Nicole Richie appears in the September issue of Domaine magazine to show off her backyard and love for dining outdoors, and the results are stunning. As you may have gathered from previous stories, I kind of adore Nicole and will defend her until the sun goes down (at which point, I’ll drink some boxed wine and change the subject) because I’m strangely proud of her for doing something with her life beyond being Paris Hilton’s sidekick. Like, as soon as Nicole had one major screwup — that 2006 DUI — she straightened up and got really got her act together. Now she’s a wife, a mother of two children, and a fairly successful designer of clothing and jewelry.
A lot of you have commented that you think Nicole’s current persona is all an act and that she’s still secretly a mess, or on drugs, or whatever. Plus, there are those pesky eating disorder rumors that have persisted ever since Nicole managed to lose some extra poundage years ago, and she never gained it back. I will admit that there are moments that I worry about Nicole looking a little too bony, but I do think that she is a very small-boned person by nature, and I also have a hunch that she likes to stay on the thin side because (much like Victoria Beckham) it’s a fashion industry thing. So the fact that Nicole has received a huge feature in an interior design magazine that talks about her passion for dining al fresco, well, it seems a little bit weird, but OMG, the photographs are lovely — especially if you like food pr0n, you should take a peek. Here are some tips from Nicole:
On how she decorated her backyard: “I hate the term bohemian. It was important for me to keep the color palette strong but not too overpowering. We’re all about having everything be really eclectic and relaxed.”
On the vibe: “My house has that summery look and feel all year round — luckily for me I live in L.A. and can get away with it.”
She loves throwing dinner parties: “You feel the love and thoughtfulness in the food.”
Her friends love it too: “I’m against assigned seating. I like people to come to my house and feel like they can do whatever they want. Our house is the one people come to, to hang.”
[From Domaine]
I don’t have a problem with anything she’s saying here, and Nicole’s tips aren’t really prescribed instructions in manner of Goop or Alba. While it seems a little bit Goopy for Nicole to be going in this direction in this magazine feature, at least Nicole has taste. I’d like to eat the food that is photographed and hang at her house. I’m not sure that Nicole actually eats this food, but that’s a lingering topic of discussion that won’t be settled anytime fast.
What I like most about this photo spread is that there are so many pictures of Nicole’s friends, but Paris Hilton is not pictured at all. You know Paris hates that, right? Paris would die to get back in Nicole’s good graces because Nicole is classy now, but Nic will have none of it.
Also, Nicole has no food on her plate in this picture. I see a few crumbs though, right?
Photos courtesy of Domaine
Is Nicole’s plate the only one without food in that photo with her friends?!
LOL…then it is reality!
Anorexics sometimes can be really into making food and feeding others. Strange but true. If it were me I’d have at least put something on my plate for the shoot though.
I was thinking the same thing….
How does that happen? It can’t be a mistake right?
It had to be on purpose because even if they had an empty plate at the actual shoot, they could have photoshopped some food on the plate afterwards. Or maybe, they photoshopped it off the plate. Hmmmm
Either way, why? Why the empty plate?
Oops, I meant my above comment to go here. I blame the tablet (and my giant fingers).
The gold hand on the tray with rice and pickles? where Nicole is looking at her daughter is kind of weird too.
I don’t know that this is that big a deal. When I am playing hostess, my guests’ needs always come before mine and I rarely eat the food that I prepare with them. I’ll have a little to eat, but never fill my plate, usually opting to eat before the party so I am free to refill glasses or plates during dinner so my guests don’t have to get up. That and in my culture it is rude to fill your plate before your guests fill theirs, poor hospitality. Maybe she was raised in that school of hostess etiquette. Or maybe she has an eating disorder.
I love Nicole.
Yayyyyy Nicole!!!!
I have a soft spot for her, too (and also secretly love that she made a better life than Paris Hilton after playing the chubby, lesser friend). The pic of her and her daughter is very pretty.
Love her. Love her sense of style, too, because it’s never too *done.*
I see she’s back to a skeletal weight
I love how she is looking at her daughter – it really illustrates how her priorities have changed and that her children/family are the centre of her life. Nice!
It’s a staged picture. How can you tell anything from it, really?
