Cheryl Shops

On Ashlee
I don't really cover celebrites much at Cheryl Shops, with the exception of awards-show attire, since that tends to influence formalwear. It's not that I don't care; it's just, I feel like other blogs, such as Go Fug Yourself, do a much better job at it than I do. Or you can go out and buy an Us Weekly. Whatever. However, after seeing recent paparazzi pictures of Ashlee Simpson, I felt compelled to comment.

Unlike her sister, Jessica, who pretty much turns my stomach, I've had kind of mixed feelings for Ashlee. I get that whole living-in-your-prettier-sister's-shadow thing, and, as the lore goes, Ashlee was the youngest student ever accepted into the School of the New York City Ballet, but she didn't attend because her father was too busy catering to Jessica's blossoming, uh, singing career. That would've been enough to land me in therapy for years. I saw several episodes of Ashlee's show on MTV, and was pretty much put off by her ultra-bratty attitude. Not to mention that her rock-lite music seemed to me as fake as her black hair. And then came the Saturday Night Live incident, which she didn't exactly handle gracefully. Ashlee was still the awkward, less pretty, less confident, and arguably less talented sister.

And then Jessica filed for divorce, and Ashlee got a new boyfriend, dyed her hair back to blonde, and released her second album. For awhile, it looked like Ashlee was trying to out-Jessica Jessica. And then came the nose job. I saw Ashlee on Mott Street in Nolita and were it not for the paparazzi following her, I wouldn't have even recognized her. (Hey, I liked her big ol' schnoz, but who am I to begrudge her a new nose?) Slowly, Ashlee lost a bit of weight (not that she needed to in the first place), and recently she dyed her hair a bit darker shade of blonde. Then she and Jessica were photographed exiting The Ivy, and Ashlee looked so cool, it was like Jessica wasn't even in the picture:



I love the hair--it totally suits her--and the dress is absolutely fantastic. All of a sudden, Ashlee looks cool and chic (she was wearing slouchy black boots with this dress, which made the look even better). I'm going to venture that Ashlee upgraded to an A-list stylist (as much as I hate to say it, I'm going to guess it's Rachael Zoe), but whatever she's doing, it's working. Take, for example, this dress.



I thought this was Mischa Barton at first, and it totally looks like something she'd wear (again, this might be Rachael Zoe's hand). I almost can't believe this is the same girl who wore combat boots and fingerless gloves just last year. And, finally, this photo was on People.com this week:



Ohh, from the bright silk top to the skinny jeans, to the vintage Chanel bag, I love it. But aside from the more flattering hair color, the new nose and cool clothes, it's clear that Ashlee has something even more becoming: confidence. I could care less about her nose job, her disingenuous remarks to Marie Claire, her cancelling several concerts, or whatever remotely scandalous thing she might say or do. Girlfriend looks hot--way hotter than Jessica--and, most importantly, comfortable in her own skin, which is ultimately the best outcome from a makeover that anyone could ask for.