No Doubt singer Gwen Stefani has landed on the cover of InStyleUK's July issue. In the feature, Gwen dishes on the kids (is she trying for a girl?), making music, designing clothes, husband Gavin Rossdale and her signature red lipstick. The July issue of InStyleUK goes on sale June 3, 2010 on newsstands across the UK.

Gwen Stefani on Fashion

Have you always been obsessed with fashion? "It's been the same my whole life. I made so many clothes growing up and I used to do my own costumes. Like, in college - we'd have a concert coming up and all I would do was daydream about what I was going to make. It's the same now. Fashion gets me so excited."

Where did you draw inspiration for your spring line? "I wanted to make a collection I was really going to wear. I was into grey, black and white, with just touches of colour, like yellow here and there. And a lot of drapery and slouchy stuff and some tailoring - and looks that were a bit Eighties, but also modern. It's about what I would wear, to be honest. It's very selfish!"

 

Gwen Stefani on being a Musician

Do you enjoy performing in front of thousands of people? "I love it. It is so awesome. I love getting ready and getting in costume, then performing and being physical. If you don't play live concerts, nothing feels real. It's just a song on the radio that you hear when you're driving and it doesn't affect you. But when you walk out on stage and there are people who actually spent their money to buy a ticket and they're singing the songs, it's suddenly mind-blowing."

What initially made you decide to jump from musician to designer? "I wanted so badly to have a backup plan for when I'm not performing any more. Let's be realistic: it's not going to be like this forever. So I wanted to continue having something creative to do. I have to be creative to be happy. I don't have a strong sense of self-worth unless I'm doing something. I was a different person before I started to write. When I realised I could be a songwriter and that people would listen - that was when I started feeling good in my life."

You've said you had writer's block when trying to work on the next No Doubt record. Have you overcome it? "I just wrote a song, which is really exciting! It's not even done and I've listened to it two billion times already. It's like I can't stop. If my husband comes in and I'm listening to it, I'm like, 'I'm sorry'."

 

 

Gwen Stefani on Gavin and Kids

When I interviewed Gavin years ago, he said he prides himself on being an excellent gift giver. Do you ever drop any hints about what you want? "Oh, no, we're not allowed to do that. It's just old-fashioned gift giving. He goes all out, you know? He's a romantic, so it's good. He is a creative guy and he's amazingly inspiring with that creativity. We had a really good Christmas last year; it was fun getting gifts for the kids."

How do you and Gavin coordinate your outfits for a red-carpet event - is his outfit based on your dress? "We just do our own thing and it always seems to work. He has such great style. I get ideas from a lot of his clothes for the women's clothing line, because I like that kind of mixture. I use a lot of stuff in his closet. I'll be, like, 'Ooh, we should do a girl version of this!'"

Are you and Gavin going to try for a little girl? Someone should get to inherit your wardrobe… "I don't know. Having children is the hardest thing I've ever done. No one could have prepared me for how awesome it is and how hard. And having two boys - there's a lot of energy. I mean, it does seem weird that I don't have a girl, but I feel like I'm running out of time. I also don't want to spread myself so thin that I can't even be good for them. "Poor Zuma, he'd be the middle guy. I'm not focusing on it right now, but it's not up to me anyway, you know? These things are miracles, so we'll see. Otherwise, the clothes are probably going to go to some girlfriend of Kingston's!"

What's your favourite meal to cook, your signature dish? "I don't cook. I can toast in the toaster. I can pour and set the table. No, Gavin is the one. It's not even an option, he is so passionate about it. He cooks every day. He loves to go grocery shopping and find different things. I'm really lucky. It's actually lucky and hard at the same time, because sometimes you want to be fit and not eat it, but you have to eat it."

 

Gwen Stefani on her signature red lipstick

You've even worn red lipstick while jogging. Is there any time you don't wear it? "No, I wear it all the time! I wear pink, I wear gloss, I wear everything, but my husband prefers when I wear red, so I want him to like me still! I remember the first time I ever wore dark lipstick. I was maybe 18 and I can remember the moment I put it on - in my Honda Prelude that I bought for like, $3,000 [about £1,950] - and looking in the mirror going, 'Good, I like that'. Never again did I stop wearing it."