Audrey Hepburn remains the essential fashion icon who still inspires fashionistas the world over, from the streets of Tunis to the international capitals. This screen legend left us a precious style legacy: pairing elegance with simplicity, daring to wear the tailored trouser or the little black dress, making hats and jewellery shine. Her secret? A relaxed attitude and an easy self-confidence, never taking herself too seriously. Here are 25 timeless style secrets inherited from this icon, to adopt starting today.
The Fundamentals of Audrey Hepburn’s Style
1. Simplicity as a Weapon of Seduction
Sometimes a simple dress is more than enough. Let your natural features do the talking, instead of drowning them in artifice.
2. Gloves: Elegance Close at Hand
Gloves add an instant touch of sophistication. Audrey’s immaculate white gloves turned her look into a style statement on their own.
3. The Hat: Protection and Style in One
Accessorise your face with an elegant woven hat — even to clean the pool. Elegance never takes a day off.
4. The Art of Making the Masculine Feminine
Striped T-shirts and cropped cuts can look wonderfully feminine. Audrey’s confidence made that tomboy look shine.
Comfort and Elegance: The Golden Rules
5. The Elegant Nightdress
A cosy nightdress is perfectly acceptable. Comfort comes first — you don’t need a tiny outfit to be alluring.
6. The Belt: Sculpt Your Silhouette
A belt cinched at the waist of a dress creates a lovely shape. Audrey lifted her tartan dress with a fitted belt and a fantastic beret.
7. Wear Your Own Personal Crown
You don’t need royal blood to wear a crown. Audrey knew that every woman deserves to be treated like a princess.
Style Daring: Take a Risk to Shine
8. The Bow Tie, Worn by a Woman
Don’t be afraid to take on the bow tie and the suit. Audrey had complete command of the masculine wardrobe — her intense eyeliner and lipstick kept the sensuality intact.
9. The Collared Shirt: Timeless
Collared shirts never go out of fashion. Pair one with striped cropped trousers for a perfect daytime look.
10. Asymmetric Fringe: Daring With Your Hair
Your fringe does not have to sit straight across your forehead. Audrey played with hers to create an offbeat, asymmetric effect.
Beauty and Accessories: The Details That Make the Difference
11. Lipstick: The Essential Glow
You cannot go wrong with a bold red lipstick. Audrey knew this essential trick of the trade.
12. Simple Colour Blocking
Simple blocks of colour create a classic look. Just add fun chunky sandals and eye-catching earrings.
13. Sport and Femininity Reconciled
Take off your heels to play sport. But keep that practical, adorable summer dress on.
14. Bold Prints: Dare to Wear Pattern
Fun, bold prints always work. Audrey’s feminine make-up and her wide-brimmed hat balanced out strong patterns.
Signature Accessories: The Must-Haves
15. Loafers, Worn by a Woman
Women wear loafers just as well as men do. Audrey’s penny loafers were adorable with her anorak and her headscarf.
16. Sunglasses: Instant Allure
Sunglasses go with literally every outfit, even formal ones. That iconic photograph shows Audrey radiating absolute “cool” by pairing Wayfarers with her jewelled little black dress.
17. One-Off Pieces: Assert Your Individuality
Take fashion risks and wear that one-off piece. Audrey was most definitely an individualist. A telling example: that particular hat, which worked perfectly!
18. The Classic, Practical Bag
Find a classic, practical bag. Audrey’s simple tweed bag was worn every day with a wide variety of outfits.
Personal Style: Create Your Own Signature
19. The Non-Conformist Wedding
To really stand out, take a different approach to your wedding dress. Audrey chose a short white dress and her signature headscarf for her wedding to Andrea Dotti.
20. The Colourful One-Piece Swimsuit
Set the bikini aside and wear a colourful one-piece swimsuit. You will draw more attention with this often-overlooked choice of swimwear.
21. Eyeliner: Soften a Cropped Cut
Expertly placed dark eyeliner softens a cropped cut. Audrey’s face always looked ultra-feminine thanks to her masterful eye make-up.
Maturity and Elegance: Growing Older With Style
22. Babydoll Dresses at Any Age
Babydoll dresses stay beautiful as the years pass. Simply choose a dress that is not too girlish, but delicately youthful, like Audrey’s chic floral dress.
23. Long Lashes: Mature Seduction
Long lashes are lovely on older women. Do you think you are too old for mascara? Think again! Audrey proved that age is just a number with her beautiful lashes.
24. Sophisticated Jewellery: The Art of Layering
Your mature years are the perfect moment to bring out elaborate jewellery. While it can look excessive on young women, statement earrings and necklaces add sparkle to the whole look of a sophisticated woman.
25. The Golden Rule of Audrey Hepburn’s Style
The final, crucial lesson: wear clothes in which you can be yourself.
The 25 Secrets at a Glance
| # | Secret | The essentials |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Simplicity as a weapon of seduction | A simple dress is enough; play up your natural features. |
| 2 | Gloves: elegance close at hand | Immaculate white gloves for an instant touch of sophistication. |
| 3 | The hat: protection and style in one | An elegant woven hat, even for everyday chores. |
| 4 | The art of making the masculine feminine | A striped T-shirt and a cropped cut, lifted by confidence. |
| 5 | The elegant nightdress | Comfort above all, with no need for tiny outfits. |
| 6 | The belt: sculpt your silhouette | A cinched belt creates a lovely silhouette. |
| 7 | Wear your own personal crown | Every woman deserves to be treated like a princess. |
| 8 | The bow tie, worn by a woman | A suit and bow tie, softened by eyeliner and lipstick. |
| 9 | The collared shirt: timeless | A collared shirt and striped cropped trousers, a perfect daytime look. |
| 10 | Asymmetric fringe: daring with your hair | An offbeat fringe rather than a perfectly straight one. |
| 11 | Lipstick: the essential glow | A bold red, always a safe bet. |
| 12 | Simple colour blocking | Blocks of colour, chunky sandals and eye-catching earrings. |
| 13 | Sport and femininity reconciled | No heels, but a practical summer dress. |
| 14 | Bold prints: dare to wear pattern | Feminine make-up and a wide-brimmed hat to balance strong patterns. |
| 15 | Loafers, worn by a woman | Penny loafers, adorable with an anorak and a headscarf. |
| 16 | Sunglasses: instant allure | Wayfarers go even with a jewelled black dress. |
| 17 | One-off pieces: assert your individuality | Dare to wear the singular piece that states who you are. |
| 18 | The classic, practical bag | A simple tweed bag, worn every day. |
| 19 | The non-conformist wedding | A short white dress and a signature headscarf rather than tradition. |
| 20 | The colourful one-piece swimsuit | More noticed than a classic bikini. |
| 21 | Eyeliner: soften a cropped cut | Well-placed dark eyeliner makes a cropped cut feminine. |
| 22 | Babydoll dresses at any age | A delicately youthful cut, never too girlish. |
| 23 | Long lashes: mature seduction | Mascara has no age limit. |
| 24 | Sophisticated jewellery: the art of layering | Statement earrings and necklaces for the mature years. |
| 25 | The golden rule | Wear clothes in which you can be yourself. |
