As oh-so-chic socialite Holly Golightly in the 1961 classic Breakfast at Tiffany’s, Audrey Hepburn had a take on pretty much everything—especially style.
“You can always tell what kind of a person a man thinks you are by the earrings he gives you,” she said in one memorable scene. In another, she calmly mused, “a girl just can’t read that sort of thing without her lipstick.” And while Golightly might go down as one of the most quotable movie characters of all-time, Hepburn herself was also quite style-wise in real life too.
Though she was an Oscar winner, international fashion icon, and eternal muse to couturier Hubert de Givenchy, the actress had a decidedly down-to-earth outlook on dressing in her daily life. When she would walk the streets of Rome (where she lived for more than 20 years), her effortlessness was evident. She favored comfort—ballet flats over pumps, capris and turtlenecks over complicated dresses—and was quick with a smile. Something she called one of the best accessories of all.
“The most important thing is to enjoy your life—to be happy,” she said. “It’s all that matters.”
In honor of what would've been Hepburn’s 88th birthday, we're looking back at her most memorable style quotes that continue to inspire us today.
“Why change? Everyone has their own style. When you have found it, you should stick to it.” —Audrey Hepburn
“I believe in pink. I believe that laughing is the best calorie burner. I believe in kissing, kissing a lot. I believe in being strong when everything seems to be going wrong. I believe that happy girls are the prettiest girls. I believe that tomorrow is another day and I believe in miracles.” —Audrey Hepburn
“Makeup can only make you look pretty on the outside, but it doesn’t help if you’re ugly on the inside. Unless you eat the makeup.” —Audrey Hepburn
