How To Dress Like Your Style Icon

Tina, here.

I have a catalog in my mind of the women and their style, more specifically, a particular outfit they were wearing at a captured moment in time, that has informed my own for decades. I was thinking about this - have I added any in recent years? Are there any modern day style icons I have now that weren't in my catalog, say, twenty years ago? And I don't think so. Oh wait, except a French woman, Inès de la Fressange, and an Italian (see below). I know many women in the last decade have latched on to the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate (looove her), or more recently Rachel Zane I mean Meghan Markle, or Amal Clooney. All have winning style (I gravitate more toward Rachel than Meghan), but who else? I've always asked on my client info forms who my client's style icons are, and, most popular in the first ten years of my career was the golden triad of Jackie O., Audrey Hepburn, Jennifer Aniston. Now, most answers I get are characters on TV. (But why doesn't anyone ever mention Edina and Patsy? I adore their cooky get-ups!) I guess I could say I liked Lily van der Woodsen's style. And oh, I did love Renee Russo's character's wardrobe in The Thomas Crown Affair. Maybe this says I don't watch that much TV anymore. Aaaaaanyway, I decided to put together a short version of my catalog for you. I'm working on a full length version (book length I imagine once it's done). These are just some of the iconic outfits in my "catalog" with links for you to shop the look. Seems like a good entree into our next season, Spring! Enjoy! The pictures are all from my Pinterest.

My Top 5 Icons Of Fashion & How To Copy Them

1. The Audrey Hepburn Wrap Blouse

The Little Black Dress. The peddle pushers. The cardigans. Ballet flats. All iconic Audrey Hepburn style markers. But this look of hers is my favorite. That classic white button down she turned into a wrap blouse, with either black pencil pants or skirt, not sure, they could even be stirrups or jodphurs, as she was known to wear. And the hat. I love the straw Mexican Panama style hat.

2. CZ Guest, The American Sportswoman

My love of tennis whites, hacking jackets, and a cardigan & flats combo came from CZ, who is responsible for the American sportswear phenomenon, IMHO. She wore brooches casually on her sweaters, often on her hip, to the side. If only I looked half decent with a middle part. Or in a cardigan and flats. Maybe if I had a poodle. Or a pool. (CZ is a derivative from Sissy, her brother's nickname for her, which is why you'll see it written both CZ and C.Z.) But this is where my obsession with white came from, if you ever wondered.

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3. Babe Paley & Monotone Dressing

If I were a smoker, I'd try to smoke like Babe. With one of those long, ivory and silver tipped holders. I wonder if necessity was the mother of invention in this case - it is said that one day Babe tied her scarf to her handbag to free up her hands - maybe to light a cigarette. That photograph of her scarf-tied handbag launched the epic trend. I have tried and tried to find that photo, but no luck. If you find it, will you share it with me? For me, it's not the scarf on a handbag thing that got me, ...so what is it about Babe? I can't put my finger on it, really, except if pushed I could say it's some of her monotone looks like this one in her garden. But I can't pinpoint a look, an outfit - it must be something else. I keep coming across a Truman Capote quote that it's not her clothes, her jewelry, her hair that defined her style - it's all of that but you don't notice them. You only notice her. And that is it. The essence of style. That's the difference between style and fashion.

4. Giovanna Battaglia, The One Who Wears Color

I love color, but I'm addicted to white. But when I need color, I think of Giovanna. I bonded with her when I saw her wearing lava cameo earrings, just like some I inherited from my grandmother. Maybe she started the grandmillennial craze?? But, back to color. She does color blocking well, but she does tone-on-tone in a way I love - pale pink with deep pink, or denim with turquoise. I just wish I had her Italian skintone (to wear that gorgeous yellow), and her budget. But oh her stiletto-clad feet - I will be glad not to have those one day.

5. Ricky Lauren, My First Icon (and Ralph)

If you look at old photos of the couple, they are simpatico in almost every way. A true love story. Mr. Lauren designs clothes for his wife. Why didn't he marry me???? I don't have a bucket list of dreams necessarily, but one thing I would very much like to do is go to a Ralph Lauren runway show and shake both their hands. Such gracious people by all accounts. I adore, simply adore the combination of that All-American fresh and sporty style with the old crusty English-inspired look. If I could only wear one line the rest of my life, it would be what Ralph designed for Ricky. The handbag I've carried since 2006 is the Ricky. In fact, I probably have enough RL to last me a lifetime. But that won't stop me from adding to my collection!

Thank you for stopping by and shopping!

Tina

This post contains affiliate links, and if you click a link or purchase something I have recommended, I may receive a thank you commission from the website. Clicking these links won't cost you any extra money, but does help me keep my site ad free. All the clothes I wear are mine, and are not given to me for any promotional purpose. I buy what I love and wear what I love!