I like her a lot now, too. But I still think that she has some serious food issues
She has really redeemed herself since the days of reality TV with Paris Hilton. She is the only celebrity that I can honestly say, I endorse their clothing lines….love House of Harlow. You go girl.
I liked her on Jessica Simpson’s design show as well. I’ve never thought of her as ever being chubby however. No wonder she appears to have an eating disorder. I think she could use a little weight on those bones but that’s just me. Good for her for rising above that stupid reality show.
She definitely had alcohol bloat on that ridiculous show she was on with Paris. And I absolutely believe that her role on that show was to be the less desirable one so she wouldn’t outshine Paris.
I wish she was heavier as well – she often does not look well, and I don’t think she has truly kicked that eating disorder.
Nicky Hilton was supposed to be on that show but she didn’t want to so Paris got Nicole instead. I don’t think it wad because she was supposed to be less desirable. And its not alcohol bloat. Nicole just came out of rehab for heroin addiction so she had put on weight.
She made a dumb show entertaining – she does have comedic flair and looked better with more weight and her empty plates are glaringly obvious so I wonder if this is a call for help. What is Joel up to these days?
I guess shes taking the Vic beckham stance where she doesn’t want people to think she actually eats!
I guess all those years of hard work really paid off
Nice pics but sorry I still don’t buy the she eats healthy… the shadow of ED is still very much present, and the gap of the boob job looks funky…
I love her style. She’s hilarious too. I love it when she makes off the cuff comments.
From a Druggie to a ????? Not sure what the hell she does, she is not an actress, not a model – basically famous for doing shiz and it doesn’t hurt – her dad being Lionel Richie!
I don’t get it – she is not a Fashionista in my book – she’s a toothpick with a 13 yr old boys body.
Sorry , definitely not a Fan…
I agree. I think she is nothing but a snobby mean girl. Lainey did a great post on Nicole years ago about how Nicole is the queen of the childish mean girls in her neck of the woods.
As for her style and looks, it’s not my cup of tea. Her looks are the definition of fug in my book. I was at a Matisyahu concert a few weeks ago in Berkeley and she dresses exactly like all the 16 year old girls I saw with the high wasted unflattering shorts and “boho” top and accessories. And to be honest, they did it better than her. You know when the teenagers are doing it, it’s time to retire the look. Nothing is figure flattering, she is always swimming in her clothes or they have an odd fit (like her crop top and high wasted shorts-I think the lines they create are repulsive). Her choice of denim is atrocious IMO.
And I don’t believe for one second that she is no longer anorexic. The woman has given birth to two children and looks she like she doesn’t eat even 1000 calories a day. I can’t really decide whether her boob job makes her look less or more anorexic.
I am happy she stopped going down the Paris Hilton route and is a good mother but I have a feeling she has just as bad of an attitude as we all know Paris does. Nicole just hides it better.
I have to disagree. Nicole has an amazing sense of style, and her jewelry line is actually pretty incredible (and a bonus is that it’s affordable too). She always looks so chic, like it takes no effort at all for her to put an outfit together. She is my #1 fashion icon.
However, the rumours that she’s actually a mean girl in real life make me sad :(.
Paris?
Lol
The bikini pictures of her from years back show it wasn’t simply pesky rumors of an eating disorder. The girl had serious issues and it shouldn’t be downplayed.
I still get the vibe from her that she’d mean girl you in a new york minute.
she has the most beautiful eyes ,i love that decor ,reminds me along the lines of smthn Nigella used to do ,warm and comforting
Speaking of Nigella, the Daily Fail just had recent pap photos of her looking much better, while that repulsive cur Saatchi is still eating at that same restaurant (really, there’s only one decent restaurant in London?) looking miserable.
I also have to wonder what he orders because he’s said he prefers weetabix to Nigella’s lovely food. Do you think they make up weetabix especially for him?
Go, Nigella!
yeah team nigella forever ,thats nice to hear ,i hope she gets far far away ffrom that sexetarian douche of a man,i hope she gives him gravel and granite for food ,thats what the scum deserves
Did she cook all that food herself? It looked yummy and I am hungry!
