For Gwyneth Paltrow, Change is Afoot


Gwyneth Paltrow, left, in 2006 and, right, with 'Iron Man' co-star Robert Downey Jr. in Rome today. (AP Photos)

We've lambasted Gwyneth Paltrow here -- at pretty much every opportunity -- for her insouciance, her doofy baby-naming habit (Apple, Moses) her proclivity for sticking her foot in her mouth (comments about preferring to live in England where people are wittier). But, strive as we must to keep everything in our shallow comfort zone, today's focus on Gwynnie is all about looks, baby.

Like a couture butterfly emerging from a hippy-dippy chrysalis, recent snaps of Paltrow are heavy on va-va-voom. She's turned in her long, straight, parted-in-the-middle hair-did for a flouncier, bouncier shoulder-brushing hairdo. Where she once exuded a quiet, granola-fied class -- Ralph Lauren meets hemp -- now there's nothing subtle or soft about her look. And she's been rocking some may-jor heels lately, even at the risk of towering over "Iron Man" co-star Robert Downey Jr. (Who couldn't possibly look more junior next to the statuesque Paltrow).

And, yes, we all have a right to change. But we are equally entitled to judge. So -- is she pushing it or do we like the new, high fashion Gwynnie 2.0?

By Liz |  April 23, 2008; 10:42 AM ET  | Category:  Fashion
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Bet she goes to a New York podiatrist to fix her feet after wearing those heels instead of European one. Witty doesn't matter when you need help and don't want to be on a socialized medicine waiting list for 10 years.

Posted by: ep | April 23, 2008 10:58 AM

OK to be fair isn't she preggo in the pic on the left? Not quite the fair comparison but I agree she's making some big changes. Possibly as part of her re-entry to films or to be more specific, big budget films. S

he looks amazing in that pic on the right - who can walk in those heals! I kinda want her haircut! - but I think I prefer the calm, granola Gwen to vampy, teetering, giant Gwen.

Posted by: sjcpeach | April 23, 2008 11:04 AM

Also consider during that time period her father died and babies came. It's easier to maintain granola when you're busy simply living. I'm glad she seems to have emerged from her self-imposed exile though. I was starting to worry...
Ok, no I wasn't but I was starting to wonder if she meant to never return to acting.

Posted by: PGM | April 23, 2008 11:12 AM

I still dislike her. Lipstick on a pig.

Posted by: Blech | April 23, 2008 11:14 AM

I wanted to vote for none of the Gwynnies, but that option wasn't available! If you look closely in the "recent snaps" link on the close up pixs of her shoes-the shoes don't fit her. The next pix will be one of Gwynnie in a wheelchair. Oh wait, we've already seen that one, in her brief visit to a hospital recently.

Posted by: bkh | April 23, 2008 11:18 AM

Those shoes are really scary. If I were wearing them (and famous) I'd be in tmz.com's gallery of "Falling Stars" in no time. (I'd link, but I would run afoul of the webblockers here.)

Posted by: RiverCityRoller | April 23, 2008 11:22 AM

I'll take Gwynnie either way, mainly because I completely agree with her anglophilia. If only I were a rich celeb who could actually afford to live in London. Sigh.

However, I do find her recent fashion obsession to wear too tall shoes and appear a giant kind of weird and unattractive.

Posted by: firedancerk8 | April 23, 2008 11:34 AM

RCR's right: Those shoes *are* really scary. But I also agree with Robert Downey, Jr., who's clearly thinking to himself, "Oh, yeah, in a minute, if I weren't already married to Mrs. byoolin."

Posted by: byoolin | April 23, 2008 11:34 AM

You asked if Gwyneth was preggo in the picture on the left. No, I don't think she was a bowl of spaghetti.

Moses was born in April 2006, so she could have been expecting with him when that picture was taken. But her hair did not look great, and the dress she chose was very frumpy -- too many layers and all in the wrong places. Blech.

Posted by: To sjcpeach | April 23, 2008 11:36 AM

I can't believe I am saying this, but I think the lace-up black shoes (in the link, not in the post) were used in Christian's runway show on Project Runway. His models said they were uncomf.

Posted by: akmitc | April 23, 2008 11:43 AM

My guess is that the movie is so bad they're making her dress like that to get some interest going. Like when a TV show gets bad and they try to distract us with T&A. I'm just sayin.

Posted by: Guess | April 23, 2008 11:44 AM

T&A? Where?

Posted by: every man within 8 miles of Guess' comment. | April 23, 2008 11:46 AM

High Fashion Gwyneth is a vast improvement but I'll to take a "wait and see" (" how Ironman does at the box office") attitude towards her. BTW, I love the shoes.

Posted by: Lisa1 | April 23, 2008 11:58 AM

ugh. hate the shoes. and don't care for her either...frumpy or (supposedly) high fashion.

Posted by: methinks | April 23, 2008 12:01 PM

That picture was a bad choice of the old G. Those shoes look dangerous and god forbid she should drop something or fall and noone else was around. She might topple over just trying to pick something up. Let's hope the new Gwynnie wears undergarments.

