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Apparently there are drawbacks to having Jessica Alba's enviable physique --  according to the 31-year-old mother of two, early in her career she felt "objectified."

"I had a show [Dark Angel] that premiered when I was 19," Alba tells Marie Claire, showing a lot of skin on the magazine's June cover in a lace-up Versus dress. "And right away, everyone formed a strong opinion about me because of the way I was marketed. I was supposed to be sexy, this tough action girl. That's what people expected. .... I felt like I was being objectified, and it made me uncomfortable," she reveals. "I wanted to be chic and elegant!"

Video: Jessica Alba -- 'I'm Not Perfect'

But after marriage and motherhood, Alba now has a better grasp on her personal style.

"There are some women who dress for men. I dress for myself. It took me some time to get here," she admits. "Being a mom and feeling grown-up have helped. Now if I'm going to wear something short, it has to have a high neck or a little sci-fi toughness to it, an edge."

Pics: Jessica Alba's Colorful Day with Kids

As for her famous figure?

Not surprisingly, she embraces it.

"Now that I'm older, I've learned how to own it, but I'm still not very overt. ... I like to get positive attention. But if I have a choice between someone noticing in a negative way what I'm wearing and going, What was she thinking? or someone not noticing what I'm wearing, I would rather not make a statement at all and just have a good conversation instead."

The June issue of Marie Claire hits newsstands on May 22.