


Ashlee Simpson wishes she could erase a few outfits from her “Autobiography.”
“I definitely look back and laugh at my fashion, because clearly I’ve always liked to mix and match — but it might’ve taken a second to get it right,” the “Pieces of Me” singer tells Page Six Style with a laugh.
Still, after years of experimenting with different looks ranging from punk rocker to pop princess, Simpson can finally rest her head on something real (to quote her 2004 smash single), having settled on her signature style: “’70s boho.”
“It’s really something I’ve always gravitated toward. I’ve always loved a high-waisted flared pant, a tank and a duster; that’s kind of my California vibe,” she says.
That aesthetic is evident in Simpson’s new collaboration with Smash + Tess, a selection of slinky slip dresses, groovy wide-leg jumpsuits and draped dusters priced from $60 to $160 and available in sizes 3XS to 4X.
And the campaign shoot for the collection was a family affair, with Simpson modeling her retro-influenced designs alongside husband Evan Ross and her 7-year-old daughter, Jagger.
“If I’m doing anything — even if I’m doing a fitting — she’s like, ‘Where’s my outfit?!’ So it was natural to bring her in and do a mommy-daughter moment,” the songstress says, adding that Jagger “loves clothes.”
“I cannot dress her anymore. It’s all her … She’ll go into my closet and put on a whole outfit. I’m like, ‘Ok, I’ll save that one for you,'” Simpson says.
But the star doesn’t look back at all of her past looks with “L.O.V.E.” Below, Simpson sounds off on some of her most memorable red carpet moments from over the years: the good, the bad and the “so bad it’s awesome,” as she puts it.
“The scarf makes me crack up — it was such a thing at that time. Why were we all wearing a scarf with everything?! … There’s a point when you really need to lose a piece, you know? There’s a lot going on.
“But also, clearly, I’ve always loved a trouser. I still wear trousers all the time.”
“I definitely regret this one … actually, I don’t even know if I regret it, because it’s so bad it’s awesome. Why was my signature boot a wrestling boot?!
“It’s just so of that time, of that era. It’s fun to look back and laugh at it. I would not be caught dead in that [now].”
“Oh my God. I don’t know that I’d be in a bubble dress [today], but I did like that look — it was fun!
“Hair and makeup and clothes are all meant to be played with and to enjoy. You gotta figure it out and take chances. I definitely did that in the early 2000s; I look like I’m trying to figure it out!”
“Again, I’m a tomboy at heart, but that was a nice moment for me. I loved that dress; it was elegant, and definitely a step in a different direction. It was time to grow up!
“I’d recently cut my hair, too; that hair was a fun moment.”
“That one was fun. It was an ode to Mama D [Diana Ross, Simpson’s mother-in-law, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award during the show].
“I loved the sparkles and the ombré of the dress; it felt like the right moment for that.”
“That jumpsuit was so fun! I worked with [stylist] Maeve Reilly on this look; I loved the feathers.
“[Hairstylist] Ken Paves wrapped wire in my hair throughout the ponytail, which kind of went with the whole look. He always comes up with creative, cool things — but it was impossible to get out at the end of the night!”
“This was so fun for me, because I don’t usually do bright color. I was really happy we went that way, and went with the red hair and the dark lip. It was something different for me, and I was happy with how it came out.
“The dark lip, to me, kind of balanced it — so it wasn’t too sunny and still had an edge.
“I had not colored my hair for two years, and I didn’t feel like going the highlighted route. So I went red … and then I kept going more and more red!”