{"id":451,"date":"2015-06-23T16:07:12","date_gmt":"2015-06-23T16:07:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.delightfull.eu\/en\/inspirations\/?p=451"},"modified":"2021-03-31T22:23:58","modified_gmt":"2021-03-31T22:23:58","slug":"most-famous-style-icons-of-all-time","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/delightfull.eu\/inspirations\/2015\/06\/23\/most-famous-style-icons-of-all-time\/","title":{"rendered":"Most Famous Style Icons of All Time"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

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\nMost Famous Style Icons of All Time<\/strong><\/em>
\nAudrey Hepburn<\/strong><\/em>
\nAudrey Hepburn was the picture of pared-down elegance both on and off screen. Who can forget the belted menswear button-down worn with a long skirt and flat sandals by Princess Ann in Roman Holiday<\/em>? Or Jo Stockton\u2019s Capri pants and ballet flats in Funny Face<\/em> (revived years later by Gap for a TV ad). Or, of course, Holly Golightly\u2019s oversize sunglasses and little black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany\u2019s<\/em>. At a time when curves ruled, Hepburn was the physical antithesis\u2014gamine features, a slender boyish physique and a graceful gait born of years of ballet training. Her style choices were always about comfortable, casual elegance, not sex appeal.<\/p>\n

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\nPrincess Diana<\/em><\/strong>
\nPrincess Diana\u2019s evolution from a shy, ruddy-cheeked country bumpkin into a fashion icon happened right before our eyes. When she first appeared on the arm of Prince Charles her outfits embodied youth and innocence: Fair Isle sweaters, Laura Ashley-esque ensembles and ruffled gowns in girly fabrics like chiffon and taffeta. And her wedding dress just may be the best example of her lack of style savvy: an enormous meringue of a gown with a legendarily long train. But as Diana gained confidence, so did her wardrobe. In fact, the moment that signaled her transformation was the outfit she stepped out in the day after Charles\u2019s public announcement of his indiscretions: a sexy, off-the-shoulder black number by Christina Stambolian. From then on, gone were the modest high-collared dresses and Dallas<\/em>-era power suits, replaced by figure-skimming sheaths and gowns by designers like Valentino, Versace, Ungaro and Chanel.
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\nMadonna<\/strong><\/em>
\nThe Material Girl\u2019s icon status can be chalked up to one very important trait: fearlessness. From the moment she arrived in New York\u2019s Times Square in 1978, Madonna had a pluck and attitude that came through no matter what she was wearing: in those days it was likely torn jeans, a white tee and a treasure trove of jewelry. Over the years her style statements evolved with her music \u2014 lacy underwear as outerwear, fingerless gloves, stacks of jelly bracelets and a crucifix for Like a Virgin<\/em>; black leather jacket and a white tee, plus a platinum crop for True Blue<\/em>; the famous Gaultier cone bra and sharply-tailored suits for Blonde Ambition<\/em>; and throwback \u201970s disco glam, complete with a Farrah Fawcett coif for Confessions on a Dance Floor<\/em>. Though her days of dressing purely for shock value (please recall the S&M stylings of the Erotica era) are gone, Madonna still always manages to retain our interest.
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\nJackie O<\/strong><\/em>
\nBefore Jackie, a politician\u2019s wife was never to detract attention away from her husband. And while many eyes were still on Jack, just as many were focused on his perfectly coiffed and outfitted other half. Her legendary ladylike poise was in place far before her Camelot days: she grew up between New York and an East Hampton estate, was an accomplished equestrienne, a society presence and debutante of the year in 1947. Upon her entree into the White House, Jackie hired Hollywood heavyweight, designer Oleg Cassini, to create her wardrobe \u2014 though she gave him direction a plenty. The First Lady favored empire-waist gowns, sensible heels, gloves and streamlined suits with knee-length skirts and 3\/4 sleeves. Besides Cassini, Jackie also pulled pieces from Dior, Givenchy and Chanel, the designer behind her most iconic look: the pink boucle suit and matching pillbox hat she was wearing when her husband was assassinated. Jackie\u2019s signature style changed drastically when she moved to New York \u2014 wide-leg pants, silky blouses, printed Hermes scarves wrapped around her head, white jeans paired with black turtlenecks and ever-present gargantuan shades \u2014 but she remained just as inspiring.
