Have an Audrey Hepburn Influenced Style

When people think of the actress and UNICEF goodwill ambassador Audrey Hepburn, they think of grace, class, elegance, and style. Audrey knew what looked good on her, and what didn't, and as Audrey's son Sean Hepburn Ferrer explained, his mother's style was "the extension of an inner beauty reinforced by a life of discipline, respect for the other, and hope in humanity."[1] Although she died in 1993, her spirit and legacy live on.

For many women, capturing Audrey's style continues to be the pinnacle of timeless grace and elegance. If you'd like to adapt some of your wardrobe and fashion style with an Audrey Hepburn touch, here are some suggestions to help you.

Steps

  1. Find what looks good on you. From an early age, Audrey had a clear mind as to what looked good on her and she stayed true to her own style all her life, even arguing gently but stubbornly with those who saw fit to request otherwise.[2] She had a dancer's eye for self-knowledge, knowing both her finer points and her lesser ones. She wasn't afraid to acknowledge what didn't work for her as much as what did. And it's good for you too to find your faults, because we all have them. But also find at least one thing about you that you really want to accentuate and love about yourself. With Audrey it was her daunting {{safesubst:#invoke:convert|convert}} waist.[3] She wore clothing cinched at the waist to show it off, and enhancing is what you should do with whatever you like about your body.
    • Get Tailored Clothes in Bangkok looks great because it is made to fit you. Consider having some classic, timeless clothes tailored individually for you; the difference in how the clothes sit on you is simply remarkable.
  2. Watch a few Audrey Hepburn films for an idea of her elegance and styles. Her defining movie is Breakfast at Tiffany's,[4] a film in which you can see many elegant shots of Audrey. Other good films for fashion ideas include Sabrina, Paris When it Sizzles, Funny Face, Charade, and Roman Holiday. Also, read some of the many books dedicated to discussing and showing Audrey Hepburn's style. A lot of them will give you a good idea of the types of clothes she wore, her general style, and how she accessorized.
    • Another good way to get a feel for Audrey's style is to also focus on her philosophy of life. Do this by reading biographies about Audrey Hepburn and read the many quotes attributed to her. Audrey believed most in the power of love over everything else, and that gave her an inner strength guided her through life constantly and even impacted her style choices.[5]
  3. Keep your choices Look Simple Yet Stunning. Audrey never liked things to be complicated, including fashion and "less is more" was her key belief.[1] Indeed, she once said: "Boil it all down to what counts the most: What is the essence of what you are trying to do, what is the most important thing? Things only get complicated when you try to address too many issues."[6] Her match with Givenchy was a reflection of her preference for simple clothing and even today Givenchy clothing is known for its elegance, simplicity, and line.[7] Think "elegant simplicity" when putting your look together.
  4. Avoid following trends. There is no need to be swayed by trends when you're already certain of your personal style. Audrey wasn't swayed by trends and indeed, her sense of Be Timeless came from her belief in quality before all else. Sean Hepburn Ferrer said that the reason Audrey has remained an icon to this day is because she stayed with her look all her life once she found it and didn't reinvent herself every season.[1] While Audrey loved fashion, she used it as a tool to complement her looks, rather than letting fashion use her. So in your own case, stick with the classics that you know work for you and perhaps give a glance at trends by the simple addition of a colored Make a Bouquet Ring Brooch or a scarf that reflects the color scheme of the day but no more – use seasonal changes as the accessory, not as an enslavement to trends. The exception to this rule is where a trend happens to coincide with your personal style and does look good on you; in that case, buy up!
    • Audrey was no stranger to avoiding Start Your Own Trend. Not only did she not jump into the latest fashion trends but she was also somewhat unique for her time. Up against icons like Marilyn Monroe and Jayne Mansfield, who were buxom and blond, Audrey was gamine, waif, thin, brunette, and decidedly flat-chested. Her response was to make the most of what she had and to accentuate it!
  5. Pay close attention to your Grooming. Audrey's look was always unmistakably well groomed and neat. Her love of simplicity extended to ensuring that she appeared simply made up even though quite a lot of effort had gone into achieving this look. For a simple but effective look, concentrate on caring well for your hair and getting it cut regularly. Select a hairstyle that suits you and revise the look as you age. Don't be afraid to wear a style that isn't current; provided it looks good on you, that's what counts.
    • The first thing people notice is how you look. As such, flawless skin, manicured nails, and well-groomed hair all matter for first impressions.
    • Looking good helps you to feel good too. Dressing well for even a trip to the Practice Supermarket Checkout Etiquette can give you an air of confidence that helps you interact well with others.
