Actress Natalie Portman hits her mark on the cover of Vogue magazine's January 2011 issue. Happily, she looks more like a hopeful young dancer than the demented ballerina she plays in her current hit, "Black Swan." In the revealing profile, Portman peels back her good-girl reputation.

For the cover, she wears a graceful, hand-pleated J. Mendel silk chiffon dress in blush pink, accessorized simply with Tiffany & Co. rose-cut diamond earrings. Her makeup (all Dior) is soft and natural.

In the photo spread, however, the drama ratchets up. Shot in a suggestively timeworn former hotel in downtown Los Angeles, Portman channels a ghostly romanticism.

With ragged strips of lace woven into her waved hair and wound around her neck, she twirls barefoot through a grand but empty room. The photos evoke a touch of Miss Havisham -- or perhaps a modern couture version of "Giselle," the classic ballet in which the heroine's spirit haunts her lost love.

The images throughout are by Peter Lindbergh, who recently rejoined Vogue's stable of photographers. In an accompanying video from the photo shoot on Vogue.com, Portman praised the "ethereal" atmosphere created by Lindbergh and fashion editor Tonne Goodman.

In one image, Portman wears an ivory version of the J. Mendel pleated dress from the ballet-influenced spring 2011 collection. A cream Chloé dress with a draped bodice also hints at dancewear, while a Valentino gown drifts in a layer of tulle.

The profile by Joan Juliet Buck, however, is anything but ethereal. Portman opens up about stripping off her sweet public image, her tough times at college and her attraction to extremes.

As Buck points out, "Black Swan" is not the first time the pristinely beautiful Portman gets down and dirty, nor will it be the last. Portman clearly relished the chance to tackle the role's darker, sexier scenes. Portman says, "because it's me, people are shocked. I see the value of a good-girl persona -- it's so easy to subvert it!"

Her next films lighten up with raunchy humor, including the friends-with-benefits comedy "No Strings Attached" and the medieval-stoner spoof "Your Highness."

With her own production company, Portman seeks out funny scripts. She tells Buck of her quest for "that guy-movie tone, but with women -- who are generally not allowed to be beautiful and funny, and certainly not vulgar."

Portman's days playing a raucously potty-mouthed warrior princess are a far cry from her difficult period at Harvard University.

"I gained my freshman fifteen or 20 and had superdepressed moments," she confided to Buck. "That Cambridge winter is tough....You start learning how to ask your friends or professionals for help, or go to mentors."

Now she splits her time between New York and L.A., where she sometimes goes for hikes with Kate and Laura Mulleavy, the Rodarte designers who created costumes for "Black Swan."

Portman doesn't miss her pointe shoes, however. "I think I maxed out on my ballet," she ruefully laughs on Vogue.com. "I love going, I love seeing it, but in terms of doing it, I'll leave it to the people who are the experts."

Since she's now dating New York City Ballet dancer Benjamin Millepied, she's got an expert at her fingertips.

Vogue's January issue spins into newsstands on Dec. 21.

Meanwhile, check out Vogue's earliest covers dating back to the 1900's!

To discover the secrets behind Portman's dramatic look in "Black Swan," read on!

StyleList got an exclusive first look at showstopper elements in W magazine's January issue. Devoted to "Who's Hot," the glossy includes two Stone-cold foxes: Actress Emma Stone nabbed the cover, while the newest Model of the Year, Lara Stone, is featured in the spread on Tom Ford's new line of women's clothing.

Emma Stone and her fellow cover model, actor Garrett Hedlund, represent the magazine's "Generation Now," celebrating rising talents in film, fashion and music.

Both pose in brash, dare-you-not-to-look outfits. Stone rocks a Gucci fringed bustier layered over an Alexander Wang T-shirt, with Balmain's yellow-streaked jeans. Hedlund braves leopard-print pants by Givenchy by Riccardo Tisci.

W editor at large Lynn Hirschberg interviewed these up-and-comers. Emma Stone plays the love interest in the next Spider-Man film, opposite new Spidey Andrew Garfield. Hedlund is hitting theaters in "Tron: Legacy" and will soon croon with Gwyneth Paltrow in "Country Strong."

Their profiles promise to be juicily candid, with Stone commenting, "Simulation of sex is a real workout. We must have done a hundred takes. There was an oxygen tank at one point." Hmm, and what scene would that be?

W editor in chief Stefano Tonchi seems to be turning back to the cover philosophy he championed with his September issue redesign. At first, he'd sought lesser-knowns who were winning acclaim for their work. After more familiar faces like Kim Kardashian and Katherine Heigl on recent covers, he turns his eyes ahead again, betting on these picks to be the next big thing.

