KNOWN FOR HER roles in “Big Love” and “Walk the Line,” the actress Ginnifer Goodwin, 34, currently plays Snow White on the ABC television series “Once Upon a Time.” Ms. Goodwin, a native of Memphis, lives in Los Angeles.  Ginnifer Goodwin in a dress by Misha Nonoo: âThe dress had two elements I love: classicism mixed with something supermodern.â  Couldn’t start the morning without caffeine. On the way to the Disney studios (I recorded some voice-overs for “Once Upon a Time”), I grabbed a coffee from Starbucks. I was wearing this red vintage dress, which turned out to be sort of a preamble to what I wore at night. I found it at this lovely little shop in Memphis, called Hoot and Louise. It has three-quarter sleeves and it used to have this mock undershirt, like a dickey, over the cleavage area. I don’t have cleavage so I cut the thing out. It was making me crazy. And it took the dress from being schoolgirl to something more grown-up.  I also wore a Chanel boater hat, which I can’t seem to take off, and black Isabel Marant little wedge bootees. I was cold, so I threw on a cream Sonia Rykiel sweater that’s huge, chunky and has a shawl collar. I found it at the Room at the Bay in Vancouver (we shoot the show there), which stocks all these cool designers that are sometimes tough to find.  After, I grabbed a takeout lunch and read a script at home. I painted my nails before the hair and makeup team arrived. With my co-star (and boyfriend) Josh Dallas, I was presenting the Career Achievement award in TV to Eduardo Castro at the Costume Designers Guild Awards. There really was a lot of pressure to pick something great for this awards show. Costume designers don’t care about trends. They appreciate, above so many other qualities, that tailoring is everything, which is a mantra for the way I dress. Ladies: The most important thing in clothing is to find a good, inexpensive tailor, because clothes at the stores are made for bodies that are anomalies.  I wore a red floor-length dress by Misha Nonoo. What first intrigued me was that she’s not yet a household name. And the dress had two elements I love: classicism mixed with something supermodern. The timelessness was the geometry of the dress, which was modest. The modern part was the sheer panels at the bottom of the skirt that went all the way around. You could just make out my shoes — I picked nude Christian Louboutin peep-toe heels so they wouldn’t distract from the line of the dress — but I was glad you couldn’t see that I didn’t paint my toes.  The dress was made to my measurements, which is always a lovely thing. My friend Amanda Seyfried had actually worn a similar style in cream that was sleeveless and short. I loved it, but since it was already photographed, my stylist and I talked to Misha about designing another version. I gave some input, like the color, and we added little sleeves.  I also carried a red Roger Vivier clutch (it was like camouflage, the reds were exact) and wore a Cartier Love bracelet. I was going to wear these borrowed gorgeous jewels, and at the last minute I took them off. I think it goes with being raised in Memphis: a Southern rule maybe about balancing sexy with modesty, or a certain propriety and not overdoing it. Although I do love to take risks. I find safe very boring.  Made it to the red carpet around 6 p.m., started with Champagne and then sat with Josh, the show’s creators and Eduardo (his entire family was there, which made it much more personal and lovely). Josh and I had to slip out early. We had a 5 a.m. flight to catch to Vancouver for work. But it’s Oscars weekend, and we’ll be flying right back to L.A. in another day.  I’m going to three Oscars parties this year and already have the dresses picked out. The Chanel party is my favorite. It’s intimate and so well done. And everyone’s chic.
Ginnifer Goodwin chose a dress because the designer, Misha Nonoo, was not a household name and because it mixed classicism with modern touches.