I just dont trust her for some reason… I dont know why because she’s been nothing but grown up and quite pretty. I just have a feeling she’s stuffed with anti-depressants or like she has a closet drinking problem.
Personally I think Nicole has a lot if snark in her or sarcasm that in reality is mean. I agree she has done well for herself and that should not be taken away but she is starting to give the vibe she is above everyone else also. Hopefully she is not taking opinions from Goop. There is just all kinds of wrong in that.
I wonder too just how clean she is in that remember Joel was caught with pot in his room in Australia but never charged and Nicole was in Australia. Joel admitted to it. I do wish her well and hope she continues for good health but something still says we have some covering here.
I’ll take her tips over GOOP any day.
+1000
I love Nicole. I would kill to have her wardrobe and her kids are adorable. No shade from me.
I´m a bit torn about Nicole. On the one side I think she has done well for herself in the last couple of years and really turned her life around (I applaud her for shutting out Ebola Hilton). Even tough I really like her style and I think she is funny – she still gives me the meangirl vibe.
It´s not that suprising that she gets a feature in the magazine, because it´s founded by close friends of hers. They also own the whowearswhat page.. guess it´s a win-win for both of them
The photos from the website, not the ones here, are just the vibe I want my wedding to have.
I kind of love her even though I believe she’d shun me in a hot minute (middle aged, overweight, not remotely “cool.”) Her videos are great-she’s really quick and funny.
I’m not sure why you’d like her then slag off on someone like Jessica Alba. They’re doing the same thing – selling lifestyles because they have nothing else to do.
At least Alba was marginally once upon a time (rip Dark Angel).
I’m not buying it. I still think she’s a bonafide, mean girl, stone cold biotch.
I agree. I can’t get why anyone would find her admirable in any way.
i remember when she wanted to be a singer
i guess those who cant do, tell you how to cook and stuff. there is no room for goop jr.
I like Nicole my cousin received baby supplies from her charity a few years ago.She has matured into an attentive mom and businesswoman
I like what she’s done with her hair. Darker and shorter is nicer than the blonde weave look she was rocking for awhile. She looks like DIana Ross.
I like her eyebrows.
I haven’t cared for her since her mean-girling Jessica Simpson on the fashion reality show..
cause she is soooo much better..
Nicole probably would slap food out of my hand and make me feel guilty but Jess would encourage me and grab a plate too.
she’s probably getting ready to shill home accessories now.
she looks beautiful here, but I also it’s weird hers is the only plate without food.
The girl was friends with Paris Hilton, and if that’s not bad enough, Nicole ended up looking like the mean and immature one when that friendship ended (inviting a former friend to a party under the guise of making up then playing said friends sex tape so everyone can laugh at her…classy). It takes a a hell of a lot to make me feel bad for Paris Hilton, but Nicole managed it.
She’s always seemed like a nasty piece of work, she behaved so disgustingly on that show she did with Paris. It was almost painful to watch her rudeness and cruelty, especially in the first season or two before she was trying to be a classy fashionista. She’s been absolutely scathing about Paris, Rachel Zoe, her ex’s…I’m not saying they don’t deserve some hate, the people she associates with are scum, but at the same time Nicole’s only famous because of Paris, she’s only a fashion girl because of Rachel…don’t try to act like you’re better than them when they’re the only reason you have anything more than an allowance from daddy.
Oh and please don’t minimise her eating disorder. Whether she still isn’t recovered now or has just messed up her body so much she has trouble gaining weight, she was anorexic back in the day. The pictures from that time are terrifying, I’d be shocked if she wasn’t close to organ failure back then.
nicole was really mean to the people they came in contact with on that show, that’s why i dont like her
she is that girl who will do anything to make the cool kids laugh. ick.
ITA but it still does not excuse her behavior, she owns that and she is horrid.
Whatever ya say about this chick, she has THE most beautiful skin I have seen on anyone EVER.
It is the most perfect shade of golden caramel I have ever seen.
A golden-caramel skeleton. Isn’t she a vision?
She hates the term “bohemian” because it belies the fact that her look and style are formulaic, and not unique. Whatever, little trust fund girl, get yours.
Lovely pictures.
Whole thing seems as fake as her boobs to me.