Gwyneth Paltrow

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Designer Valentino might have earned fame for dressing Hollywood’s leading ladies, but with last night’s premiere of Valentino: The Last Emperor, the Italian designer became a film star in his own right. It was an appropriately star-studded occasion, with Gwyneth Paltrow, Claire Danes and Anne Hathaway among the elite crowd that turned out to the Gilt Groupe- and Quintessentially-sponsored premiere at MoMA. And the gorgeous crowd wasn’t lost on the designer. “Gwyneth looks fantastic tonight,” Valentino remarked to PEOPLE, “Anne sensational. Claire Danes . . . they’re all friends of mine.” But just because they dazzled in Valentino’s elegant gowns, didn’t mean that stars weren’t also keeping more prosaic issues in mind. Of her Grecian-inspired white gown, Anne Hathaway explained, “I’ve been enjoying a couple of post-Oscar burgers. So I didn’t fit into a lot of the vintage stuff. I wanted to wear something that was a little bit more forgiving.” For glam mom-to-two Paltrow, “It was hectic getting ready. We just flew in yesterday for this. And my kids are really jetlagged. And my son had a meltdown. But we got out the door,” although not without a struggle. “He was very upset by these hair clips they put in to keep your hair back when you’re getting your makeup done,” she explained. “He hated them. He was livid. But I’m here. I made it.” So did Moses have an opinion about the dress? “He did not like it,” said Paltrow. “He’s very specific. My daughter really liked it. She also chose my nail polish color.” Pink, of course! And how did the man of the night, Valentino, feel about her look? “I don’t know,” answered Paltrow. “I’m going to have to be scrutinized later.” Click here for a review of the film by PEOPLE’s critic.

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After giving us her personal holiday recipes, Gwyneth Paltrow shares her post-holiday diet secret in her latest GOOP newsletter. Gwyneth admits, “I need to lose a few pounds of holiday excess. Anyone else? I like to do fasts and detoxes a couple of times during the year, the most hardcore one being the Master Cleanse I did last spring. It was not what you would characterize as pretty. Or easy.” Working with her doctor, a detox diet specialist, Gwyneth has created a seven-day elimantion diet that helps detox the body. “As I do not wish to subsist on lemon water in the middle of winter, I asked my doctor, a detox diet specialist, for the guidelines he uses to achieve a good detox that is not as hallucinogenic (in a bad way) as the Master Cleanse,” says Gwyneth. “What it came down to was this: you can detox easily and effectively while you continue to eat as long as you are cutting out the foods and other substances that interfere with the detoxification process.” While cutting out dairy, grains with gluten, meat, shellfish, anything processed (including all soy products), fatty nuts, nightshades (potatoes, tomatoes, peppers and eggplant), condiments, sugar and obviously no alcohol, caffeine or soda, Gwyneth’s diet consist of salads, fruit smoothies, chicken, soups and lots of water. Click here to read the full scoop on Goop.com.

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We’ve already heard what Gwyneth Paltrow will be giving as gifts this holiday season, and in this week’s installment of GOOP, the star is sharing her holiday recipes. She expains, “I generally always make the same meal for Christmas as I do for Thanksgiving with a few exceptions, the Mulled Wine being the most exciting addition. I cringe when I add cupfuls of sugar to sweeten things, so instead I add agave syrup to this lovely spiced drink and it works beautifully.” But she went the extra mile and created Hanukkah and Christmas menus for her readers. “For Hanukkah I love a Whole Roasted Fish with Salsa Verde and with the addition of the Latkes, you get that wonderful crisp potato thing on the side; it’s very satisfying.” And don’t forget the sweets! “The Christmas morning breakfast/brunch is easy to prepare and has great seasonal and holiday flavors. The Spiced Pumpkin & Walnut Bread has become one of my favorites, I could eat the whole loaf.” Paltrow has even made some of our favorites a little bit better for us. “The biscuits are a healthier version of the good ole’ southern version but are just as tasty. You can scramble an egg, add one of the homemade sausages, stick ‘em in the fresh warm biscuit and, to quote a line from the epic eighties film Sixteen Candles, ‘Wha-lah, breakfast is ready!’ ” Get all the recipes at Goop.com. And get more holiday entertaining ideas from the stars by clicking here.