Posted by: | April 23, 2008 12:03 PM

Those shoes defy several laws of physics.

Posted by: LLL | April 23, 2008 12:13 PM

Gwyneth has absolutely NO sex appeal, so she just looks silly in that street-walker get-up (since when is "high fashion" what Julia Roberts wore in Pretty Woman?). Put her back in the hippie stuff or the pink princess frocks.

Posted by: atb | April 23, 2008 12:14 PM

Still not much of a fan of the insouciant Gwen and if Iron Man sucks I'm blaming her.

However, I have to say I adore those shoes (on the right), I think I have a pair with similar heels but those puppies are only for indoors like dinner parties and days at the office when I won't be leaving my desk much. As long as I didn't have to walk around DC in them.

Oh yeah and she looks good, it's always fun to do a change of style every now and then.

Posted by: petal | April 23, 2008 12:14 PM

Oooorrrr....she's having an affair? Isn't that one of the telltale signs, changing one's appearance?

Just tossin' it out there.

Once again Gwen Stefani could rock those heels but she looks like she's just trying too hard not to be hippie-Gwyneth.

Posted by: Bored @ work | April 23, 2008 12:17 PM

never liked her. still don't.

Posted by: no_bs4me | April 23, 2008 12:21 PM

I like her shoes in principle, mainly because it looks like you could kill someone with them. Perhaps she was there to assassinate a studio executive? Did she leave in shorter shoes than she arrived in?

On the other hand, I really like Robert Downey's shoes; they look very comfortable.

Posted by: CentrevilleMom | April 23, 2008 12:23 PM

The shoes on the right are a feat of engineering. As high as they are, there is a platform under the ball of the foot built into the shoe which makes them like walking in mere 4 inch heels not 6.

Posted by: jes | April 23, 2008 12:24 PM

I'm sure the new sexy Gwyneth was a suggestion of the studio producing Iron Man. It's all part of the marketing campaign to attract young men interested in comics. Whenever an actress has a new movie coming out she does a scantily clad layout in Vanity Fair, etc. or a story is leaked about a possible romance with her co-star. A lot of big budget movies have been bombing lately so major stars who were reluctant to "lower" themselves by doing press junkets are out in full force.

Posted by: Woodbridge | April 23, 2008 12:25 PM

Do we need to be worried about Centrevillemom after her 12:23 comment?

Posted by: jes | April 23, 2008 12:27 PM

maybe i'm not spending enough for shoes, but can those possibly be comfortable? do pricier shoes offer my comfort than, say, my 9 wests?

Posted by: wats | April 23, 2008 12:37 PM

Nah, I wouldn't worry too much -- I did say it was in principle. Very few actors and characters go for shoe-based weapons; in fact, I can't think of too many beyond Maxwell Smart and that guy from the first Austin Powers film. :)

Posted by: CentrevilleMom | April 23, 2008 12:40 PM

From a straight "Would I?" perspective, yes. I would. Her Shakespeare In Love sex scenes are some of my favorite mainstream-movie bootknocking sessions ever. I rather liked her old sleek end-of-the-1990s look, but once she ex-pat'd herself and then started pandering to the Brits, I got annoyed. Still, I'm looking forward to Iron Man (which I think is going to be fun), and if she's looking hot in it, all the better.

Posted by: 23112 | April 23, 2008 1:28 PM

In case you forgot, she's always been a high fashion gal.

She may pitch for Lauder and Lauren but that doesn't mean she's so mundane personally.

Posted by: RoseG | April 23, 2008 1:29 PM

Byoolin, did you just flash us some news? Mrs. Byoolin is married to Robert Downey Jr.???

Posted by: MoCoSnarky | April 23, 2008 2:02 PM

I liked the shoes yesterday and I still like em today.

I don't understand where the idea came from that changing one's appearance means that one is having an affair, or planning a divorce or some other giant life change. Lots of people change their look periodically to keep from getting too bored, or because their daily committments have changed or just because. I have done it in the past just to freshen up my life a little bit.

I am wondering why Mr. Downey Jr. is thinking about being married to Mrs. Byoolin?!? (Please refer to Byoolin's post at 11:34.) That's mightly open, um, minded of you Byoolin!

Posted by: sunnydaze | April 23, 2008 2:08 PM

Those shoes are bananas. B-A-N-A-N-A-S!

Obviously a package arrived at the Queen's doorstep that said "Deliver to anglophile Gwen" and they were delivered to the wrong one: Those shoes (all of them!) would look great on Gwen Stefani, not Miss Insouciance. Although she has been seen out and about with Madge, so she may be taking advice on how to reinvent herself.

And one more thing -- it's Ministry of Silly Walks, Gwen, not Ministry of Silly Shoes. If you are going to give a nod to you're wittier Brits, at least have the decency to perform some silly walks as well. Yours are just not up to snuff and entirely, dare I say it, American looking.

Posted by: rachelt | April 23, 2008 2:08 PM

I don't care how comfortable Gwynnie's shoes are. If I wore heels like that, it would take me less than two minutes to get them stuck in a sidewalk crack.

