The 7 Basics You Need to Get Audrey Hepburn's Style

Cecile Beaton once wrote of Audrey Hepburn, "Nobody, ever looked like her before World War II... now thousands of imitations have appeared."

This is completely true, even more than half a century later. Audrey was a trendsetter and a style icon, her look has been so influential that many of the clothes that we have in our closets today became popular because of Hepburn. Even if you don't want to dress exactly like her, every woman can benefit from studying Audrey's timeless and modern style, read on for tips on how to achieve her look.

Audrey's Style - The Basics

1. The White Shirt

Audrey's style is very clean, neat, and simple yet still utterly chic and nothing captures that better than a white button down shirt. This was a huge staple in her wardrobe and a must have basic in most women's modern day wardrobes.

She wore several variations of it, from fitted sleeveless blouses to oversized men's shirts that she wore tied around her waist. Whichever style shirt you choose, in order to copy Audrey, make sure to wear fresh and crisp ones to look as neat as possible.

2. The Skinny Pant

Like women today, Audrey was definitely comfortable wearing pants, but she wouldn't be a slave to the various trends (boot-cut, high-waists, wide-legs, gauchos) of today.

Her pants, usually in black, were not as ankle hugging as today's skinny jeans but they were slim throughout the thighs and legs and then slightly narrowed at the ankle. In the summer she was inclined to wear her pants cropped at the ankle or capri-length. Choose cropped styles in black white, or even a gingham or striped print.

3. The Boat-Neck

Hepburn thought that her collarbones looked too hollow and she hated her shoulders which she considered too masculine because they didn't slope. She liked to conceal her collarbones, and play up her strong shoulders with tops and dresses that had boat-neck necklines.

To get her style wear simple, solid colored sheath dresses with straight necklines, and reach for boat-neck tops and sweaters in stripes and solid colors.

4. The Turtleneck

The black turtleneck that's she wore in Funny Face is iconic at this point, but if black wears you down, go for a turtleneck in white, ivory, or navy. Go for ones in thin, not bulky fabrics, and make sure they're not too snug so that the look remains classic and fresh.

5. Ballet Flats

Audrey dressed for herself at a time when a lot of women dressed to impress men and it shows in her choice of footwear. A former ballerina, Hepburn often wore ballet flats outside of the studio, which was not popular at all. But after appearing in movies with them, she made the ballet flat a popular choice for women who wanted to be stylish and comfortable; it's another Audrey trend that continues to this day.

6. The Little Black Dress

Chanel has been credited with introducing us to the little black dress, but when people mention the LBD Audrey automatically comes to mind.

7. The Trench

A cool trench coat is the last major basic in Hepburn's style. I've seen pictures of her looking stylishly incognito in one as she left events or as she just went out for casual walks.

Even though there's a wide variety of trenches available and designers like to try to update or improve upon the old design. To be like Audrey, keep it simple. Avoid gaudy buttons, shiny fabrics, or crazy styles. Stick to classic, slim fitting, trenches that reach the knee in black or beige. And don't be afraid to pull the collar up for extra drama.