Elizabeth Banks

Mike Coppola/WireImage (2); Hubert Boesl/DPA/Landov

We have to admit something: though we love (love, love, love) Elizabeth Banks, we haven’t ever thought of her as much of a fashion star. Until now. In the last week, Banks has blown us away with the sleek, sexy looks she’s sported while promoting her new film, Man on a Ledge.

Last Wednesday, Banks popped by the New York City premiere of Haywire in a ruffled Theyskens’ Theory dress, gold-trimmed jacket, Amrapali earrings and a zipper-trim Lauren Merkin clutch. The next night she was out again, this time in a sultry one-shoulder Versace dress paired with pretty jewels, major booties and some seriously smoky eyes.

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Pink poufs, big braids, out-there dos — there were lots of crazy hairstyles mentioned in The Hunger Games books, and bringing those looks to life was quite the challenge for Linda Flowers, lead hairstylist on the set of the first film.

“There was so much hair-color work — more than any movie I have ever worked on,” Flowers tells BeautyHigh.com. But the volume of work was exciting, too. “There were no guidelines of what this future looked like style-wise, so I knew I could be creative,” she adds.

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How much is that big movie star in the window? “It was really fun,” Elizabeth Banks tells PEOPLE of posing in the Barney’s Diego Della Valle window display on Madison Avenue as part of the store’s Wednesday celebration of Diego Della Valle’s Visionary Award. The 30 Rock star praised her partner in crime for the night, Barney’s Creative Director, Simon Doonan. “I’m a fan of Simon and I had no idea that I would get to stand in the Barneys’ window that he designed, but I feel that it’s pretty iconic.” And it turns out that Banks is not only a fan of Barneys, but of Tod’s and the company’s chairman Valle. Banks explains, “I’m a fan of Diego’s and I’m here to congratulate him on his award. I love the consistency of the brand, it started out as a driving shoe. It’s very Italian but in a way that means luxury, which I love.” Banks, clad in a Max Mara dress and Tod’s accessories, even showed off her new favorite piece from the line to PEOPLE, enthusing, “I wore a Tod’s trench coat tonight that I’m pretty excited about it. This is a hood that zips onto it and zips over and then down the front as well so it becomes an entire panel piece with a hood that’s really amazing. It’s like two coats in one.” – Mary S. Park

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It was a packed rooftop Wednesday night at the Gramercy Park Hotel in New York, as select fashionistas collected for a preview of Ann Taylor’s latest collection for spring 2011. And among them were some veteran fans. “[In Massachusetts,] I grew up with Ann Taylor over Barneys any day,” Elizabeth Banks told PEOPLE. “I’m just a fan of the simplicity of it and especially their petites line—[it fits me] right off the rack, no tailoring necessary.” And viewing the lines neutral-toned jackets, military-inspired trousers, and light cocktail dresses, Banks already found her spring must-have: the seersucker blazer. “I think seersucker for spring is always perfect.” Despite lusting after a short green cropped jacket, it was all about the brand’s statement accessories for fashion-maven Olivia Palermo. “Each season, I like the accessories more and more. Its young, its hip, and always on trend,” she said. As for the line’s new wedding and events collection, featuring classic silhouettes with feminine touches, it certainly had Palermo’s stamp of approval. “You want to be really chic as a bride, and I think it does it well.” —Shruti Dhalwala

SEE MORE FROM SPRING 2011 IN OUR FASHION WEEK COVERAGE!

• Elizabeth Banks,
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• Shopping