Eva Mendes Is Our Style Icon of the Week

I feel as if we’ve been seeing Eva Mendes’ name in the news a lot lately, huh? And while we’d love to hate her (since she stole our man and all), these headlines have served as a timely reminder to pay respect where respect is due.

Granted, Eva’s been keeping her red carpet appearances to a minimum this year (cough, cough), but that doesn’t take anything away from the fact that she’s a style star. The actress and moonlighting fashion designer exudes old-Hollywood glam in the vein of cinema legends like Gina Lollobrigida and Sophia Loren. She manages to be sexy and seductive while staying completely, 100 percent elegant (read classy) the entire time. And even better, Eva is more than happy to make her signature style accessible to the rest of the world with her high-street design collaboration with New York & Co. I can see why a certain someone likes her so much. So in honor of everything, Eva Mendes must be honored with the Glamour Style Icon of the Week title. Let’s take a look:

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At the 2010 Met Gala, Eva channeled Italian cinema glam in a strapless floral Dolce & Gabbana mermaid gown. Bow down.

This sexy made-for-a-movie-star gown has a very interesting story. Eva chose the fringey, shimmery AtelierVersace confection for the opening ceremony for the Rome International Film Festival in 2010. But because of worker protests, the red carpet was canceled—although Eva did hit an after-party in the dress. Since she reallyneeded to give this sublime gown its much-deserved moment in the paparazzi spotlight, Eva wore it again at a movie premiere. At the same Rome Film Festival. Now who’s the champion repeater, Kate Middleton?

Hey, you don’t wear just any old LBD to a Vanity Fair Oscars party. Eva chose this tulle and sheer-paneled-in-all-the-right-places frock by Donna Karan.

I die for this fall 2012 Dolce & Gabbana embroidered lace overlay dress that Eva wore at the Toronto Film Festival that year. Extra points for donning a Liz Taylor-esque turban as a statement accessory and totally pulling it off.

For a slight change of pace, Eva opted for a bright and, dare I say, girly color palette but stuck to a classic feminine silhouette with lace detail in this Valentino frock.

For the after-party of the New York City premiere of The Place Beyond the Pines (you know, that movie she was in with that actor named Ryan Gosling), Eva nailed ’50s-inspired glam in a rust-hue Prada dress with a bejeweled butterfly-and-flower-adorned belt. So classic.

Eva’s last official appearance this year was, of course, to promote her line with New York & Co. She was obviously her best advertising in a figure-flattering floral fit-and-flare dress and matching mint green pumps and an M2Malletier bag—which seemed to be strategically placed. But then if you refer back to the first pic above, that might just be how she likes to hold her purse.

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