    • Take good care of your clothes. Buy quality and keep them in good shape with careful washing and by following the care instructions on their labels. Keep them well pressed and stored.
    • Audrey believed in buying shoes a half size bigger rather than smaller so that they did not deform over time or hurt the feet.[8]
  6. Consider Audrey Hepburn's basics as possible basics for your wardrobe. There were some items of clothing that Audrey always considered essential. They may or may not form a part of your wardrobe, but it's worth considering them at least:
    • The white shirt: Audrey wore a white shirt in the movie Roman Holiday. After this, it became a classic in women's wear. The best white shirt is button-up, plain, and without embellishments. Audrey used to tie hers at the waist for a tiny look. It can be worn for work with a blazer thrown over it, worn with the sleeves rolled up for relaxing, or worn with a skirt and heels for a dinner outing.
    • A pair of kitten heels: Audrey's heels were short and elegant. At 5" 7, Audrey felt herself taller than many actors of the time and didn't wish to accentuate her height. Her choice of kitten heels simply added to her elegance and what's more, medical specialists tell women that the safest height for heels is kitten heel height![9]
    • A pair of flats: Audrey's initial dream was to be a ballerina.[10] Circumstances prevented her from achieving this dream but she did carry over some of the Create a Ballerina Costume style into her daily wear, and ballet flats were definitely one of these choices. Flats can go with many clothes, including pants and full skirts. They're also great for height reduction if that's an issue for you.
    • A fitted suit: Chic fitted suits were another one of Audrey's trademarks. One very good quality suit can be mixed and matched with a range of your other clothing pieces.
    • The little black dress: It was Audrey who introduced this to us, both in the films Sabrina and Breakfast at Tiffany's, showing its enduring importance as a fashion icon to this day. Her Givenchy black dress from Breakfast in Tiffany's sold for nearly half a million pounds in 2006.[11] Now an absolute essential in any woman's wardrobe, the LBD is best plain but dressed up with accompanying items. For more details, see How to dress up that little black dress.
  7. Consider casual wear as Audrey wore it. When Audrey was spending time with her children, gardening or playing with her dogs, she dressed very casually but her relaxing wear was still defined by a mark of elegance as well as comfort.
    • Audrey preferred jeans, slacks, Capri pants, or khakis to skirts. For jeans, either a skinny fit or a bootcut fit work well. She preferred dark, classic denim, but that's because it worked for her, so be sure to find a shade of Distress Denim that works for you. As for khakis, Audrey wore the slim fit, and this looks good on mostly everyone; all the same, be sure to find a length that works for you.
    • When it comes to tops, she preferred polos, Wear a Turtleneck (black), button down shirts, or t-shirts. She liked them in a solid color (her favorite was white) and without any logos or print. Find a color that goes well with your skin tone and hair color.
    • As for shoes, a pair of Pick the Casual Ballet Flat for You, sneakers, or Italian driving shoes (she liked Ferragamo) are perfect. They come in many shades and patterns, so find one that is versatile and that you like. Just be aware that Ferragamo shoes are not cheap! But most importantly, never, ever skimp on quality and always think about comfort. It's better to have one pair of sturdy shoes than many that are uncomfortable and easily fall apart.
  8. Select some suitable accessories. There are a few accessories that defined Audrey Hepburn's style, as follows:
    • A scarf: You can wear a scarf in so many ways that it's impossible to list them all. If you have one shirt and seventeen scarves, you really have more than seventeen shirts! Try silk scarves for summer and cashmere scarves for winter.
    • Dark sunglasses: These look good on everyone and are perfect for your gloomy, "I didn't get enough sleep" days.
    • Long evening gloves: For special glamor at night, why not wear a pair of long evening gloves with your evening dress?
    • Pearls: A quality pearl necklace is an essential in your jewelry box. Avoid overly large pieces or fake pearls; buy a pair of small pearl earrings over of a pair of huge fake ones. In Breakfast at Tiffany's you can get a sense of a very glamorous look of Audrey's character's Holly Golightly's jewelry; in real life however, Audrey tended to prefer a simple set of studs and not too much daily adornment.
  9. Maintain good posture. As well as clothes and accessories, posture does a great deal for your appearance. Audrey's ballet training taught her to never look sloppy and to always appear graceful, even when relaxing. Audrey said that "dancers do a lot of technical things out of good habit. When we relax we never get sloppy"[12] and she carried this gracefulness across to all aspects of her life. Carry yourself gracefully and with good posture in mind and you'll carry off any look successfully, especially when accompanied by a positive attitude about your life.
    • Standing up straight makes both you and your clothes look better.

