Saturday Morning with Cafe Au Lait and Audrey Hepburn

Image from fanpop

I'm going to go out on a limb here and state for the record, I adore Audrey Hepburn.  I know, a revolutionary statement as there are so few women who do.  A lovely way to enjoy your weekend coffee on occasion is to do an image search for Audrey Hepburn on google.  Only if you are NOT the type of person who would be sent on a downward spiral of self-loathing and despair at not being able to measure up.  For the rest of us with sufficient amounts of self-esteem, here are the style notes I've gathered from these images to apply to my own life:

1. If you have dark hair and fair skin (yay!) then black is the color for you.  Keep the cuts simple, the fit impeccable and avoid embellishments/bedazzlement.  Black and white photography makes distinguishing between various pale colors more difficult, but I think everyone would agree that Audrey Hepburn was not someone who wore wild color.

2. Avoid statement jewelry unless you are on the set of Breakfast at Tiffany's.  This one made me extremely happy because I am not a fan of wearing huge necklaces or "fun" earrings or inviting a party of diverse bracelets to take up residence on my arm.  From what I can tell, she seldom wore necklaces at all, even with the simplest of shirts/dresses.  Instead, sometimes she wore small earrings and sometimes a scarf.  Thank god, because I'm sick of people telling me to accessorize constantly to "jazz" up an outfit.  

3. Less is more.  When you see a picture of Audrey, what stands out is a sense of elegance and the woman herself.  I'd be hard pressed to remember the specifics of anything she wore (aside from the iconic Bfast at Tiff's outfit).  To me, this is a good thing.  Personal style is different for everyone of course, but this is what I strive for above all else.

4. Always wear makeup.  In her day, the crazy 24 hour surveillance by paparazzi did not exist so we don't have pictures of Audrey at the local 7-11 in her pajamas and last night's makeup smeared across her face.  However, I like to think that such a picture would not have been possible anyway, because she was not that sort of woman.  Here, the lesson is to always look groomed, if you are able to.  As it applies to myself, this translates to doing something so my hair looks neat and a little makeup.  More than simply appearance though, the ritual of these activities also gets my mind put together and ready to face the day.  A day spent in pajamas is usually a day spent doing nothing.

5. Be consistent.  This is certainly very personal.  I think one should always be open to reinvention in theory, but honestly, I love the idea of an uniform and I happily look forward to wearing the same sorts of things for the next 30+ years.  There will always be people who dress creatively and participate in the latest trends and I enjoy looking at them on my bus and on the streets.  But basics and neutrals and natural materials are perfect on their own (as long as the fit is perfect!).