Audrey Hepburn famously said “my look is attainable.” How can this be true for someone widely proclaimed one of the most beautiful women of all time? Because Audrey Hepburn is at least as well known for her style as for her beauty, with a few signature pieces, any woman can achieve Audrey Hepburn’s timeless style. Here is a guide for dressing like Audrey Hepburn.
The Basics
The Audrey Hepburn look is based on elegant simplicity. Its core attributes are clean lines, simple yet bold accessories and a minimalist, almost monochromatic color scheme. The silhouette is slim and delicate, with an emphasis on the waist. Her colors were basic-mostly black, white, or beige. In fact, Audrey was reduced to tears during the filming of “Funny Face” when director Stanley Donnen insisted that she wear white socks with her black dancer’s outfit. Audrey objected because she thought the socks would interrupt the continuous black line of her outfit and make her legs look shorter.
The Shift Dress
Audrey Hepburn herself suggested that to imitate her look, women should wear “little sleeveless dresses.” Though originally made famous by Coco Chanel, the little black dress became inextricably linked with Audrey Hepburn in the famous opening of “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” (Incidentally, designers and style editors recently voted “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” the movie that has exercised the largest influence over fashion.) To channel the Audrey Hepburn look, the dress should be simple; ideally, a basic sleeveless sheath. The hemline should be at or just beneath the knee, and Hepburn never wore plunging necklines.
Skinny Black Pants
Next to the little black dress, the skinny black pant is the look most closely associated with Audrey Hepburn. Hepburn pioneered this look, which she usually paired with ballet flats. The Gap capitalized of Audrey’s association with the skinny black pant in its “Keep It Simple” ad campaign introduced in 2006, which featured classic footage of Audrey dancing in slim fitting black pants. As a Gap representative explained, “Sure, she was the little black dress, but she also was the black cigarette pant.”
The capri pant is a signature Audrey look, which she made famous in the movies “Sabrina” and “Funny Face.” Capri pants come in a variety of cuts and lengths, ending just beneath the knee, mid-calf or just above the ankles. Audrey favored slim, ankle-length capri pants, which she then wore with ballet flats.
Three-Quarter Length Sleeves
Three-quarter or bracelet length sleeves are a fundamental part of the Audrey Hepburn look. Audrey Hepburn’s style emphasized the slimmest, most delicate parts of the figure: in the case of three-quarter length sleeves, the wrist, and in the case of capris, the ankles.
The Boat-neck
After Givenchy dressed Audrey Hepburn in shoulder-skimming boat-neck dresses for her role in Sabrina, the boat-neck style became known as the “Sabrina” neckline or the “decollete Sabrina.” A boat-neck top shows off collar bones and an elegant neck and is classic Audrey.
The Ballet Flat
The ballet flat is the indispensable accessory that completes every Audrey Hepburn look. Audrey favored delicate flats over heels and clunky looks, and paired them with everything-dresses, pants, capri pants, shorts, etc.
Accessories
Audrey Hepburn wore few accessories, but those she did wear made a big statement-think, the oversized dark sunglasses and big pearls made famous in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” While her accessories may have been large, Audrey Hepburn never went overboard, usually wearing only one elegant piece of jewelry at a time.
Finally, Never Forget The Fit!
Audrey Hepburn’s style is so distinctive because rather than following trends, she stayed faithful to a few shapes and styles throughout her life. To mimic her effortlessly chic style, remember that simple lines and cut are paramount. When clothes fit perfectly, there is no need for flamboyance to draw attention.
Sources:
Mary Cadden, It’s a Whole New Era of Hepburn, USA Today, available at http://www.usatoday.com/life/2006-09-24-hepburn-style_x.htm.
Megan Lane, Audrey Hepburn: Why the Fuss?, BBC News Magazine, available at http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/magazine/4884428.stm.
Gap press release, available at http://www.gapinc.com/public/Media/Press_Releases/med_pr_GapKeepItSimple090606.shtml;
Hollywood Innocent, People Extra Magazine (Winter 1993) available at http://www.audrey1.com/articles/articles25.html