Tips

  • Never buy knockoffs. It's better not to have the real thing than to have a fake. Instead find a similar, but cheaper item. Or even something entirely different that you like. Have some respect for the original designer's hard work and creativity and your own sense of good taste.
  • When looking for clothing like Audrey's do a simple search in online auctions sites for "Audrey Hepburn" and then click on women's clothing. Let the sellers do the work of sorting and finding the items for you; you can browse through their selections to see if you agree and purchase what you think is appropriate and of good quality. The vintage clothing sections can be very useful for finds.
  • Dress properly. Don't wear jeans and a t-shirt to a red carpet event, but also don't wear a fancy dress out to lunch with your friends unless you've all agreed to dress up for some good reason.
  • Mix high-end and low-end stuff. If you can find something perfectly good for less, then buy it. Don't be afraid to mix it with your more expensive items either.
  • Audrey's favorite colors were white, black, and pink, although she rarely wore pink.
  • Audrey's favorite designers were Givenchy and Ralph Lauren for clothing and Ferragamo for shoes. She also liked Louis Vuitton bags.[3]
  • Audrey is said to have liked "Joy" perfume,[12] and Givenchy commissioned Francis Fabron to make the perfume L'Interdit for her.[13] However, regardless of the type of perfume Audrey liked or used, find the perfume that best matches your style and needs; it may even be no perfume at all; keep things simple!

Warnings

  • Audrey's extreme thinness was due to malnutrition during World War II, coupled with her strict discipline as a dancer. The style does not require you to be extremely thin but to make the most of what you do have!
  • As with any suggestions on style, pick and choose what works best for you. Trying to completely imitate another person's style carries the risk of submerging your own self. If Capri pants and ballet flats don't flatter you, then don't lose any sleep over discarding them from your style.

Things You'll Need

  • Clothing
  • Accessories
  • Biographies on Audrey Hepburn (visit your local library)
  • Internet access for researching photos

Related Articles

Sources and Citations

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Sean Hepburn Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn: An Elegant Spirit, p, 155, (2003), ISBN 0-671-02478-7
  2. ↑ http://dailydivadish.com/2010/05/05/audrey-hepburn-style/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 http://www.fashionweartoday.com/celebrity-fashion/audrey-hepburn-wearing-style.html
  4. ↑ Sean Hepburn Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn: An Elegant Spirit, p, 160, (2003), ISBN 0-671-02478-7
  5. ↑ Sean Hepburn Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn: An Elegant Spirit, (2003), ISBN 0-671-02478-7
  6. ↑ Sean Hepburn Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn: An Elegant Spirit, p, 95, (2003), ISBN 0-671-02478-7
  7. ↑ Ellen Erwin and Jessica Z Diamond, The Audrey Hepburn Treasures, p. 104, (2006), 978-0-7432-8986-3
  8. ↑ Sean Hepburn Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn: An Elegant Spirit, p, 154, (2003), ISBN 0-671-02478-7
  9. ↑ Nina Garcia, The Style Strategy: A less-is-more approach to staying chic and shopping smart, p. 54, (2009), ISBN 978-0-06-183401-1
  10. ↑ Sean Hepburn Ferrer, Audrey Hepburn: An Elegant Spirit, p, 37, (2003), ISBN 0-671-02478-7
  11. ↑ http://englishorganizer.com/2009/06/audrey-hepburn-style/
  12. ↑ 12.0 12.1 http://audreyhepburnstyle.com/
  13. ↑ http://boisdejasmin.typepad.com/_/2005/07/linterdit_by_gi.html
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