really does ruin any enjoyment I might get, looking at some of this fashion spread.
Anonymous

I won’t lie, most of my hate towards her comes from her very undeserved winning of that Oscar over Cate Blanchett in “Elizabeth”, looking and sounding like a nails-on-chalkboard-grating, weeping Disney princess while doing so. Also, her unrepentant stupidity, which seems to be encouraged by the people around her.

It really does ruin any enjoyment I might get, looking at some of this fashion spread.
- http://twitter.com/warontara Tara
  
  Lol I understand. It’s why I cannot quite like Jennifer Hudson.
Anonymous

She’s boring and needy. I hate that ice skating dress most of all, or maybe I hate the Vuitton hotpants. Honey, you should let Gaga and the young ones wear the girly stuff and start dressing like an adult.
Anonymous

Love the shot of the IM dress, but that is about it. hate with a searing passion that Tom Ford dress and not just on her, it’s fug on the model too.
Anonymous

What an ugly shoot.
http://profiles.google.com/sara.e.munoz Sara Munoz

Love love LOVE the Christopher Kane sweater!!!!
Gwynnie is still a twit.
http://profiles.google.com/sara.e.munoz Sara Munoz

Love love LOVE the Christopher Kane sweater!!!!
Gwynnie is still a twit.
Toni Mitt

Eh….it’s all just pretty girl in pretty clothes. But–I love the shot of her in the sweater with the pony tail. Interesting.
Toni Mitt

Eh….it’s all just pretty girl in pretty clothes. But–I love the shot of her in the sweater with the pony tail. Interesting.
Anonymous

that sweater is fabulous
http://twitter.com/Littlegrr Mary Nau

Hate the Tom Ford, but she looks great in sweaters.
http://www.myblackfriendsays.com myblackfriendsays

Country Strong was horrible. When I read the title above, I had flashbacks of when I rented it because my friend didn’t want to get Waiting for Superman. I want my dollar back.
Anonymous

Ugh. Sorry, I am not over my dislike of her yet. Photo on cover is just bizarre looking. I like the one side pic, that is it, the soft one, with the ponytail. And that Tom Ford – love those breast cups, every woman wants to wear that. /snark
Anonymous

She looks like the lost Brady. I never cared much for her until I saw her Inside the Actor’s Studio…she’s been okay in my book ever since and she was superb in The Talented Mr. Ripley.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Lauren-Jean-St-Martin/504251897 Lauren Jean St. Martin

She holds her mouth so weird. I don’t know what it is, but it just looks odd.
Anonymous

I’ve never worked up a lot of animus toward her, but she does come across as strangely and earnestly clueless, a person living in her own bubble and utterly unaware of it. I also suspect that her notion of “dirty” doesn’t match mine. The B&W contact sheet series is quite nice, but overall I’d say she needs to talk to Drew Barrymore about how to model.

Country Strong sounded like a loser from the get-go, so I’ve avoided seeing it. I liked her in The Royal Tannenbaums, which I found hilarious.
Anonymous

Blech, I can’t stand her, and have been hobby-hating her for years. Surely you’ve seen GOOP? The most self-indulgent, incredibly unaware crap. I couldn’t care less that she’s NOT “just like us”–but she tries so hard to shove down our throats that she IS “just like us.”

Honestly, I haven’t been able to stand her since she sleepwalked through ‘Se7en.’ I think all these clothes look better on the models. She looks like she’s trying too hard, which is more than she can be bothered to do onscreen.
Anonymous

Everything about her reminds me of the Song Common People, starting with the fact that her name is Gwyeneth and ending with the phrase “The person my kids want me to be.” Ugh. She tries so hard to be “regular” but she has never been anything close. Here is regular: My name is Ann, translatable to every language in the world and the person my kids want me to be says yes to eating ice cream for breakfast (my daughter tried that yesterday) and laughs when they cram the word poopie into a sentence (at least once a day for about two years now). I don’t hate her, but I wish she would get a clue.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ainyK6fXku0
- Anonymous
  
  While I understand your frustration, is it really fair to beat up on her because she has a name she didn’t choose for herself? A Welsh name, not a pretentious, made-up name.
  - Anonymous
    
    She could go by Gwen. That I have to indulge my inner kindergardener and make fun of people’s names.
Anonymous

She looks very uptight and try-hard here. I don’t like any of the shots. She either looks dorky or Breck Girl and what is that monkey armed thing in the first photo? I continue to not be able to tolerate her.
http://twitter.com/figgidaboudit Figgy

She was born to wear chunky knits.
Anonymous

I don’t hate her. My eyes are just getting strained from all the rolling.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_2ZGSQMHRCO7LAIOWG2HD74V6XU Marcie Dreyfuss

The SEPTEMBER issue of Elle? It is still August 17th and they throw a SEPTEMBER issue out on the stands? Is it just another way for these superficial bastards to make more money?
- http://twitter.com/warontara Tara
  
  That isn’t really that unusual. Most magazines (from any genre, “superficial” or not) come out about halfway through the previous month.
- Anonymous
  
  It’s totally normal for monthly magazines…
Anonymous

“When she’s not looking directly into the camera, she takes a great picture. The minute she does, it looks like someone posing for holiday snaps.” Nailed it! I’ve never thought she wore clothes especially well, and she’s too self-conscious to model, but it’s better when she’s looking off somewhere. Love the Marant, hate the Vuitton with a passion–and she looks ridiculous in it.
muzan-e

Well howdy there, lady. Ain’t you a tall glass of milk….
Anonymous

I liked her circa Great Expectations and then I promptly forgot all about her. I looked at her website and yeah the worst thing I can say is that she’s incredibly privileged and rich and doesn’t seem to be aware that she can’t relate to us regular gals, because she’s not a regular gal, she’s a rich, privileged, genetically gifted celebrity alien type person. It’s irritating, it’s incredibly patronizing of her, but I can’t say I can work up hate for her. It’s not like she’s a world leader or anyone important.
Anonymous

They basically chose the worst photo for the cover!
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_GFMOZFM3WT3T56EZHVZFK7UXSI Ramon

Joseph Fiennes is the best thing about that movie. I did like Paltrow in it, but she was basically an ingenue (as Fernanda Montenegro put it tartily).
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1017585103 Kanani Fong

Yah, it’s best to be over the Gwinnie hate. There’s no point in it. For every bad vibe lobbed at her, Paltrow’s PR Team just comes up with more ways to promote her.
http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1017585103 Kanani Fong

Yah, it’s best to be over the Gwinnie hate. There’s no point in it. For every bad vibe lobbed at her, Paltrow’s PR Team just comes up with more ways to promote her.
http://twitter.com/thelilerin erin l.

She looks absolutely fabulous in that picture of the Isabel Marant- the others are just meh/bad.
Anonymous

I’ve always liked her. It’s interesting she’s become a lightening rod for class (and blond ice queen)-based vitriol. Her background is what in grandma’s day they called tony so I don’t find her pretentious. Actually, considering her privileged background, Paltrow’s down to earth. I’m serious! I much prefer Goop to the usual “jes folks” blowing smoke up our arses actors usually try to pull off, a la Julia Roberts
Anonymous

Bleh. She’s a so-so actress at best. I never did understand that Oscar she got for Shakespeare in Love. She was fine, but that was not an Oscar-worthy performance. I caught Country Strong the other night on TV and.. it was one of the most boring movies I ever had the misfortune to see. The two younger actors were way better than her, too. Paltrow and the guy who played her husband just stank.

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Gwyneth Paltrow for ELLE Magazine

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