After Gwen Stefani’s great appearance at the Grammys on Sunday, her cover of Canada’s Fashion Magazine just seems… blah. She’s a pale woman but they really washed her out. Still, I am happy to see Gwen looking much better overall. She really had me worried last year, when it looked like she was tweaking her face too much. I guess she heard the criticism and let the ‘Tox work its way out. Good. As for this magazine interview, Gwen seems to be saying that she’s never really relied on her sexuality in her career. True or false?

On sexuality: “We have this sexual side to us that is alluring and powerful. It’s a gift. When you discover it when you are around 14, it feels amazing. But you learn it’s fleeting. Sexuality is something I’ve never felt comfortable with. I won’t be doing any topless photo shoots anytime soon. It’s not my thing. I don’t judge people for it, but I didn’t even wear high heels until I was 30. It’s important to evolve outside of your sexuality to entertain people. It was never a card that I played or will play – ever.”

On never regretting her fashion wardrobe choices: “Everything seems to have a reason for looking a certain way. If you [hand] me an old photo of myself, I can tell you why I’m wearing what I’m wearing. Somebody just showed me a picture of me at a MTV awards, where I was wearing this blue fur bathing suit top. Right away, I was like, ‘Yup, I know why I wore that.’ I had just gotten off a two-and-a-half year tour with No Doubt and I felt like I needed to break free a bit. How can anyone regret wearing something? I never do. It reflects who you are at that moment.”

[From Fashion Magazine, via E! News]

I remember when No Doubt really became major in the mid to late 1990s and all of the guys thought Gwen was the hottest thing. They liked her – I believe – because she was an interesting balance of tomboy/athlete and just good old fashioned Hot Girl. She was girly with her makeup and her platinum blonde hair but she was also all about showing off her toned abs and sweating her ass off during concerts. Now, do I think Gwen ever put herself out there like she was the sexiest chica in the world? Not really. But it seems too “cute” to say “It was never a card that I played or will play – ever.”

Photos courtesy of Fashion Magazine.