Tom Ford's return to womenswear is another highlight of the issue. In a dramatic fashion spread shot by Inez Van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin, Lara Stone wears the hotly anticipated new line.

Ford's relaunch was inspired by 32 high-octane women ranging from actress Julianne Moore to powerhouse singer Beyoncé Knowles. W tapped gap-toothed sensation Lara Stone to model four looks from this first collection. Posing against painted backdrops, she appears to be stepping out of the artworks.

A sapphire fringed dress was designed for singer-model Karen Elson, for instance. Ford says, "Karen is such an exotic beauty, I always love dressing her in color that plays off her skin tone and hair color."

A plunging black catsuit with huge, flaring kimono sleeves, meanwhile, was sparked by model Lou Doillon. While Doillon's known for her reedy, boyish body, Stone proves that the look can also work on women with curves.

Can we expect to see the catsuit on Jennifer Lopez soon?

Look for the issue on newsstands starting Dec. 21.

For another look at a hot January cover girl, read on for Reese Witherspoon!

Are you ready to party like a sparkly lumberjack? J.Crew goes to high-low extremes in its Holiday 2010 catalog. Gayle Spannaus, lead women's stylist for the recently sold company, gave StyleList a behind-the-scenes look at the mailing, which arrives in homes Dec. 4.

StyleList also discovers the brand's best special-occasion clothes -- and who J.Crew President Jenna Lyons wishes would crash the company holiday party!

The key looks in the catalog pair sequined tanks, metallic shoes and crystal jewelry with plaid shirts, long sweaters and what Spannaus calls "tomboy, slouchy, around-the-fire wear." They're all in a bid for comfort, chic and originality.

As in years past, the December catalog sidesteps traditional holiday icons, using bright red as a visual detail throughout the pages.

Rather than Christmas stockings and candy canes, the creative team played with crimson industrial and athletic props, from a fan to a hockey stick.

"We just have fun, everybody throwing down on the table their ideas of red items and getting creative," Spannaus told StyleList. "We went all over the place with the red props."

Other red threads included scarlet lipstick, cashmere and plenty of buffalo plaid.

This oversized black-and-red check "is one of those things that always cues holiday in some way," Spannaus believes. "It feels cozy but then you layer on a sequined pant with the buffalo-check shirt. It's got a lot of dimension. There's nothing wrong with a little black dress, but we want to give other ideas as well."

Among those ideas? "Sparkly femme lumberjacks!" cheers Spannaus.

"I love sportif," she adds. "I think everybody does and combined with the sparkling (items), it's what we love. It's the Saturday day mixed with the Saturday night."

Other women's pages focus on luxurious textures and softer colors. The section on sweaters mellows out with makeup-influenced tones and dusty pinks.

"There's an elevated but not exclusionary feel to it," notes Spannaus. "It's all about texture: leather, satin, fuzzy cashmere."

"The last and final story is the palate cleanser," she explains. "It's the nod to the classics, the camels, denim, olive, heather gray."

In those classics pages, you'll see the debut of J.Crew's latest partnership: Lulu Frost jewelry. Six vintage-inspired bracelets kick off the exclusive collaboration. Each shimmers with antiqued glass crystals and gold-plated chains.

A spread devoted to ballet flats highlights some new designs, too. Responding to customer feedback, J.Crew's designers added a cushioned insole as well as a slight interior wedge, so that you get a bit of a boost. A rubber sole and an elasticized top edge give better fit and durability.

Some of Spannaus' favorite dress-up clothes are in these pages as well. She points to an olive lace button-down shirt as a perfect piece to wear from work to a party.

Another go-to item is a floor-length washed-silk-crepe skirt. Spannaus loves it with a thick-knit marled sweater but she also sees it with a tank, a button-down or a fitted sweater. "It's transitional; you can wear it right into summer," she promises.

More new party contenders include a confetti-like sequined fringed miniskirt and platform heels with a sexy satin ankle tie.

Spannaus points to a special pair of shoes or booties as the way to pull an outfit together. "That, with a pair of jeans and the Ludlow blazer and a crisp blue shirt, is the most elegant way to dress day-to-night."

That's right; women now have their own version of the popular men's Ludlow blazer. For the holidays, it shows up as a satin-lapel tuxedo jacket.

Perhaps company president Lyons will rock this look at the company holiday party? If she gets her wish, Christina Ricci will make a surprise appearance.

Welcome back, Mark Cross! The American heritage leather goods brand is resurrecting in time for the holidays through an exclusive partnership with Saks Fifth Avenue department stores. StyleList got a sneak peek.

Lucky's December issue piggybacks a couple of landmark moments: the magazine's 10^th anniversary and the debut of Brandon Holley as its new editor-in-chief. Holley gave StyleList the inside scoop on the issue's special features and her plans for the future.

