Mischa Barton

Rex USA

She’s got legs! And she knows how to show them. You wouldn’t guess from Mischa Barton’s teensy miniskirt at a Manhattan bash for Charlotte Ronson’s I “Heart” Ronson JCPenney collection on Thursday night that she had been struggling with body issues recently. “The skirt is from Topshop and the shoes are (Alexander) McQueen,” Barton told PEOPLE at the Chelsea Piers fete. After a stint in a psychiatric ward last month, the 23-year-old former O.C. star has been focusing on getting in shape and filming her new CW show The Beautiful Life. “Filming is going great. It’s really good,” Barton told PEOPLE while mingling alongside stars like Hilary Duff and Sophia Bush. But the actress came out to support pal and fellow designer, Charlotte Ronson. “She’s such a talented girl — and a friend,” Barton smiled. And what can less-famous buyers expect of Ronson’s JCPenney fall line? Lower price points than her original eponymous label, for one. (Items range “from $14 to, maybe, up to $80 or $90 for a coat,” Ronson said.) But look forward to the same, I’m-chic-and-sexy-without-trying-too-hard vibe, with lots of plaid, layering, and toned-down color. “It’s not so much about glitz and stuff. It’s about wearing the clothes again and again,” she told reporters before the party. “We’re recession-friendly, in a sense, because the more you wear it, the better it looks.” Check out the I Heart Ronson line at JCPenney.com. –Laura Hahn

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Greg Tidwell/PacificCoastNews

We love when warm weather arrives so we can whip out the bright colors and experiment with our clothes, accessories and even our makeup! There are tons of options, but lately we’ve been loving hot pink polish on our toes and a bright yellow statement necklace to go with an otherwise subdued outfit. It’s the perfect segue into summer. Mischa Barton must’ve been thinking the same thing with her head-to-toe color including matching neon yellow jacket, tassel scarf and shoes. The bold look works for the former O.C. star, but we don’t know if we could pull it off ourselves. The editors at StyleWatch want to know if you’d give this hue a try. Tell us: Would you wear electric yellow head-to-toe? — Archana Ram

Courtesy of Stacey Lapidus

Style icon Mischa Barton might be known for seamlessly shifting from retro-cool street style and red carpet elegance, but regardless of where she’s headed, Mischa tells PEOPLE.com, “Accessorizing is oddly my favorite part of dressing up.” It comes as no surprise then that the actress has been having fun developing her headband collection with designer Stacey Lapidus. Mischa says that she found inspiration for the hair accessories, which range from $50 to $200, in her jet set lifestyle. “I’ve been working in the likes of India, Milan, Paris, London, Montreal, L.A, and NYC,” she explains. “My style has been somewhat boho chic, which I think is a result of having traveled so extensively throughout the course of the past year.” And she’s about to get even busier! In addition to her headband line and a collection of handbags, Barton is waiting to hear whether her pilot for the CW, A Beautiful Life, will get picked up for a series this fall. “It was a blast to film and though I’ve only seen bits and pieces [of it], I’m proud of the show and hopeful that I’ll get to shoot some more,” she says. “Since I have an obvious passion for fashion, it was also incredible for me to be offered a role that’s immersed in the industry.” Check out Mischa’s collection, available now at staceylapidus.com. – Lisa Ingrassia

Flynet

Sparking an all-out fashion frenzy, stylish stars turned out in London last night to help designer Matthew Williamson celebrate his collaboration with H&M. The British designer, who kept pal Sienna Miller close by his side, told PEOPLE just how nervous he had been while heading to the launch of his capsule collection with the cheap-chic retailer: “In the car on the way I said to Sienna, do the heart test, feel my heart, and she did. It was pounding!” But it turns out Williamson had nothing to worry about. As VIPs like Mischa Barton and Pixie Geldof grabbed his signature vivid color pieces off the rails of the Regent Street store, he looked on with disbelief. “I was so nervous that no one was going to be here. I’m watching the rails being emptied, literally, it’s freaking me out — in a good way!” For her part, Mischa seemed to agree, congratulating the designer with a huge hug as she arrived in one of his new designs — a studded leather waistcoat and blue tulip skirt. “This is amazing,” she said pointing to a cropped leather jacket, while Sienna Miller, having completed her mission of support, sipped champagne quietly with a few friends. You can finally nab some of Williamson’s must-have looks for yourself. His collection, which ranges from $25 to $349, launchs today in H&M stores. –Reporting by Monique Jessen

Richard Young/Startraks

No one could every accuse Mischa Barton of having a fear of fashion, and in her video blog, the fashion muse does a little on-camera musing of her own, contemplating what style means to her and reflecting on the influences that led to her unique look. “I think that personal sense of style is all about being individual,” she says, “and wearing whatever makes you feel comfortable — as quirky or as normal and safe as you want to be.” How would she describe her own look? “It’s just kind of eclectic and all over the place,” she says. And although the jet setter counts her travels as a major influence, ultimately, it’s all about the rock ‘n’ roll: “I think my favorite fashion icons have always been women of the ’70s – real rock & roll chicks like Anita Pallenberg and Marianne Faithfull.” The actress finds it a little more difficult to get inspired by today’s stars, however. “I like quirkiness in people,” she explains. “And I like people who just dress like what suits them and their personality.” Her choice for a modern fashion tastemaker? Fellow actress Zooey Deschanel, she says, “has awesome style.” Click here to see Mischa’s video blog. Then tell us: Which Hollywood star do you think has the best style?

PA Photos /Landov

Mischa Barton is all about the accessories right now, whether it’s those strutting down the catwalk at the Temperley London spring/summer show or her own ever expanding accessory line. At her friend Alice Temperley’s catwalk show in London on Monday, the actress revealed what prompted her to add to her eponymous line of handbags with a hair accessory line: “I’m in between films right now. When I have free time, I have to do something creative,” she told PEOPLE. “So I’ve been designing a headband line with Stacey Lapidus — it’s really fun.” Temperley who showed a collection of feminine draped dresses mixed with edgier studded waistcoats, belts and towering heels certainly has a fan in Barton who gushed about, of course… the “amazing” accessories. “I love the way she puts things together. And if there was one look to covet? “I’m all into the studded belts and the shoes and vests.”

Richard Young/Startraks

Mischa Barton’s known for showing off every possible permutation of designer headgear — from dazzling barrettes to that ubiquitious hippie headband. And now, WWD reports, the former O.C. star has inked a deal for a signature line of hair accessories. Barton is partnering up with designer Stacey Lapidus to create a luxe range of bejeweled and feather-adorned accessories that will range in price from $40 to $200. Moving from her purse line into accessory design was a natural choice for the style-loving star, who says, “Accessories are fun and they’re easy to wear. I’ve always loved headbands and have worn Stacey’s headbands for a while.” Tell us: What do you think of Barton’s newest enterprise?