Lena Dunham Shows Off Curves in Elle, Reveals What Makes Her Feel Less "Gross" About Being a Celebrity

Fame is never going to be a picnic for Lena Dunham. But at least she's picking up some nice baskets along the way!

The Girls creator and star was Elle's pick for the cover of its February edition, the magazine's 5th Annual Women in TV issue--and while Dunham is looking increasingly comfortable in high-fashion situations such as this one, the 28-year-old admits that she had to make a deal with herself once she realized she was becoming a full-fledged celebrity.

"I realized early on that I was not going to be able to have a comfortable relationship with celebrity if I didn't feel like I was using it to talk about things that were important to me," Dunham, who made waves as always with her first memoir, Not That Kind of Girl: A Young Woman Tells You What She's "Learned", told Elle.

"It was always going to make me feel gross, for lack of a better word. I was like, 'Oh, this attention is something I'm going to figure out how to use in a way that feels productive, healthy, and smart. And not just like as an excuse to collect handbags.'

"Although," Dunham added, "I love handbags." 

A silver lining, indeed!

And while some continue to love to hate on Lena, plenty of fans (and critics) continue to hang on her every word. 

HBO announced just last night that it has renewed Girls for a fifth season (season four premieres Sunday, FYI) and the show heads into this weekend's 72nd Annual Golden Globe Awards with two nominations, for Best TV Series, Comedy or Musical, and Best Actress in a Comedy Series for Dunham.

The writer-actress got downright slinky for Elle, meanwhile, showing off curves in a tight red pencil skirt and T-shirt in one edgy look and showing off a hint of a red, lacy bra beneath a body-hugging black dress in another. At the time of the photo shoot with Paola Kudacki, Dunham was still rocking platinum-blond hair, but she has since reverted to her more natural brunette shade, just in time for the Globes.

The February issue of Elle hits newsstands Jan. 13.