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\nKate Middleton<\/strong><\/em>
\nThe world\u2019s newest style icon represents royalty\u2019s next generation. Since capturing Prince William\u2019s heart, Kate Middleton\u2019s every move has been diligently chronicled by the British press \u2013 including where she shops for clothes. And the princess\u2019s sartorial choices have been a pleasant surprise for many Brits: the girl likes a bargain and can often be spotted in the inexpensive boutiques of London\u2019s High Street. For everyday wear Middleton appreciates the easy versatility of a good dress, particularly wrap styles or a floral print by designers like DVF, Joseph, Reiss and Issa (the line\u2019s navy blue dress that she wore to announce her engagement inspired legions of copycats). And, in very un-princess-like fashion, she isn\u2019t afraid to wear something more than once. For more, ahem, regal affairs Middleton turns to designers like Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen (she designed Kate\u2019s wedding gown) and Jenny Packham for elegant numbers \u2014 and, being a true Brit, she always appreciates a stunning topper.
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\nDiana Ross<\/strong><\/em>
\nThere was no woman more emblematic of \u201970s, disco-era fashion than\u00a0Diana Ross. While she could be considered just as influential during her reign as queen of one of the most successful \u201960s girl groups ever (the Supremes, natch, in their matching ensembles), a decade later her fashion sensibility gained an appealingly sultry vibe. Much of it seemingly in step with that of Tracy, the over-the-top stylish fashion designer she played in\u00a0Mahogany<\/em>. With her slinky, draped Halston and Bob Mackie gowns, fur stoles, wide-brimmed hats, angel sleeves and sequins galore, Ross always looked ready to shake her groove thing.
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\nMichelle Obama<\/strong><\/em>
\nNot since the days of Jackie O have a First Lady\u2019s fashion choices so transfixed the public. From the moment her husband hit the campaign trail, people have been closely following\u00a0Michelle\u2019s\u00a0version of power dressing. That usually means an equal-parts mix of high and low design \u2014 she\u2019s as much a fan of J.Crew and Gap as she is of forward-thinking designers like Junya Watanabe and Alexander McQueen. Michelle both knows what works best on her body and is clearly a longtime lover of fashion: her support of young, and lesser-known designers like Jason Wu, Thakoon and Isabel Toldeo is unwavering and admirable.
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\nKatharine Hepburn<\/strong><\/em>
\nShe wore the pants. Literally! Neither\u00a0Hepburn\u2019s\u00a0physique \u2014 tall, slender and boyish \u2014 nor her attitude were in line with the bombshell look of the Hollywood age in which she reigned. She didn\u2019t fuss over her hair or makeup (in fact, she wore hardly a trace of it), and dressed with comfort in mind first and foremost. But that doesn\u2019t mean she didn\u2019t ooze glamour at every turn. Besides those aforementioned trousers \u2014 wide-legged, high-waisted and precisely-pleated, please \u2014 Hepburn\u2019s style signatures included simple, button-down blouses, sharply tailored blazers and polished loafers. Her borrowed-from-the-boys attitude exuded power and confidence and, most importantly, a less obvious brand of sex appeal.
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\nDiane Keaton<\/strong><\/em>
\nShe may be a perennial presence on worst-dressed lists but\u00a0Diane Keaton\u00a0has never dressed to please others, and that\u2019s exactly why her style is worth celebrating. She is a non-conformist to the core! Much like Katharine Hepburn, Keaton has always been happy to pay homage to the boys \u2014 think houndstooth and tweedy suits paired with men\u2019s button-downs and ties. The shoulders of her oversized blazers inflated with the eighties, and she often paired the jackets with a bowler hats and turtlenecks. When Keaton does go the more feminine route, it\u2019s never in an expected way: full, below-the-knee skirts with wide belts, high-collared shirts, and statement jewelry like outsized brooches or crucifixes. What\u2019s almost always present? A pair of fitted gloves.
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\nLauren Hutton<\/strong><\/em>
\nThe absolute picture of Americana fashion sensibility,\u00a0Lauren Hutton\u00a0is as much an icon of style today, at age 68, as she was in her twenties. In fact, her effortless approach to dressing and her laid-back, thrown-together look may be more relevant nowadays than it ever was. She has served as a muse for J.Crew and the Olsen sisters\u2019 fashion line The Row: both featured Hutton in their catalogue and look-book, respectively. Hutton\u2019s personal style has always been a study in undone elegance \u2014 slouchy pants and button-downs, loose and easy eveningwear, shirt-dresses, and, the most classic combination of all, jeans and a T-shirt. They key to her look? Not over-thinking it.
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\nBettie Page<\/em><\/strong>
\nWithout\u00a0Bettie Page\u00a0there would be no\u00a0Dita Von Teese. No\u00a0Katy Perry. No\u00a0Christina Aguilera. The\u00a0Playboy\u00a0<\/em>model turned pin-up queen never wavered from her signature look: teeny tiny bikinis and body-grazing outfits to complement her famously copious curves, reddened lips and that short, blunt fringe known nowadays simply as \u201cBettie bangs.\u201d In her everyday wear the hemlines were modest (at the knee) and the accessories (like low-heeled T-strap shoes and dainty purses) feminine, but the silhouettes were also always snug, and her petite waist emphasized. Page\u2019s classic cheesecake look is still very much in demand today; in fact there is an entire line (Bettie Page Clothing) dedicated to imitating it.
