Kirsten Dunst, the 28-year-old actress of teen movie fame, has resurfaced from her Hollywood hideout to contribute her fresh face to the fashion world. And she looks gorgeous.
The actress is most known for her roles in hits such as the “Spider-Man” saga, “Bring it On,” “Crazy/Beautiful,” and “The Virgin Suicides.” Dunst was never crazy about Hollywood glamour or maintaining a constant presence in the media buzz, paparazzi photographs or gossip tabloids (sans her very serious mega-romance with Jake Gyllenhaal).
Now, Dunst has lent herself to the very unconventional (but altogether mesmerizing) lookbook for the Spring 2011 Band of Outsiders Collection. Dunst was never a superficial actress, and despite the high-end quality and price tags of this brand’s garments, the creative direction of the photos seem to fit Dunst’s style perfectly. In short, Dunst complemented the unique fashion line with her own quirky personality and celebrity status.
As I mentioned, the line’s clothes are out of reach for any mortal’s fashion budget: think Oxford boat shoes, prim button-up shirts, fitted blazers, blouses, and pencil skirts for three- or four-figure prices. But I like the spirit of the name itself, representing nontraditional clothing, appearances and lifestyles.
To convey this message, photos of Dunst were taken with a Polaroid camera, giving her glowing presence a vintage, retro feel. Unlike most fashion shoots, where models appear rigid and stone-faced, Dunst appeared playful with the camera and interacted with her scenery. Personally, I would rather see fashion represented this way — it makes the fashion showcased all the more relatable.
To emphasize Dunst’s radiant face and naturally lighthearted demeanor, the lookbook was shot at the Huntington Botanical Gardens in Pasadena, Calif. The sunny photographs displayed the actress in a number of different landscapes. For one, Dunst is photographed in a garden having a tea party with nothing but a stuffed elephant. In similar shots, she is seen giving tea to a teddy bear. She looks bright in a white blazer, pleated skirt, and gold oxford shoes, laughing with her artificial companions.
Other coveted shots feature Dunst wearing a floral, camouflage-printed shirt and shorts, and John Lennon inspired nude sunglasses surrounded by cacti in the California sun—looking like a modern day desert hippie. Riding on the back of a golf cart, Dunst wears vivid yellow shorts and a seersucker T-shirt, while enjoying a red lollipop. Perhaps my favorite shot has the actress lingering in a field of various flowers, wearing simple linen shorts and a cotton shirt with oxfords. With a number of photos shot at different angles, Dunst’s simple outfit is accentuated by the grass, and the red, yellow and orange flowers surrounding her.
Lastly, I appreciated Dunst’s poses next to a pond full of lily pads surrounded by exotic plants and trees. The series of these particular shots were so picturesque, able to make any viewer jealous of the California scenery and current warm weather. While Dunst is paid to frolic in California gardens, we are still stuck in the dirty snow banks that line the streets.
While these photos made me yearn for more pleasant surroundings, I couldn’t get enough of the style of photographs provided by the brand.
Dunst and avant-garde fashion is always a wonderful combination to witness, even if we can’t afford the attire she is modeling.
