I’ve been an Audrey Hepburn fan since childhood.
I’m not even quite sure how I came to know of the Hollywood legend. Whatever magical way in which I came to know about her, I am so glad I did. Like so many young people, I consider Audrey Hepburn to be one of my biggest celebrity role models.
I have seven images of Hepburn woven into the collage on the wall of my dorm. At home, I have multiple framed images of her dressed as Holly Golightly in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.”
As a child, when my doctor initially predicted I would be 5’7” based on my growth chart, I was ecstatic. No, I could never be a runway model, but I would be the same height as my favorite actress.
Although my growth trajectory proved incorrect — I’m 5’2” on a good day — I still always look for ways I can feel a connection with my idol.
For starters, I always look to continue her legacy of kindness and humanitarianism. Hepburn’s commitment to helping others earned her the title of a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. I aspire to reach her levels of compassion and selflessness one day.
Moreover, I like to think of my work in journalism as one way to stand up for what is right, just as Hepburn did throughout her life. While my reporting is admittedly not as brave or life-changing as her work for the resistance during World War II, I always strive to operate with the same sense of advocating on behalf of those who do not have the same privileges I’ve been granted.
There are also more physical ways I’ve been inspired by Hepburn, namely my refusal to fully tweeze my eyebrows and many of my fashion choices.
My love for turtlenecks is deeply inspired by Hepburn, namely her dance performance in “Funny Face.” In a black turtleneck, pants and black loafers with just a bit of white sock peeking out, Hepburn is the epitome of cool. Moreover, her raw, unbridled energy in the dance number shows that modest doesn’t mean stuffy or old-fashioned.
My favorite Hepburn-style turtleneck was a simple black one from my mom’s closet. While it was technically a skiing thermal, the stretchy material reminded me of the Malibu Sugar tank tops that I found so comfortable as a child.
I say “was” and not “is” because I managed to lose one of my closet staples. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I’ve planned an outfit in my head before realizing it would only look cute with that missing turtleneck.
Another piece of fashion inspiration I’ve drawn from Hepburn is her penchant for capri pants. I’ll admit that capris are hard to find for someone of my height — they usually end up looking like poorly tailored high waters. However, it has become my life mission to find the proper pair of capris for my proportions.
The closest I have gotten to finding a Hepburn-style pair of capris was my senior year of high school when I both played a role in my school’s musical and costume-designed the show.
I outfitted myself in a number of adorable vintage outfits — including an Oscar de la Renta set that I still can’t get over — but the one piece that truly stole my heart was a simple pair of vintage white capris with a white belt.
I’ve always been one to admonish stealing, but I can’t deny that I was seriously tempted.
Although morally I’m glad I didn’t steal them, a dark part of my psyche wishes I did. Instead, I’ve spent time trying to find a pair that I can come to obtain in a more ethical manner.
I found a pair of sky blue 1990s Nanette Lepore shorts on ThredUp that go so far down my legs that they hit a capri length, but these definitely don’t feel very Hepburn. Rather, they feel a bit more like a pastel circus clown.
Just this past weekend, I purchased a pair of 1960s pink and white gingham capris on Depop, and I pray they’ll be the solution to my capris dilemma.
No matter how many pairs of perfect capri pants I find — or if I ever find my missing favorite turtleneck — there’s a quality to Hepburn’s fashion that can’t simply be distilled down to specific items or fabrics.
Hepburn’s style was memorable because she wore the clothes she wanted to wear, not the clothes that were trendy or what she felt would be the most flattering.
In fact, Hepburn was noted to be insecure about her slim frame, which has often been linked to childhood malnutrition during World War II.
However, if you didn’t know she was insecure, nothing about her style would have given it away. With pinched-in dresses that accentuated her small waist and strapless dresses that showed the narrow expanse of her shoulders, Hepburn owned her body — even if it wasn’t always her ideal.
Yes, it is said that she would opt for a bateau neckline to cover her collarbones as she felt insecure about them, but she was only human after all.
I am certainly not as slim as Hepburn, but I can still relate to feeling insecure about my body sometimes. I mean, who in this day and age wouldn’t relate? I used to try to dress in a way that would try to create the illusion of curves, fearing I didn’t look feminine enough.
I realized after some time, though, that not only was I not fooling anybody, but I wasn’t living up to Hepburn’s legacy like I always try to do. It was time to wear what I liked — especially if it was something Hepburn liked too — and not worry about how it looked on my body.
Hepburn was a style icon for what she specifically wore, but I think she was even more iconic for wearing what she wanted without any regret.
