Do you know who the first icon was? No it wasn’t Madonna or Kate Moss, I’m talking about he big man himself, Jesus. I know it seems crazy but he was the first person the term icon was derived for. Now, icon is used to describe a person or photo, etc that represents or embodies a specific image.
Through out the ages of fashion there have been copious amounts of individuals who have been the “It” girl or guy that stand above all the others. So over the next few weeks I will be displaying my top 10 iconic men and women who have left their imprint on the fashion world.
Icon Number 1- Audrey Hepburn
All it took was a single lady from across the pond to single handedly bring cigarette pants, oversized sunglasses, trench coats, head-to-toe black ensembles, ballet flats, and mens fashion to be staples in a woman’s closet. The women from the 1940s-1960s were eating out of Mrs. Hepbern’s ever fashionable hand. Her style was so chic and yet beyond effortless, and is still influencing women in today’s society. Not that long ago Lady Gaga even mimicked the style of Mrs. Hepburn circa Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
Audrey’s favorite designer was the one and only Givenchy, who is known for his clean lines and simply elegant style. He designed a lot of the outfits that she wore in her movies, such as: Her Breakfast at Tiffany’s lampshade hat and black sunglasses and the iconic black silk evening dress that Holly Golightly wears in the opening scene, The Glen Clove suit and the evening gown known as Inez de Castro she wore in Sabrina, and the all white outfit in How to Steal a Million, just to name a few. Her feet were devoted to the flats of Salvatore Ferragamo, whose flats she wore in both Funny Face and Sabrina. Audrey has been quoted saying, “Give a girl the right pair of shoes, and she can take on the world.” With this said, Audrey was clashing against just about every other women in Hollywood at that time, because all they could feel powerful in were heels.
Always letting herself shine through the outfit, she made sure the clothes never wore her. As a woman with a love for fashion, I feel like this is one of the best ideas for ladies, but it is not always the easiest. If you’re not comfortable in what you’re wearing, if it doesn’t complement you, and you are unsure overall, it’s a sign that you shouldn’t buy it. Stick with what you know and what truly works for you, and then expand with prints and fabrics, instead of ridiculous cuts/ shapes of garments (think to Bjork’s infamous swan dress. JUST NO!) It has been said by many fashion moguls, that Audrey’s style was so impressionable and stood the test of time, because she stuck to what she knew was right for her body type, she stuck with classic shapes and bold accessories.
So lets live a little like Audrey this fall and pick outfits that are tailored to your specific body shape, keep things clean, classic, and above all effortless. Whether you’re pairing a white oxford dress shirt with a full frilly skirt (another Audrey favorite) to compliment your hourglass shape, or a nice mini dress in a bold pattern paired with a motorcycle jacket and fun pumps to really show of your killer legs. Work what you got, and stick to that.