Click through to see Gwyneth’s menus!
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In this week’s installment of her newsletter Goop, Gwyneth Paltrow muses on the the spirit of the season and shares her favorite gift-giving secrets. “What is holiday spirit? For me, it means helping to create that atmosphere where loved ones feel full of cheer, like some happy secret is about to be revealed,” she says. “Holiday spirit is a feeling of warmth, of togetherness, of connectedness. We get that by giving. We get it by watching cheeks flush with color when something opened and in the hands conveys a message: I know you, I get you, I see you.” Her top gift choices to show she cares include the Flip Ultra Camcorder, ($149) — which is also one of PEOPLE.com’s choices in our Star Favorites: The Chicest Gifts. “This thing is genius,” she says. (We agree!) Gwyneth also loves Chris Bolton Jewelry Tag necklaces ($150) imprinted with a loved one’s name. “I personalized mine and I wear it everyday,” she writes. And while the star has been known for sticking to a macrobiotic diet, she lets us in on one of her favorite indulgences: Bridgewater Chocolates ($110), which are “My absolute favorite chocolate in the entire world. I send these out to special people every year.” Want more of her holiday favorites? Click here to read her full list. Then get the rest of your holiday shopping done in style now with PEOPLE.com’s exclusive gift guides, including Star Favorites, Best Gifts Under $50 and top 25 Holiday Deals and Discounts.

courtesy of Estee Lauder

In the new ad campaign for Estee Lauder’s Pleasure fragrance, which will hit magazines in December, high-fashion spokesmodel Gwyneth Paltrow goes for a laid-back feel, looking at ease as she lounges in a grassy field with a guitar by her side. In her soft pink and white outfit and loose curls, the actress expresses a serene take on pleasure that we love. Tell us: What do you think of Gwyneth Paltrow’s new Pleasure ads?

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If you’ve ever looked at Gwyneth Paltrow, and wondered how she’s always so perfectly put together, you’re in luck. In her latest GOOP newsletter, the star muses about being a fashion-conscious mom of two — and lets readers in on her style secrets. “I used to spend a lot of time looking at fashion, reading about fashion, generally being bemused by fashion,” she says. “Then one day I had children and it all kind of went out the window. For a few years I was basically in sweatpants and I didn’t mind it.” As much as she values comfort, “It’s a fine line,” she points out, “between being comfortable and being demoralized by being frumpy all the time.” The star developed her signature chic and easy look based on the idea of having a personal style uniform. The key? Stick with basics like black leggings, a gray tank, a blazer, heeled booties, a simple skirt and jeans, and build on them. You might start your day in “black leggings, [a] gray tank, and house slippers,” she says. And when you just “throw on [a] sweater dress over the leggings and tank, add boots” and your chicest sunglasses and you’ve got an entirely different look. Click here to sign up for Gwyneth’s next newsletter. Tell us: What are your own style secrets?

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What could be more chic than a glamorous lunch at the Seinfelds’ estate in Long Island? Toss in stars, charity and shopping for coveted purses, and the answer is not much! Jessica Seinfeld, wife of Jerry, hosted the chic luncheon under a cream-colored canvas tent on their sprawling lawn with Derek Lam, the Creative Director at Tod’s, the luxury accessories and clothing company. High-wattage guests — including Gwyneth Paltrow, Diane Kruger, Kelly Ripa and Alexandra Wentworth — dined on grilled shrimp and Maine lobster salad — then shopped in the Seinfelds’ 200-year-old barn for boots, coats and bags from the Tod’s fall collection, with a portion of the proceeds from the guests’ purchases going to Baby Buggy, a non-profit organization dedicated to providing New York City’s families in need with essential equipment, clothing, and products for their infants and young children. Kruger and Paltrow bought black cashmere trench coats, while Ripa put in an order for a “Pashmy” baby bag (which new mommies Nicole Kidman, Jennifer Lopez and Jessica Alba also want for their little ones). Paltrow says she is more than happy to give Baby Buggy all the baby items her children outgrow. “We give Baby Buggy all our stuff,” she told PEOPLE, “Strollers, car seats, clothes, toys.” So some unsuspecting tot is riding around in Gwyneth Paltrow’s carseat? “Well,” she laughed. “Not my carseat. Apple’s carseat!”