Brunette Ambition (16 page)

The Spotlight

1.
Try as many exercise options as possible to figure out what works best for you. After all, it’s an amazing feeling to find a routine that you love and actually look forward to doing. Find a great physical activity that can be your golden ticket to a fit life and requires minimal motivation to do. Keep an open mind: You might have the most fun in a Broadway show-tunes-themed spin class or an eighties aerobic session! You never know!

2.
Figure out what you’re trying to achieve, whether it’s an increase of energy, general detox, weight loss, weight gain, or a spiritual experience. If you want to lose weight, buy a Jillian Michaels DVD and have her yell at you; if you’re looking to unwind, that may not be the best solution.

3.
Know when you’re slacking off, and don’t fool yourself into thinking that it doesn’t matter—try to just do
something
to get yourself moving. That said, when you need a break, take one! Taking a day off is an important part of being good to yourself, too. If you do skip the gym, then enjoy the moment and don’t feel guilty or beat yourself up about it; that can quickly make exercise feel like a chore and cause you to obsess (and avoid the gym even more). View your workouts as a treat and something positive to look forward to.

4.
Take some time on Sunday to schedule your upcoming week of exercise: When it’s in your calendar, it’s easier to mentally prepare for your workout. Don’t trust yourself to decide in the moment whether you’re going to go to the gym or not; it’s too easy to take a pass. Just make it a given.

5.
Find a workout buddy: If you have consistent plans to meet a friend for a weekly hike or a gym class, you’re much less likely to flake.

CH 6

EVERYDAY STYLE

“I go by instinct—I don’t worry about experience.”

—BARBRA STREISAND

W
hen I was in
Ragtime
, a fellow cast member named Monica told me that fabulous is twenty-four hours a day, and it stuck. In fact, you can laugh, but I’m the girl who wears nightgowns to bed. True story: I love falling asleep wearing something pretty—or at the very least, something matching, even if it’s just a black T-shirt and black shorts. I don’t wear oversize T-shirts, and I don’t wear things that have holes. Ever. And I have to say, making an effort makes me feel amazing.

These days, I often have four a.m. call times, and it is oh-so-tempting to roll onto set in yoga pants and an oversize hoodie. But I made a New Year’s resolution that my job is my job, and that I should show it the proper respect—by putting on a real outfit in the morning. To make it happen, I’ve reverted to a tactic I used in high school that may sound crazy but actually saves me tons of time. I literally plot out a week’s worth of outfits so that I can reach for them when I’m groggy in the early morning and don’t have to spend any extra minutes in front of my closet, trying to put something together. It doesn’t mean that I’m in high heels, it just means that I’m dressed appropriately for my job. I may have “made it” in some sense of the term, but that doesn’t mean I’ve given up or ever want to take things for granted. I always want to represent myself well.

During every magazine interview, I always get asked how I would describe my personal style. And it’s very clear that everyone who asks is always bored by my answer: My personal style is quite simple. I’m a “jeans and T-shirt” kind of girl, and prefer to express my more creative side at work, in photo shoots, or on the red carpet. In my everyday life, I don’t dress in knee-high stockings and penny loafers à la Rachel Berry, nor do I ever wear gowns when I’m not at a big event. My basic concern is that I look nice and pulled together whenever I leave the house.

The pieces I rely on to help me look nice and pulled together generally aren’t huge splurges, either. Whenever I’m interviewed, I also always get asked about my last big purchase. But quite honestly, I don’t spend a lot when I shop: I buy really well-made things that are going to last, and only a few things at that. I’ve always been more interested in quality than quantity. I don’t believe that girls need to own eight thousand pairs of shoes and six thousand bags: I’ll usually invest in one nice bag per year. If something is great, I try to get great use out of it—and it’s hard to get great use out of anything when it only makes it out of your closet once every two months!

FAVORITE OUTFIT AS A KID

When I was little, my main look was black leggings, a long-sleeve T-shirt, white socks rolled up over the leggings, and flats. So, no … I didn’t have great fashion sense. I grew up in a wealthy community in New Jersey where status was key: What you wore to school was of utmost importance. Since I came from a family that was less wealthy—not in the real world, but definitely in a town where people lived in mansions and sixth-grade girls used Prada bags as pencil cases—I wasn’t allowed to splurge on the $100 jeans my friends wore. And my parents were right to set those limits. I’m so glad I didn’t get to buy whatever I wanted, because I learned to really value what I did own. And I also learned that you don’t need to have what everyone else has to fit in.

MOST IMPORTANT PIECE

My grandfather bought me a necklace before he passed away that I’ll always cherish. It’s a small diamond necklace, and I love it so much. I’ll also always keep Rachel’s Finn necklace from
Glee
.

STYLE ICON

I really love Rachel Bilson’s style, because she always seems to get it right without trying too hard. I loved her as Summer on
The O.C.
, and it’s been fun to watch her develop such a great career and establish herself as a real fashion icon. Her effortless and comfortable style is how I love to dress on a typical day.

FIRST IMPORTANT PIECE

When I first got
Glee
, I bought myself a Balenciaga bag. It was the first big purchase I’d ever made. I think it’s better to splurge on a great bag or a beautiful piece of jewelry than something like a dress. Accessories generally aren’t part of fleeting trends and they last longer.

THE BEST THINGS I’VE EVER BOUGHT

These are the items that marked milestones in my life—and that I wore to death.

JEANS:
These Citizens of Humanity skinny jeans fit me the best.

HEELS:
These were a gift from Cory—I thought it was so special that he bought me shoes, since guys don’t usually have the first clue about buying them.

LEATHER JACKET:
I bought that at my friend’s boutique, Switch, and I think it’s super-badass.

BAG:
This Balenciaga bag was my big splurge when I landed
Glee
.

MY STYLE ON BOTH COASTS

NEW YORK

I never realized until I moved to Los Angeles that when I lived full-time in New York, I only wore black. It’s a cliché, but it’s true: In New York, black tends to be everyone’s uniform. But black is never boring. In fact, when I’m there I tend to a have a lot more fun with my wardrobe by layering and adding accessories—you can get away with so much more in that city when it comes to fashion. I’ll still usually wear black, but I’ll add a red lip, or wear a lot of accessories or fun patterned stockings (I guess that’s the Rachel Berry in me). New York City just allows for more creativity: You’re surrounded by a sea of interesting and eclectic people who are out walking around, plus there are changing seasons, which means layers (often cool vintage ones) are in constant play.

Catching a bite to eat in New York City with my mom and dad. I love dressing up a simple pair of pants and a top with a cozy sweater and heels.

LOS ANGELES

Living in New York, I always fantasized about what it might be like to live on the West Coast and wear shorts, flip-flops, and T-shirts all year round. Now that I’m actually in L.A., I can confess that when I’m at home, I get to live out my dream. Los Angeles has some big-time fashion credibility, but it will always be more casual and less sartorially creative than New York—I don’t know if it’s because it’s permanently sunny and layer resistant or because people are just not out walking around as much (it’s a car culture, after all), but most people’s style is much more straightforward and much more label-conscious. (There isn’t as much of a thrift shop culture, either.) To that end, I find that when I’m in L.A., my style is simpler, too.