Diane Keaton: A Style Icon's Secrets

It takes a fashion icon to rate one of the ultimate fashion icons of our generation.

Sarah Jessica Parker doesn't hesitate to describe Diane Keaton's innate and magical sense of style.

What is it really like to spend time with the eclectic dressing delight who is Annie Hall?

"We did a movie together called 'The Family Stone,'" says Sarah. "I came to the makeup trailer in the morning like a frump. I'm talking about old jeans that were barely clean.

"Diane arrives at 5:30 in the morning in a hat, huge Jackie O glasses, a gorgeous cinch belt, huge skirt and high heels," Sarah marvels. "I'm slurping coffee whispering, 'How do you do it?'

"Diane said, 'Oh, I know it's hard. I've been up since 3 making the kids breakfast and answering e-mails before I got dressed. I wish I could have found something truly interesting to wear."

Stop in the name of men's vests, gloves, all that white and the perfect trousers. We all need to sigh in appreciation.

"Diane Keaton gave women permission to recreate their image," Sarah says. "I've never seen anyone be so real, so comfortable, so in command and so natural in her dress and in her life."

"All of which is why I never became a big star," jokes Keaton who is 65. Did we say she's also self-deprecating? The truth is she's actually a film legend ("The Godfather," "Reds," "Baby Boom," "Something's Gotta Give" to name a few) and a trendsetter on the fashion front.

"The smart men always loved her. She's so much more than silly looking arm candy on screen," Sarah says.

How does Keaton look so effortlessly interesting at every single turn? The day I interview her in Pasadena, California at a luxury resort, it's 85 degrees and she turns heads wearing an eclectic mix of a classic black turtleneck, a white straight skirt, Richard Tyler black jacket and lacy gloves.

"This outfit is nothing special," Diane says, almost apologetically. "I didn't have time to add much jewelry."

She does have time to teach us some important style and midlifer secrets:

*Don't stand in your closet and agonize about what to wear.

"I basically like to throw things on because who cares?" Diane says.  "Yes, I love clothes, but you can't obsess. I'm basically taking my kids to school, coming back to the house, visiting friends and talking about work. I live in California and I'm always on the move. Sometimes, however, I do wake up and have some creative idea and play it up."

*Add one fun touch to every outfit.

Diane is known for one "extra" that makes an outfit pop from a cool white man's hat to a plaid vest or antique pin. "You can add some whimsy to a look with a hot or great shoes. Fashion doesn't have to be so serious," she says.

*You don't have to apologize for wearing black. "I'm very interested in black," Diane says. "It's an easy look and you usually can't go wrong. Just add some great accessories like a hat or even gloves to mix it up."

*It's okay to love to shop. "Look, you know I have a problem. It's an illness. I've had it all my life. I love to shop," says Diane. "It's sick. But I also believe you can transform your love of clothes shopping to other things in life. Now, I'm a collector instead of a shopper. I collect Western art and paintings. So, it's okay to take a break from clothes shopping. You can also just go look and pretend you're not shopping, but you're really shopping."

*Look to role models for beauty inspiration. In her last film, "Morning Glory," Diane played a TV morning show host she modeled after one of her favorites.  

"Yes, I wanted to look like Diane Sawyer. In fact, I did a real interview with Diane Sawyer and just kept looking and looking at her. I kept staring right into Diane's face," Diane says, laughing. "I was mesmerized by that face. I even forgot what we were talking about during the segment."

 "Just out of the blue, I turned to Diane and said, 'You are beautiful! That hair! Those lips!'  I think she blushed."

*Your attitude is your best fashion accessory.That what-me-care smile on Diane's face is often another part of her daily "outfit." "That comes from waking up each day with a great outlook. I have two amazing kids, Duke and Dexter and I don't want to waste a moment complaining about the little things. Life is just too precious to let the little things bog you down."

*Appreciate the aging process.

 "There was a time in my life when I was younger where the days seemed just endless. Now, I'm busy but I appreciate all of it. Everyday something is happening and that's exciting," she says.

*Use your beauty products for the greater good.

The single mom isn't stingy with her beauty equipment. "Dexter has a pet rat named Baby O. So, I was reading to Duke and I heard screaming from the other room. We ran to Dexter's room and Bob O had fallen in the toilet. The rat was drowning which really redefines the term drown rat.

"Dexter wanted to take the rat – after we fished it out – to the ER. She was quite concerned. A friend of mine had a great idea. She said, 'Get out your hair dryer. Put it on low and dry off the rat.' It worked great and we didn't have to go to the rat ER.

"These are my nights as a Mom and I love it."

CHECK OUT MORE STYLE GOES STRONG EXCLUSIVE CELEBRITY INTERVIEWS

Suzanne Somers' Sexy Aging Secrets

Faith Hill's Secrets for a Beautiful Life

Taylor Dayne Secrets for a Rocking Body and Attitude

Felicity Huffman on Beauty, Love, and Housewives

How to Make Your Man Look Like George Clooney