Admiring Audrey: Fashion Icon & Film Star

 

 

  Audrey Hepburn is a film and fashion legend from the Golden Age of Film. While I don’t remember when I discovered Audrey, I have never forgotten her since. As a young dancer, I always enjoyed watching musicals, especially those from the Golden Age of film: Wizard of Oz, Singing in the Rain, An American in Paris, etc. After falling in love with the technicolor of old Hollywood, I began diving deeper into the rabbit hole of old Hollywood films. This is when I discovered the late, extraordinary actress, Audrey Hepburn.

    She was delicate, beautiful, charismatic, and unique. The "ideal" look for women growing up that I remember was always blonde. Everyone wanted to be blonde, even me, until I discovered Audrey Hepburn. She was a brunette bombshell that spoke her mind, approaching every movie, non-profit event, and party with class, elegance, and show-stopping qualities. 

    I fell in love with her melodic accent, a blend between British, Dutch, and American, when I first watched Breakfast at Tiffany’s and cried when she realized that all she wanted was to feel loved at the end of the film, something we can all relate to at one point or another. A marvelous actress with an incredible smile, which she later commented about hating the way her teeth were crooked in an interview detailing that it made the old Hollywood beauty standards harder to abide by. The funny thing was that I never saw anything wrong with her smile. I guess we are all like that though, we think all of our flaws should be altered instead of welcoming the qualities that make us different. I started embracing my natural brunette hair color, inspired by her poise. Her eyebrows were one of her signature facial features, breaking the norm of thin eyebrows; she proudly embraced her thick eyebrows, which allowed her to stand out even more. 

    I have not yet watched all of her films, but I feel so deeply connected to her almost as if she were a part of my history. She has given me an admiration for old Hollywood glamour that I didn’t have before. I admire the fashion icon she was from the ballet flats to the cultivation of the little black dress to the over-the-top jewelry pieces she really could wear it all. Throughout her career, she worked in one-of-a-kind films, becoming nominated five times for an Academy Award and winning Best Actress in 1954 for her work in Roman Holiday. One of my favorite films she was in is Funny Face with Fred Astaire. The colors, the dresses, and the story all melt together to create a wonderful movie. Within this film, we see Audrey perform an interpretive dance that is joyful and elated. After witnessing this graceful and funky performance, I wondered if she had experience in dance, and I discovered that she was a classically trained ballerina from the age of five, but she felt that her form was not proper enough to pursue this career professionally, so she began acting. She explained that she did not give up on this dream but merely pivoted where her career goals lay. I was inspired when I heard her speak about this, because I too have been pivoting my pathways in life, wondering if I should continue, but you never know what can happen if you just believe in yourself like Audrey did. 

    Not only was she an image of femininity, she was a very present ambassador for UNICEF Goodwill up until her tragic passing in 1993. She worked to provide food, water, and vaccines to those in need, derived from her own experiences as a young child during WWII when UNICEF helped her like many other children. She spoke out, raised money, and traveled to many countries to help at any chance she could. Before her passing, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 1992 for her work with UNICEF. I hope to one day be able to walk in her footsteps and assist organizations where I can. 

    Everyone always brings up the question, "Are you a Marilyn or an Audrey?" I will always and have always been an Audrey. From her incredible volunteer work to help change the world to her remarkable work within films, Audrey Hepburn always performed as her most authentic self, which is inspiring for everyone to witness and channel within themselves. Thanks to Audrey Hepburn, I embrace my natural uniqueness, stand up for what I believe in, and fall in love with old Hollywood glamour more and more every day. I wish I could have met her in this lifetime, but maybe I will in the next. I leave you with my favorite quote from Audrey: “For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”