'Idol' Style

From big band to pop ballad, ''American Idol'' winner Kelly Clarkson can do it all -- including dressing the part. So what's the secret to creating a winning look?

''The whole point of American Idol was to let [the contestants] be themselves,'' says ''AI'' stylist Joanne Lavin, who, she emphasizes, just helped participants choose outfits. (The 10 finalists did their own shopping with a $2,000 clothing allowance.) ''[Kelly's] been amazing because she's really true to who she is.... She wasn't thinking about what designers to get -- it was more like a look.''

For Lavin, the 20-year-old Texan was at her best in the sexy Annie Hall update she sported for her soaring ''(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman'' performance, and the series of elegant dresses she wore toward the contest's end, including a black, off-the-shoulder ABS frock and a sequined, full-length Sue Wong gown. As for her advice to aspiring Idols, Lavin is clear: ''What ['AI'] showed is that kids don't have to look over-the-top to look fabulous.''

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