The shopping-centric magazine marks its first decade with some new editorial directions, as well as a handful of fun, one-off retrospective round-ups.

But the splashiest salute is online, rather than on the page. Lucky created over 100 short videos, tied to every article in the magazine, and posted them on its Web site.

This is, by far, the magazine's biggest video venture. The clips build on the December issue's stories and tips, giving viewers more fashion and makeup advice, plus interviews with women featured in the magazine.

There's also a "getting to know you" video with Holley, in which she reveals some of her more memorable style moments. (Blue hair! Rock-band fur bikinis!)

While this flood of video won't be unleashed for every future issue, you can expect more than in years past. Holley is excited by new technology that allows for faster, smoother video production. "It's a quick turnaround," she notes. "Video's finally gotten manageable."

But let's get back to the beginning: the black, white and red-all-over cover.

"Inglourious Basterds" actress Diane Kruger appears on the birthday issue, wearing a snowy, floral-embroidered, five-figure cocktail dress. (Though the dress may remind you of Chanel, it's actually Valentino.)

The look may be more la-di-da than the usual Lucky cover but after all, it's not every day a glossy toasts a decade on the newsstands.

Editor at large Elise Loehnen applauded Kruger because "she resists the siren song of the celebrity stylist and insists on choosing her own outfits."

The new face of Calvin Klein's Beauty perfume is also known for doing her own hair and makeup for most events. The star told Lucky that after "Basterds," she was so hooked on red lipstick, she planned her outfits around her lip color.

Loehnen raved to StyleList about Kruger's look. The cover girl "has an impeccable eye -- this all makes her an ideal Lucky girl, since she knows how to mix high and low, take risks, and dress for her body.... We wanted her in part for the cover, though, because she really relishes being in a great gown -- and is known for amazing red carpet moments."

Inside, a new "On Our Cover" feature devotes three pages to Kruger's style, including the actress's favorite red carpet looks, like the fuchsia ruffled Christian Lacroix gown she wore to the Golden Globes.

Holley plans to use this extended profile in future issues. She's also honing in on celebrities who are known for their personal style. "We just shot Kate Bosworth," she told StyleList, "and [she] brought two huge bags of her own clothes."

More celebs will also pop up inside the magazine's fashion features. Holley looks to match up-and-coming designers with fresh creative talent, such as model/actress Elisa Sednaoui.

Lucky's back page has been transformed with a new column. For "The Style Icon," readers will submit a photo of someone they know who has outstanding style, such as a friend or relative.

"It's kind of like the New Yorker cartoon contest," explains Holley. Readers can nominate anyone, in hopes of winning the spotlight for a "style love letter." The chosen applicants will also get a spa trip or other activity.

Holley herself is tempted to add to the recommendation pile. "I have a neighbor I want to submit. She matches head to toe every day and I've never seen her wear the same thing twice!"

The column was inspired by a blog by Piper Weiss, called My Mom, the Style Icon. Weiss contributed the inaugural column, dedicated to her mom's plaid-bikini beach look circa 1970.

This blog-based idea will be the first of many Holley intends to mesh into the Lucky brand.

"You're gonna see a lot more bloggers in the pages of Lucky," she promises. "They are what is most exciting in fashion: the online voices and democracy."

"A social shopping experience and a social experience around fashion is where we're going," Holley asserts. "We want to create an affiliate network of women who write about fashion... I'd like to create a more seamless interaction between print and blog." Hear that, style bloggers? Lucky wants you!

Design-wise, the magazine will get what Holley calls a "fresh coat of paint" in the months ahead. The creative team is working with Andy Spade's company, Partners & Spade.

"That firm is so full of ideas, I'd want an ongoing relationship with them," enthuses Holley. "The girls at his office are total Lucky readers. They all did that little shoulder scrunch and said 'I love Lucky'... you know that little shrug? It's a physical thing [you do] when you think something's cute or great."

Still, Holley claims that the changes will be more like a refreshing spa stint than an extreme makeover. "It's such an amazing magazine and hats off to Kim [France, the founding editor-in-chief] for creating it. We're not in turnaround mode."

Holley's own back-to-work experience informs a key story in the next issue. After a few years of working from home as editor-in-chief of Yahoo's Shine site, she suddenly had to pull together an office-ready wardrobe -- a Condé Nast-worthy wardrobe, at that.

"I did do a major shopping trip which was really, really fun," she recalls. "I hightailed it to Bergdorf's... It was three sweaty hours, about a hundred pieces of clothing." (For those of us in a more humble scenario, the article will cover mix-and-match separates.)

For another look at a special magazine issue, check out Glamour's 20th anniversary of its Women of the Year awards, with Fergie on the cover!