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\nMarilyn Monroe<\/strong><\/em>
\nThe original blonde bombshell,\u00a0Monroe\u00a0exuded sensuality with every step she took; in fact, it\u2019s rumored that the stilettos she wore always had one heel shaved down to achieve that slightly off-kilter gait, so she literally wiggled while she walked. During her brief life, Monroe sported what are now considered some of the most iconic outfits of all time: the billowing white halter-neck dress worn over a subway grate in\u00a0The Seven Year Itch<\/em>, the pink satin strapless number with opera-length gloves and layers of sparkling jewels in\u00a0Diamonds are a Girl\u2019s Best Friend<\/em>, and the sheer, skin-colored, rhinestone-encrusted dress she had to be sewn into to sing \u201cHappy Birthday\u201d to JFK. In her life off-screen Monroe appreciated a good skintight wiggle dress paired with heels and little else in the way of accessories (she sang about diamonds, but didn\u2019t really wear them), as much as she did more casual ensembles, like Audrey-esque sweaters and capris or jeans. But with those languid, bedroom eyes, tousled blonde crop and slightly-parted lips, Monroe managed to make everything she wore look sexy.
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\nGrace Kelly<\/strong><\/em>
\nThe definitive Hitchcock blonde turned fairytale princess,\u00a0Grace Kelly\u00a0had a natural, quiet elegance that shone through both on and off screen. Whether she was wearing a gown and tiara, or capris and a button-down, the key to Kelly\u2019s look was always appearing understated. She had a fresh-faced innocence about her that won plenty of approval in the \u201950s, and an innate style sensibility \u2014 Kelly was drawn to unfussy designs by couturiers like Balenciaga, Yves Saint Laurent, Dior and Givenchy, or alternatively, classic preppy fare like khakis, which she often paired with crisp button-downs and a printed silk scarf. Kelly had many defining fashion moments, but the one that is referenced most often was pure happenstance. A year after marrying Prince Rainier III of Monaco in 1955, she used a boxy crocodile bag by Hermes to conceal her growing baby bump. Thanks to her international style icon status, the bag quickly became famous and so Hermes renamed it in her honor; thus was born the Kelly bag, which to this day has legions of people willing to shell out up to $25K to own one.
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\nDebbie Harry<\/strong><\/em>
\nDebbie Harry\u2019s\u00a0distinct sound pulled influence from both the disco-era past and punk-rock future; and so did her look. It was equal parts \u201870s glam \u2014 slinky, one-shouldered dresses perfect for dance floor twirling and, as she proved, thrashing about on stage, heels and hot pants \u2014 and hard-edged rock: think skin-tight, high-waisted black jeans, leather jackets, ripped-up tights and all manner of beat-up rocker tees. The one constant that remains even to this day? That signature shaggy bleached blonde crop.
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\nBrigitte Bardot<\/strong><\/em>
\nMarilyn may have been the original blonde bombshell, but\u00a0Brigitte Bardot\u00a0was nipping at her heels from across the pond. The French\u2019s resident kittenish blonde first emerged wearing typical \u201850s fare \u2014 girly, wasp-waisted, full-skirted dresses \u2014 before settling into her own style routine. Her wardrobe for summers spent in St. Tropez consisted of countless bikinis (she is credited with popularizing them), short shorts and easy sundresses, but besides that her regular ensembles were usually a casual affair. Bardot favored sweaters (often with a wide, off-the-shoulder silhouette now referred to as the Bardot neckline) and tees paired with cropped jeans and a rotating collection of ballet flats; this bombshell liked to be comfortable. And Bardot is just as famous for her beauty look which was va-va-voom personified: black, winged-out liner for her sleepy, bedroom eyes, pouty pink lips and that signature tousled and curledchoucroute<\/em>\u00a0hairstyle.
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Most Famous Style Icons of All Time Audrey Hepburn Audrey Hepburn was the picture of pared-down elegance both on and off screen. Who can forget the belted menswear button-down worn with a long skirt and flat sandals by Princess Ann in Roman Holiday? Or Jo Stockton\u2019s Capri pants and ballet flats in Funny Face (revived years later by Gap for a TV ad). Or, of course, Holly Golightly\u2019s oversize sunglasses and little black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany\u2019s. At a […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":20,"featured_media":452,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[29],"tags":[411,412,109,410,409,413,414],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/delightfull.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/delightfull.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/delightfull.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delightfull.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/20"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delightfull.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=451"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/delightfull.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":10015537,"href":"https:\/\/delightfull.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/451\/revisions\/10015537"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delightfull.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/452"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/delightfull.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=451"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delightfull.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=451"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/delightfull.eu\/inspirations\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=451"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}