As TV's beloved boy's club makes its way to the big screen with the theater release of Entourage, we set our sights on the franchise's leading ladies—whose approach to style provide a classic case study in Hollywood power dressing in three very distinct ways.
Whether going with a laid back vibe, structured cuts or glam pieces, these ladies have L.A. style on lock. To get the scoop on how the characters of Sloan, PR Maven Shauna and Mrs. Ari Gold flex their power through style, we talked to costume designer Olivia Miles, who shared secrets to dressing each character—and how to cop these quintessential Hollywood styles for ourselves.
Character: Sloan (Emmanuelle Chriqui) is the down-to-earth, knockout scion who holds her own with E while using her industry power for good by doing philanthropic work.
Signature style: West Coast, bohemian glam
Go-to designers: Roberto Cavalli, Reem Acra, Nike, Alexander Wang, Splendid
Designer notes: "Sloan's style has everything to do with her ease and confidence as a person. She can look just as fabulous in jeans and a tank as she does in a formal designer gown," Olivia said. "Even though her character is affluent, we mix clothes with high and low price points for her eclectic look."
Style secret: Olivia and Emmanuelle dubbed their fittings "The Chop Shop" because the costume designer stopped at nothing to find the right fit. "We always end up augmenting things off the rack by cutting sleeves, making pants into shorts and transforming rompers," she said.
Get the look: "Remember that almost nothing looks perfect off the rack," Olivia advised. "You can always turn jeans into shorts, make a dress into a shirt, cut off sleeves, steal your man's shirts and tailor them to your body or make a jacket from a vest."
Character: Shauna (Debi Mazar), a sharp-tongued power publicist who mixes shapely cuts with hints of menswear for an edgy, yet feminine look.
Signature style: Strong silhouettes, black enlivened with pops of color
Go-to designers: Dolce & Gabbana, vintage
Designer's notes: "This character is such a force. She doesn't care about what the room thinks of her—she dresses for her own pleasure," noted Olivia. "We don't need distracting patterns or too much flapping around when she is at work. Her clothes are strong, yet sexy and we use Debi's own vintage jewels to add personality to the looks."
Style secret: Count on classics. Olivia turned to pieces that can be worn again and again: the perfect trouser, silk blouse, little black dress and pointed stiletto.
Get the look: Evoke Shauna (and in turn, Sophia Loren) by pairing a black sheath with vintage jewelry and killer shoes. "It doesn't have to be Dolce & Gabbana," she said, "unless you are Shauna!" Finally, a style like Shauna's requires a strong point of view: "Get a perspective, show personality, stick to it, rock it and be confident," the costume designer offered.
Character: Mrs. Ari Gold (Perrey Reeves)—she of exceptionally high BS meter and luxurious designer wardrobe—helped set the style template for The Real Housewives that followed.
Signature style: Sexy simplicity done expensively
Go-to designers: Gucci, Fleur du Mal, Victoria Beckham, Michael Kors and Cushnie Et Ochs
Designer's notes: To get Mrs. Gold's distinct style, Olivia used structure, color and pattern to tell the story. "She always wears real designer brands," the style pro said.
Style secret: Hunt for the perfect fit. "We are always looking for the perfect dress. Over the years Gucci has had the edgy design and luxurious clingy fabrics that look best on Perrey," she said.
Get the look: To look first class while wearing second-skin clothing, try wearing the proper shapewear, investing in alterations and covering up a bit. This allows you to skimp on accessories without sacrificing impact. As Olivia pointed out, "When your outfit is that sick, who knows when you're rocking rhinestones instead of diamonds?"
Entourage is in theaters June 3, 2015.