Rachel Bilson may be as petite and pixie-ish as they come, but the adorable star of The O.C. is towering over Hollywood.
Literally. At least, she was the last time I saw her, at a chi-chi bash thrown in her honor at the luxe rooftop suite at the legendary Chateau Marmont hotel. Although the patio offered spectacular rooftop views of the glittery Sunset Strip in the heart of Hollywood, all eyes were on Rachel, who was being feted by Lucky magazine as the latest cover girl, beaming from the cover of the hefty September 2005 issue.
Despite her teeny-tiny proportions, you couldn’t miss the diminutive raven-haired beauty as she stood at the center of a swirl of fashionable cocktail-swilling guests, her TV gal pal Mischa Barton and her on-camera/off-camera squeeze Adam Brody among them. Even such sights as the swiveling hips of perennial party dolls Kimberly Stewart and Bijou Phillips on the improvised dance floor or the arrival of the Fonz himself, Henry Winkler (his ravishing redheaded daughter Zoe co-hosted the party), couldn’t detract from the belle of the bash, who sashayed up to me in an incredibly cute strapless patterned frock from Jovovich-Hawk (the designer label of actress Milla Jovovich) and a sleek, lacquered ‘do.
“I’m having so much fun – It’s so crazy!” exclaimed Rachel as she greeted me over the thumping strains of a vintage Prince tune, admitting that she’s never had such a big party thrown in her honor. “It’s so weird! I was, like, nervous walking up. I’m so glad I don’t have to talk in front of anybody!”
She effusive in praising her hosts from Lucky. “They’re so cool. I love, love doing things with them. They’ve been so great to me and I love the magazine.” Given the mag’s gleefully obsessive coverage of fashion, shopping and all things trendy, I decided to chat up Rachel on style-minded topics. The actress described her personal approach to style and fashion as “very vintage, and I like to try different things and not necessarily go the obvious route. Sometimes you’ve got to do it, but I always try to throw in a little vintage here and there, or something to kind of throw it off a bit.” Her current fashion obsession right now? She’s wearing it: “I love Jovovich-Hawk so much, and I’m obsessed with their clothing line. I love them.”
Rachel also told me about the famed fashionistas who’ve inspired her, both classic and contemporary. “Old school, Edie Sedgwick is one of my fashion icons. And I think Sienna Miller has fantastic style. Amazing. She has that vintage thing I grew up with.” But her most influential fashion inspiration was standing just a few feet away: her stylishly clad mother, Janice, who held court with the Lucky crew. “My mom is actually my one fashion icon, because she taught me all about vintage clothes-she’s here tonight, and she has the most amazing style.”
I dished with Marlien Rentmeester, Lucky’s West Coast Bureau Chief, who explained exactly why Rachel was a quintessential “Lucky Girl.” “We love Rachel Bilson,” gushed Marline. “The clothes that she wears are accessible, and she mixes vintage, high and low, and I think a lot of girls can relate to her. A lot of young girls are picking up our magazine, and the reason is we feature real girls in the magazine. For the most, part the models that we choose are relatable and accessible, and the same with the cover girls–They’re not these out-of-reach, hot divas. They’re girls and women that a lot of women can relate to.”
Marline also said Rachel‘s signature style has evolved since she first caught fire on The O.C. “Particularly on the show, yes, I’ve seen a progression-an evolution in a good way. It seems to me that she’s accessorizing more, and she just has more of a standout look. She’ll pair one-of-a-kind t-shirts with jeans, and just looks different from everyone else.”
But the fashion Rachel-who spent her summer vacation shooting the romantic dramedy The Last Kiss in Montreal with Zach Braff, Jacinda Barrett, Blythe Danner, Tom Wilkinson and Casey Affleck-isn’t looking forward to donning once again is the superhero outfits the O.C. producers make Summer wear for her comic book-obsessed beau Seth (Brody). Will she be suiting up again this season? “I hope not!” squealed Rachel. “Y’know, we never do a Halloween episode, yet every year I’m in, like, ten costumes.”
