The Look of Decades and DecadesTwo

Angelina Jolie

Los Angeles vintage store Decades has long been a mecca for famous fashionistas. "We sell to people who want to build an archive, a legacy," says owner Cameron Silver. "They aren't into borrowing." Silver and staff entice their A-List clientele with photos of carefully edited selections sent directly to their email in-boxes (the rest of us can check out the store blog to see their latest finds). The old system was a little less high tech. "Nicole Kidman used to get first dibs on everything," Silver remembers.

Angelina Jolie sent stylist Jennifer Rade to choose the vintage Balmain couture sheath she wore to a premiere in Cannes. ?I knew that they wanted something special and Angelina loves lace,? says Silver. ?All my French friends said that she was the best dressed at Cannes.?

-Betony Toht

Katie Holmes

"We love Katie," declares Silver. "She's just stunning and tall and warm and friendly." Holmes wore her latest Decade find-a 1980's-era ruched organza gown was designed by Emanuel Ungaro-on vacation in Europe. "That was a real fashion girl's dress. Only a handful of women could get away with it," Silver says. .

Gwyneth Paltrow

Paltrow looked lovely in a loose YSL Rive Gauche gown at a Fashion Group International event last fall. "This was post-baby," Silver says. "It's just very simple. I sent a picture to [Paltrow's stylist] Anna Bingemann, saying, 'This is the right dress!'"

Nicole Richie

Richie showed off her simple-chic style at the American Music Awards in a Dior couture dress designed by Gianfranco Ferre. "She archives her stuff," Silver says of the star's extensive wardrobe. "There could be a Nicole Richie retrospective some day."

Salma Hayek

Following her appearance at the American Cinemateque Awards honoring George Clooney, Hayek enlisted Decades to re-sell her Karl Lagerfeld for Chanel gown. "It happens every so often," says Silver. "We have to be very diplomatic and make sure it doesn't go to another celebrity." And no, the shop does not increase the price of the gown following a celebrity outing. "Provenance isn't so important to us, it's the cherry on top."

Chloe Sevigny

"Chloe is family," says Silver. "She's back east now, but when she's working in L.A., she'll stop by." The daring two-piece 1970's-era Yves St. Laurent ensemble that Sevigny chose for this year's Golden Globes was altered to look like a one-piece dress. "She's hands on," he says. "She wants to know about fashion."

Jada Pinkett Smith

"Jada is super, super tiny," Silver says of his loyal customer. "I'm always looking for things for her. If it's not going to fit anyone, I save it for Jada." Pinkett Smith breathed new life into a Helena Barbieri chiffon gown from the 1950's at the New York City premiere of Reign Over Me. "I think that her best fashion moments have been wearing vintage," says Silver.

Kate Beckinsale

"Léger is sort of the new denim of Hollywood," says Silver. Beckinsale wore a form-fitting 1990's Hervé Léger gown to the London premiere of Live Free or Die Hard. "We just got a call: 'We need a really sexy dress.' Well, then it's gotta be Léger!"

Courteney Cox

"She wanted something a little edgy," Silver says of the fashion-forward Thierry Mugler dress that Courteney Cox chose for the premiere of her FX show, Dirt. "This is ahead of the trend. It's a runway piece. It has real edge-not a safe dress."

Winona Ryder

"Winona is the mascot of the store-we love her," says Silver. Ryder chose a silk Christian Dior dress from the 1950's for an appearance at an AFI tribute to Al Pacino last month. "She's so good in strapless-we were just like, 'That's the dress. Don't try on anything else!' It was one of her first major public appearances in a long time."

Garcelle Beauvais-Nilon

Decades' sister store, DecadesTwo, attracts celebrities wanting contemporary designer clothing. "The only two people that I have turned away from DecadesTwo are Garcelle and Donatella Versace," says Christos Garkinos, co-owner, with Cameron Silver, of the consignment shop. "We were in the middle of renovation and our doors we closed: 'You can't come in, we're painting.'" Luckily, Beauvais-Nilon returned post-remodel and has since been a loyal client. She picked up a slinky Alberta Ferreti gown for this year's Elton John Oscars party. "It fit her curves very well," says Garkinos. "She just looked great."