Posted by: MoCoSnarky | April 23, 2008 2:09 PM

I like Gwynneth! Both ways! Is there something wrong with me?

Posted by: h3 | April 23, 2008 2:10 PM

I wonder if Mrs. Byoo...er...Gwynnie and her shoes are available this weekend to come aerate my lawn.

Posted by: MoCoSnarky | April 23, 2008 2:12 PM

Mrs. byoolin is married to RD, Jr. only in the I-was-covering-my-own-behind sense of the word. (One doesn't want to be seen to be making googly-eyes at anyone other than one's own true one-and-only, after all.)

But if you want real news flash, Star Jones is giving Al Reynolds the ol' heave-ho, sez the Associated Press.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080423/ap_on_en_tv/people_star_jones

No word on whether the de-nuptials will be sponsored by The Demolition Contractors Association Of America.

Posted by: byoolin | April 23, 2008 2:15 PM

She kinda looks like Cate Blanchett in the photo on the right -- actually, well, kinda, um, hot. What's wrong with me?!

Posted by: td | April 23, 2008 2:17 PM

In a New York minute....if Robert Downey, Jr doesn't get there first.

Shouldn't cal Ripken been cast as iron Man?

Don't sweat the baseball reference, Liz.

Posted by: Sasquatch | April 23, 2008 2:18 PM

The new haircut looks wonderful. The soft curls and shoulder length are age-appropriate and complement her body as well as her eyes and cheekbones.

Gwyneth was due for a makeover. Her old hairstyle was a little-girl, Alice-in-Wonderland style that was not flattering. It elongated her face and shortened her body from shoulder to waist.

Posted by: Janey | April 23, 2008 2:19 PM

"I like Gwynneth! Both ways!" <--Hee hee, snort!

Posted by: td | April 23, 2008 2:20 PM

Silly Walks? In a skirt that short?

Let me get my camera.

Posted by: byoolin | April 23, 2008 2:22 PM

In a only sort of related comment there was an interesting article on NPR's website yesterday about how we should all be walking around barefoot because shoes make us walk funny. If I wore heels like Gwen's I'm sure I'd be walking funny.

Posted by: Stuck@Work | April 23, 2008 2:59 PM

Oh yeah, and high heels were created so people wouldn't step in dung.

Posted by: Stuck@Work | April 23, 2008 3:14 PM

Star Jones' pending divorce, while ripped from today's headlines, is not a news flash. However, it does illustrate yet another incidence where Hillary Rodham Clinton exercised some bad judgement. I'm sure that both Barack Obama and John McCain would say they never would have been caught dead at Star Jones' corporate-funded wedding, had they been invited.

Posted by: MoCoSnarky | April 23, 2008 3:17 PM

I take it that Her Insouciance was not in heels those times that she stepped in it.

Posted by: Oh yeah, and high heels were created so people wouldn't step in dung. | April 23, 2008 3:18 PM

So, Stuck, logically we can assume that stilts were invented in either D.C. or Hollywood, right?

Posted by: byoolin | April 23, 2008 3:27 PM

Byoolin asks:
So, Stuck, logically we can assume that stilts were invented in either D.C. or Hollywood, right?

=========================================

Stilts were invented in Hollywood.

Knee pads were invented in DC.

Posted by: Sasquatch | April 23, 2008 3:56 PM

I've always hated Gwen's clothes. Still do.
Just saying, Robert Downey, Jr. sure looks great. Glad he isn't sporting the orange jumpsuit anymore.

Posted by: possum | April 23, 2008 4:31 PM

"Stilts were invented in Hollywood.

Knee pads were invented in DC."
--------------

Cue the cymbal crash and Ed McMahon clip saying, "A-OHHHHHHH!" Good one, Sasquatch!

Posted by: td | April 23, 2008 4:51 PM

Feh. Looks like she's getting ready to work the horizontal pole. Hope RDJR brought plenty of singles.

Posted by: ex cap | April 23, 2008 4:59 PM

i hearby nominate sasquatch for comment of the week!

Posted by: melissamac1 | April 23, 2008 5:01 PM

I think I prefer the high-fashion, Gwen. Not a fan of the sky-high stilettos but I do like the haircut, the fresh looking makeup and the dress. Judging from the new look, I'm starting to think the rumors about her marriage not working may be true...

Posted by: plamar1031 | April 23, 2008 5:03 PM

Want economic security? Forget becoming a Detroit auto worker. Think, Hollywood podiatrist.

Posted by: _kt_ | April 23, 2008 9:25 PM

Ow! Those shows make my feet hurt just looking at them! How can she walk, no how can she *stand*, in shoes like that without falling over? I prefer granola Gwen, simply because it was different. I do like the new haircut, though.

Posted by: DC Cubefarm | April 24, 2008 11:16 AM

Those shoes are gorgeous. There's nothing wrong with a high heel as long as you can still strut!

Posted by: pook | April 24, 2008 6:08 PM

How tall is she? It is said that she recently joint the tall dating site ---Tallhub.com---, and her profile said that she is looking for a tall man who is much taller than her!!!!

Posted by: sarana | April 26, 2008 9:22 AM

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