Keira Knightley
No-one can deny that Keira Knightley has reached the level of superstardom, most actresses can only dream of. This was clearly evident last night at the premier of her latest movie, The Duchess. Dressed in a midnight blue strapless gown, chunky heels and Chanel accessories, she looked every bit the Hollywood starlet.
But has it always been that way? We look back at Keira's fashion rise to fame through her films, from Bend it Like Beckham, to her latest smash hit, The Duchess.
Bend it like Beckham
Bless poor Keira, sweet 16 and all she gets to wear in her breakthrough film is a footie kit. Keria has a fresh faced image here, which is great to launch her onto the fashion and acting circuit. Her hair is cropped and a dark blonde colour, but her fashion credentials definitely aren't established in this movie, as the football tops swamp her frame, but she pulls off the tomboy look with ease.
Pirates of the Caribbean
Swashbuckling adventure and gorgeous fashion in this smash hit, that made Keira a global star at 17 overnight. The dresses, the hair and the accessories in this movie makes us drool, as do the lovely leading men Johnny Depp and Orlando Bloom. Keira had hair extensions in all three movies, as long hair was typical of the period. The corsets featured in the movies definitely gave Keira some much needed cleavage, but also enhance an already very skinny waist. Sigh.
King Arthur
Another period flick for Keira, but not as well received as the brilliant Pirates, and the same is unfortunately true with the fashion. Although Keria has gone over to the dark side with her hair- which really suits her in this role, leather straps used for a top and a skirt is definitely not a good look. To be fair Guinevere was a fighter and the fashion did have to represent this, but to us Keria looks uncomfortable here and perhaps too young for this role, don't forget she was only 18 when she made this. It also caused a stir when the makers of the film digitally enhanced Miss Knightley's boobs on promotional posters to make them appear bigger..ooh-er.
Domino
An edgier look for Keira in this flick, with cropped blonde hair and army gear and leather to complete the look. Keira plays Domino Harvey, a girl who decides she's not suited to the LA high-society life and gives it all up to become a bounty hunter. We love Keira's crop, as it frames her face and gives her a grown- up elegance. We're not entirely convinced she pulls off the bounty hunter look of cargo pants and army tags, but being this gorgeous, who cares!
Pride and Prejudice
This film earned Keira an Oscar nod, and rightly so for her portrayal of Elizabeth Bennet. Keira dyed her hair back to brunette and grew it for this role with a fringe, which again is right for the period and the character she is portraying. In one scene Keria looks stunning in a white evening gown, completed with towering hair decorated with white pearls. If Keira has proved anything in her past films, it's that she can pull off period fashion with ease.
Atonement
That green dress. We think the film should just feature Keira in that green dress for the whole two hour movie. You can see in this film that her sense of style has developed well and she looks comfortable with her body shape. Her hair is an immaculately coloured shade of brunette, cropped and curled to suit the era and her make up, as always is flawless.
The Edge of Love
Although this wasn't a huge budget flick, the fashion in this movie deserves a shout out, because Keira pulls of cute floral dresses, wellies and raincoats to perfection. Sharing the screen with another fashion icon, Sienna Miller, Keira still manages to outshine her in the fashion stakes. Although we think her hair and make-up could do with a shake-up in her next few films, to keep her edge on the fashion scene.
The Duchess
Keira's latest period film has caused controversy before it had even been released, as it drew parallels with Princess Diana's marriage. Ironically, Georgiana Cavendish, Duchess of Devonshire is a direct descendent of the late Princess. In the fashion stakes, Keira's character, Georgina was considered to be something of a style icon of the period, and this is evident here, with her flamboyant hair and exquisitely designed gowns.
Laura Terry- Female First