The results are in and we've counted the ballots! Now we can reveal the winners of the HELLO! magazine reader survey to find 2003's Most Elegant Woman. Casting your minds back over a whole year's worth of stylish images, you narrowed down the original 32 candidates to the ten who took part in the final, and then the winner and runners-up.
Queen Rania of Jordan is the overall winner, with a convincing 32.3% of the votes. Next comes Wales’ own Hollywood leading lady, and close behind her in third place, fellow Oscar winner Nicole Kidman, followed by Friends star and girl-next-door beauty Jennifer Aniston.
Here we take a look at the individual styles of the winner and the three runners-up.
Rania of Jordan
“I am flattered – this was a very pleasant surprise,” said Queen Rania on hearing she’d been elected HELLO!’s Most Elegant Woman of 2003. “It’s always rewarding to receive acknowledgment along the way. It was certainly a breath of fresh air,” added the hard-working mother-of-three.
For allure and glamour, there are few other royal ladies who can quite match 33-year-old Rania. She never fails to look exquisite, whether she's attending a state banquet in traditional Arab costume or hosting her son's eighth birthday party in a pair of well-cut, trendy jeans.
Of course it helps that she has a perfect heart-shaped face and huge, expressive eyes. She also keeps herself in great shape by jogging most days. But it's more than just her looks: tireless charity worker Rania also projects serenity and confidence, and carries off a fusion of Arab and Western style with enviable poise.
Favourite designers include Elie Saab and Giorgio Armani, who when opening an exhibition of his work in London recently had this to say about her: “Rania's beautiful, she has the body of a model and holds herself like the queen she is – what more could you want?”.
Catherine Zeta-Jones
Shortly after arriving in Tinseltown, Catherine developed that Hollywood diva style and stuck to it.
The Welsh beauty keeps it classic with tried-and-tested designs, wearing well cut jackets over separates for informal occasions, or dresses with generous decolletages which show off her curves and flawless skin for more formal occasions.
She favours Versace and Gucci and tends to opt for black to match her raven hair and eyes, though she might occasionally step out in something starkly contrasting.
Nicole Kidman
The queen of reinvention, actress Nicole Kidman, is confident enough to alter her look every couple of months. Take her recent change from a slightly austere style in trouser suits and hair scraped back into a long, blonde ponytail, to her return to an ultra-feminine elegance these last weeks, with her wavy hair au naturel.
She's not afraid to experiment, either: while classic labels such as Chanel, Yves Saint Laurent or more funky Jean-Paul Gaultier are usually her staple choice at big celebrity events, the actress will also slip on something from lesser-known designers as well as put together a vintage combination, too.
Jennifer Aniston
Now that Jennifer Aniston has grown her hair back from her post-marriage blunt bob (she said it was the worst thing she had done), she’s back to that long-locked “Rachel” look. This can veer from rock-chick cute to almost-celestial when she’s picked out something slinky, such as the vintage Christian Dior outfit she wore at last year’s Emmys.
She’s a big fan of Italian designers, too – and they of her: “We love her sense of style, because it’s effortless,” said Domenico Dolce and Stefano Gabbana about Jen. “Whether it be our tuxedo or a little black dress, she always looks incredibly sexy. This ease with fashion, combined with confidence, make her standout in Hollywood.”
Even if she does err sometimes on the side of dressing down, Jennifer’s still just one of those lucky, lucky women who can sling on a pair of old torn jeans and skimpy vest and still look fantastic.
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
Photo: © Alphapress.com
