Actresses Who Changed the Female Image

Throughout history, women in Hollywood have been able to alter perceptions of female beauty. These icons are known for doing just that, and still make an impression on culture today.

MARILYN MONROE

The curvy blonde is still considered the epitome of female sexuality, and her image can be seen on clothing, posters, and keepsakes in stores today. Her coyness and vulnerability is memorable in her movie roles as well as her famous performance singing "Happy Birthday" to President John F. Kennedy, with whom she was widely believed to have an affair with. Marilyn's blond bombshell image makes her an icon for women who want to tap into their sensual side.

GRACE KELLY

This royal actress had an appropriate first name, as she's still regarded as a classy, elegant, and beautiful woman. Kelly is best known in her acting career for starring in the Hitchcock films "Dial M for Murder", "Rear Window", and "To Catch a Thief", in which she plays women who try to overcome helplessness. She later married Prince Rainier of Monaco, and her already famous image was heightened when she became royalty. Her sleek blond figure still seems statueesque and stunning today.

AUDREY HEPBURN

What made this beauty so different is what made her so appealing. She was lithe, with dark brown hair and large doe eyes, and a willingness to be silly and have fun. Her demure and sensitive attitude helped bring her characters to life, making the audience fall in love with her. Her role as Holly Golightly in "Breakfast at Tiffany's" remains significant to any woman who wants to bring character to her "little black dress".

KATHERINE HEPBURN

The other Hepburn woman turned femininity on its head with her no-nonsense attitude, love for pants, and her tall, skinny figure. I wrote a review for the book "How to Hepburn" in a seperate article, and in the book author Karen Karbo describes how all women can inhabit Katherine Hepburn's strength and vitality. (1) Her "brashness", or relentless tough attitude that took no bull, made her feared as well as admired in an industry dominated by men. "Kate the Great" is a heroine for any woman who prefers pants over dresses and skirts, and toughness over vulnerability, or career over being a housewife.

These leading ladies still have an influence on fashion, beauty, and women's attitudes in general. Modern actresses still emulate these women in their performances, and women's magazines continually feature them or their styles as a means to inspire women to bring out their inner Monroe, Hepburn (Audrey or Katherine), or Kelly. Their iconic status is timeless, and they remain leading ladies today.

SOURCES:

1 - "How to Hepburn Teaches Women How to Be "Brash"" By Christina M., Sep 28, 2007 (http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/390642/how_to_hepburn_teaches_women_how_to.html)