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Desert Rose, Starring Rosemarie DeWitt

Actress Rosemarie DeWitt, costar of the Showtime hit United States of Tara, blooms in feminine frocks that resist the heat with sheer fabrics, laser cutouts, origami pleating and feathers. Key to the look: chunky jewelry, exotic skin bags and supersexy heels. See the magazine story here, plus web-extras that show you how to get the look for less.

Susan Swimmer

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When director Ron Howard began work on 2005’s Cinderella Man, the story of famed boxer James Braddock, Rosemarie DeWitt zeroed in on the project. Yes, the then-unknown actress was trying to get a job, but she was also attracted because Braddock was her real-life grandfather. Although she was still on the margins of the business, she began a pursuit that included a letter-writing campaign, dozens of phone calls and a series of auditions. “I just thought, Oh my God, I have to be in this movie!” she says. And her determination paid off; in the end, she won a supporting role.

 

Bag: Ralph Lauren collectionpython bag,$4,495; 212-606-2100

 

Blouse: Bill Blass point d’esprit top,$1,140; 212-689-8957
rosemarie dewitt
Photo by: TK

Wild Best

By Hollywood standards, DeWittis a late bloomer. No baby food commercials or afterschool specials for her. She was in the occasional school play but says she never considered acting an appealing career path. In college, she studied a loosey-goosey liberal arts curriculum: “You could take classes like ecofeminism.” But when it came time to look for work after graduation, DeWitt remembered liking the school plays and decided to try serious training at the Actors Center in New York City. Her early work was gritty—“tiny performances in basement theaters in New York City,” she says. She’s grateful to have had that intense experience, bare bulbs and all. “Some people make it look easy to break into this business, like the 21-year-olds who are in the Twilight franchise. But for most people, it’s so hard.”

 

Dress: Naeem Khan tulle and chiffon dress with metallic beading,$3,490; Bergdorf Goodman, 800-558-1855

 

Heels: Ralph Lauren Collection snakeskin sandals,$795; ralphlauren​collection.com
rosemarie dewitt
Photo by: TK

Trail of Tears

DeWitt’s big break, Rachel Getting Married, was a career changer. Rachel, the character she plays, is planning her wedding while contending with her drug-addled sister’s antics. Anne Hathaway played the troubled addict, the juicier role, but DeWitt knew she could make the more controlled sister compelling. Next up, Mad Men, and DeWitt won raves for her first-season performance as a free-spirited, artist/sexfiend, opposite ad-man Don Draper. She admits she didn’t have to “dig deep” to pretend to lust after Jon Hamm: “People always ask me about it, but it isn’t really the hard part of the job.”

 

Dress: Carolina Herrera silk-faille dress, $2,790; 212-249-6552

 

Shoes: Manolo Blahnik for Carolina Herrera canvas heels, price on request; 212-249-6552

 

Bracelet (held in hand): House of Lavande gold link bracelet, $648; 561-802-3737
rosemarie dewitt
Photo by: TK

Pioneer Woman

DeWitt can currently be seen on the Showtime hit United States of Tara. Again she’s the sister of a troubled soul, this time Toni Collette, who plays a woman with multiple personalities. “It’s a job that I really, really love,” she says. During last year’s hiatus, DeWitt shot The Company Men with Ben Affleck, and her turn as a wife struggling to stay positive after her husband loses his job is raw and real. “Ben is a lot of fun to hang out with,” she says. “We’d just kind of BS all the time.”

 

Top: Bottega Veneta cotton top, $2,450; 877-362-1715 for stores

 

Skirt: Bottega Veneta cotton and feather skirt, price on request; 877-362-1715 for stores

 

Bracelet: House of Lavande gold-tone metal, bead and cabochon bracelet, $1,148; 561-802-3737
rosemarie dewitt
Photo by: TK

Golden Rush

On and off the set, life is good for DeWitt. Married to actor Ron Livingston, the self-proclaimed workaholic is contentedly nesting. She considers herself lucky so far, and when pressed to account for her ability to land great material, she seems genuinely modest. “I don’t even feel like you choose the parts as much as they choose you,” she says. “It feels like a luxury to get to take a creative path. My parents didn’t have that for themselves. They never pushed me to be more practical. They just wanted me to do whatever made me happy.”

 

Dress: Piazza Sempione cotton-poplin plissé dress,$1,650; piazzasempione​.com

 

Earrings: Ippolita sterling silver hoops,$350; ippolita​.com
rosemarie dewitt
Photo by: TK

Try A Fuller Skirt

Tuck a simple top in and try it with a thick belt (pull from one you already own in your closet!)

 

Talbots full skirt, $89; talbots.com
Photo courtesy of Talbots

Try A Fiesta Frock

Look for something that looks siesta, and fiesta, worthy.

 

Free People 'Victorian Dreams' dress, $148; freepeople.com
Photo courtesy of Free People

Try Sequins in Nude

Done in tans and taupes, sequins lose any scary-shine. Try them for day with a cardigan or blazer.

 

Ella Moss 'Majesty' tank dress, $127; bloomingdales.com
Photo courtesy of Bloomingdale's

Try A Nude Skin Sandal

Faux skins look amazing these days and get the price of a shoe way down from the more luxe version.

 

Lauren by Ralph Lauren 'Adalira' heels, $89; bloomingdales.com
Photo courtesy of Bloomingdale's

Try A Ruffle

We love ruffles anywhere.

 

Tinley Road one-shoulder top, $44; piperlime.com
Photo courtesy of Piperlime

Try A Faux Croc Bag

Get the rich look of croc without shelling out a fortune. Sleep easy: at a price this low, you won't feel bad about being over it by next spring.

 

ASOS faux croc bag, $50; asos.com
Photo courtesy of ASOS

Try A Sheer Blouse

Sheer fabric is a little sexy and even better, perfect for steamy weather.

 

DKNYC roll-sleeve shirt, $89; dillards.com
Photo courtesy of Dillard's

Try Bold Red

Don't shy away from this strong shade.

 

Calvin Klein dress, $128; macys.com

 

 

Want more style? See what Chico's head honcho Cinny Murray loves.

 

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red dress
Photo courtesy of Macy's

First Published Fri, 2011-03-04 11:47

Find this story at:

http://www.more.com/fashion/celebrity-style/desert-rose-starring-rosemarie-dewitt

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