Audrey was known for something which has disappeared, and that is elegance, grace and manners. —Billy Wilder, filmmaker

Audrey Hepburn came of age when film stars wore sultry dresses, were heavily made up, and had a cigarette in every photo. By contrast, Audrey usually sported clothing that was practical for the average woman's lifestyle. Plus, every woman could afford her style, since Audrey had simple taste in clothing, hairstyles, makeup, and jewelry. Much of her life is detailed in the book Audrey Style by Pamela Clarke Keogh. Fashion designer Vera Wang praised Audrey for the courageous move of following her true self while living in the world of Hollywood stardom that promoted different values:

The clothing she wore echoed her spirit and mind. In order for her to do it, she had to go out on a limb. It was pretty gutsy to turn her back on Hollywood.

But more than mere fashion innovations, Audrey’s distinctive style was marked by her gracefulness and compassionate spirit. Her distinctive grace was the result of years of training as a ballet dancer, and her inner grace developed from intelligence combined with empathy.

A Truly Noble Upbringing

Audrey’s mother was a Dutch baroness, and her parents divorced when she was still young. Born in 1929, Audrey was a young girl during World War II and experienced its trials. She wore handmade clothing during the war and some days had nothing to eat. With their money and ancestral home confiscated, she and her mother moved to London, where her mother worked menial jobs to pay for her daughter’s ballet classes. The rigors of ballet taught Audrey the importance of discipline, concentration, posture and movement, and gave her an inner stillness that was a large part of her grace. Producer Stu Crowner compared Audrey’s grace to that of a true noble class:

I remember reading something about people who were raised in Britain’s upper class, where they have been taught to be gracious, rather than in 1970s and ’80s America—whatever’s on your mind, go with it, totally unload everything! Audrey was very generous with her spirit and very generous with how you felt. In other words, she considered how you felt more than how she felt. I’m sure she took care of herself, her psyche, and her soul and all those things, but it wasn’t at the expense of her friends and colleagues.

Although she was a poor chorus girl in 1948, Audrey’s characteristic charm already was beginning to develop. It was said that she owned only one blouse, one skirt, and one pair of shoes, but 14 scarves that she used to fashion a variety of creative looks. Audrey suffered too much malnutrition during the war and was too tall (5'7) to be a professional ballerina. So she worked as a chorus girl and by her early 20s had starred in films and in the Broadway play based on Colette’s Gigi. 

Photo: Audrey with Hubert de Givenchy

Audrey’s first starring role, as Princess Ann in 1953’s Roman Holiday, cemented her acting career, her reputation for refinement, and a lifelong friendship with fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy. She first met the French aristocrat when selecting clothes for the film. Givenchy was a little disappointed when he first met the starlet—she was so skinny, and was dressed in an unassuming white T-shirt, capri pants, ballet flats, and a gondolier hat—but he was won over after he saw her in some of his designs. By that evening, the new friends were sharing dinner and wine, with a budding amity based on their love of gardens and clothing, impeccable work ethics, and high standards. According to Keogh:

Audrey and Hubert recognized that they were part of a natural aristocracy, one that had nothing to do with money, power, or family placement and everything to do with talent, hard work, and a faith that somehow they would prevail. There was an ingrained grace about each of them that money could not buy.

The Essentials of Audrey Style

If you have grace and a kind heart, you’re already well on the way to establishing your own version of Audrey’s style.

Photo: Audrey Hepburn with her Yorkie in 1957

But if you want more tips, Audrey Stylehas some practical advice as well. The book suggests makeup ideas for several versions of the “Audrey look” and details some essentials of an Audrey-inspired wardrobe: a