Supermodel and Author Carol Alt

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Woman of Style: Carol Alt, Supermodel and Author

She's been named "The Most Beautiful Woman in the World" by Playboy and dubbed the "Next Million Dollar Face" by Life Magazine and graced up to 800 magazine covers, but Carol Alt's most personal project to date is her life changing diet.

Alt is the poster child for the famous line - you are what you eat. You see, Carol is a raw foodist. And no, it's not just eating salads or being a vegetarian, not in the slightest. She can eat anything, yes, even meat (raw) and as much as she wants and she's never hungry...ever or rarely gets sick. She's getting the benefits you wouldn't believe because her food doesn't lose the nutritional value (those all-important enzymes) that are lost through cooking that can make you look your best.

In the hopes of looking as good as Alt, we'll forego cooked food any day.. and keep her new book Eating in the Raw: A Beginner's Guide to Getting Slimmer, Feeling Healthier, and Looking Younger the Raw-Food Way kitchen-side.

Carol Alt is the epitomy of defying age. She looks better in her 40's than most 20 year olds. And, it has nothing to do with hours upon hours in a gym or plastic surgery....It's all in what she eats and it shows. We've caught up with her to talk about her style and how raw food changed her life (her very own fountain of youth)...

FACTIO MAGAZINE: Describe your signature style.
CAROL ALT: My signature style is a classic sexy and very simple-not too “made-up”

FM: Define the style in New York City.
CA: It's active and always going-24/7. The part I live in is more like a neighborhood. So I may change my clothes several times a day. Morning might be neighborhood dress, the afternoon might be business dress and then for dinner-the evening dress (either casual evening or red carpet!)

FM: What woman or women (past or present) has impeccable style and why? And, What women in which city worldwide have the best style and why?
CA: I had a hard time with this question. Some women are too dressed up for me-especialy the socialites in the city. And some women are not done up enough (some politicians’ wives). I think the most well-rounded person who has been in the spotlight is probably Jackie Kennedy. She was photographed dressed-up as well as dressed-down. And she looked “put together” in either case! I think a woman should have many sides to her personality and it should be and could be reflected in her dress.

As far as cities-I used to like the European women; France and Italy especially! They dressed beautifully. But now, they are copying American women with their casual dress and I think we have lost the art of the “in-between” dress. Not completely dressed down, but not “red carpet” either. There is the “happy medium” where you can look nice, casual, not too done, but not to “funky” either!

FM: Do you think money and style go hand in hand or can style never be bought?  Is it something you just have? CA: Style absolutely cannot be bought. I know a friend of mine who doesn’t have a penny-yet she can put together a wardrobe that a fashion model would envy! I think that comes from knowing your body and what looks good on you.

FM: What key fashion pieces do you always have in your wardrobe? What items have you bought for spring '05? CA: Shoes are always important to me. You can dress up a pair of jeans with a great pair of heels. I think a white t-shirt and a great blazer. Just those pieces alone can go from day to business to night with only a touch up on makeup. This season, I have added one new bag, shoes, and a blazer (jacket). I always have jeans-in black, white, and blue.

FM: What is your biggest fashion vice? What are your favorite shops worldwide?
CA: My vice is shoes and bags. The “touches”! I don’t have any favorite shops worldwide. I am a boutique-scout. I love small shops with great ideas. I always check out the windows as I go by. If the window is great, I check it out inside.

FM: What's a fashion no-no when attending special events, galas and more? Any tips for getting ready for an event?
CA: I think confidence can carry off anything! Look at how the celebs are dressing! However, it is always best to be honest with oneself and not dress with the trends, but dress for your body type. I also don’t like hair that is too sprayed-or rather looks too sprayed!

W hen getting ready for an event, I like to give myself time, play some upbeat music and choose what I want to wear, not what I think I should wear because I haven’t worn it in a while or I just got it and I feel I should wear it. I wear what I am in the mood for, what makes me happy and feeling good.

FM: What would people be most surprised to know about you?
CA: I have no clue. I have been in the public eye since I was 18 years old! What don’t they know about me? Perhaps that I was at one point heavy, and the agencies told me if I did not lose the weight, they would pass on me.

FM: What are your own personal standards of beauty? What are your standards for style ?
CA: I think the first thing is cleanliness. Can’t tell you how many people have dirty fingernails, clothes, hair, or even smell bad. Big turn off. If you don’t care about yourself, how can I trust that you will care about your work or things needed for business?

As for style, I will repeat-dressing for your type, not for the fads is more clever and less manipulated by the magazines. Fads last only one season. Then they are gone. So don’t think you will get two years out of even the most expensive mini skirt. If it lasts as a style for more then one season, then buy the expensive one. To start out with, buy one you don’t mind tossing if the style turns out to be a fad.

FM: How has eating raw food changed your personal appearance, keeping you looking young and gorgeous? And, how easy is it to adapt to eating entirely raw food.
CA: Everything has changed. To write about all the changes here would take pages. (guess that is why I wrote a book!!!) My hair is thicker, my skin is better, my energy is better, my weight is perfect! My moods are more “even”, the quality of my muscles and tone is better and quicker to respond to exercise. I have not been sick with colds or flu or allergies for 8 ½ years! Unbelievable for someone who was down for the count with colds and flu after every movie-at least 4 times a year, and who lived with an “afrin” in every pocket because my sinus’ were always acting up and afrin was the only thing that worked for me.

Adapting to raw food was the easiest thing I ever did. Because I felt better immediately and the guilt about what I should or could eat was gone. Once I understood how the body worked, and how food worked in it, I ate the raw foods-guilt free! Really, it is harder to not eat-which most of these diets tell you to do. Or to measure out things and count calories then it is to find the things you like raw and keep going back for them.

FM:Tell us a little about your new book, Eating in the Raw: A Beginner's Guide to Getting Slimmer, Feeling Healthier, and Looking Younger the Raw-Food Way. How has your life changed since writing it and more importantly since you began this lifestyle?
CA: I have physically changed a lot-all for the better! Since writing the book, I have been on the road promoting it. But, now everyone knows I eat raw. As if they didn’t know before! But, seriously, people stop and ask me at every turn, and instead of mini-lectures, I just tell them to buy the book and then e-mail me any questions. It is a lot easier for me if they get the basics and then ask questions. The concept of raw food is vast. That is why I call it a “beginners book”. Also, I am not a doctor, so I want people to discuss what they read with their doctors.

FM: Where do you see yourself in five years?
CA: Well, l I think that God is the only one that has the true answer to this question, but It would be great if I could continue to do what I love both personally and professionally. I hope to continue modeling so that I can advocate to the public that women are beautiful no matter what size, shape or age. I also plan to keep acting and working hard towards perfecting my craft as an actress because this has always been my true passion. I take a lot of pride in my continuous efforts to educate myself. Enhancing my awareness and staying current on trends within the beauty/health/medical community is very important to me. I would like to write a few more books on this subject so that I can continually introduce the public to all the amazing health and beauty benefits that exist with the raw lifestyle. Lastly, I hope that my website will serve as a forever evolving resource to all those interested in improving their quality of life.

For more information about Carol Alt, please visit www.carolalt.com. Eating in the Raw: A Beginner's Guide to Getting Slimmer, Feeling Healthier, and Looking Younger The Raw-Food Way is available to buy at Amazon.com.

Interview by Melissa Maynard for Factio Magazine