Duchess London & The ‘Hepburn’ Mystique

The 60’s was known as the ‘Golden era’ of Hollywood, characterized by film icons Marilyn Monroe and Audrey Hepburn, whose mysterious ‘allure’ and magnetic attraction led to them being the most highly paid and notorious actresses that Hollywood has ever produced. Whilst Marilyn died an untimely death in 1962, Audrey continued working in films until 1989, before devoting her last years to a lifelong dream of promoting humanitarian causes and to many was seen as the epitome of ‘natural grace and beauty’.. For many Audrey was an iconic actress with a voice of an angel and to others Audrey inspired them to be ‘great’ and help those less fortunate than themselves but to many Audrey was a fashion icon who pioneered the ‘midi skirt trend’, made ‘slacks’ popular and reinvented the definition of ‘ballet flats’. In other words the multi-faceted talents of Miss Hepburn led her to be immortalized as an actress, fashion icon and humanitarian who proved to not be your average 60’s ‘stereotype’. Audrey was known for sartorial moments that questioned traditional stereotypes surrounding women’s fashion and was equally comfortable in dresses as she was in trousers, something which for many women was considered to make Hepburn an anomaly. While Audrey’s fashion credentials existed outside of the silver screen too, it is fair to say that her most iconic fashion choices were through the movie roles that she played in her best loved works Roman Holiday, My Fair Lady and Breakfast At Tiffany’s.  All three films showcased the strengths and depths of Hepburn’s acting abilities, but to me the most iconic role has to be ‘Breakfast At Tiffany’s’. Loosely based on Truman Capote’s novella of the same name, Hepburn’s representation of Holly Golightly as an eccentric socialite, whose naive temperament and extroverted nature leads to ‘sticky situations’ is easily seen as Hepburn’s most iconic role. While Hepburn died in 1993 after a battle with appendicial cancer, her role as America’s and indeed the ‘world’s’ sweetheart has seen her named as the third most iconic female actress while 2015-2016 saw an increase in midi skirts and turtlenecks being combined as a nod to one of her most iconic sartorial combinations. 

While Audrey’s fashion credentials spanned nearly seven decades, Breakfast At Tiffany’s little black dress, pearls and ballerina bun combo has led to many retailers attempting to emulate Audrey or rather Holly Golightly’s iconic signature brand. Among the retailers enamored with Audrey’s natural grace and beauty are  Duchess London , an online formal dress store, whose own ‘Hepburn Dress’ is modeled after the late movie great. The notion of the ‘Hepburn mystique’ was coined by ‘Duchess London’ and refers to the sheer elegance and refinement of a woman who was ‘classy’ but at times introverted and shy. Playing characters like Holly allowed her to become ‘another woman’ and like Hepburn’s ability to produce ‘mystique’ and ‘mystery’, the Hepburn dress evokes the iconic style of Audrey Hepburn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s with a modern touch. The modern Duchess London ‘woman’ or rather ‘lady’ pays attention to the finer things in life, obsessed with materialistic pleasures-not for the sake of vanity but for the purpose of their fantasy-. You see us Golightly’s of the world ( myself included) feel good when we dress well and in a modern age where we march to the beat of a totalitarian drum, having the ability and free will to tap into ‘consumerist’ luxury living is something noone in their right mind would turn down. At £345 the dress is at a higher price range than the average person may afford but its an investment worth making if you want to channel the ‘Hepburn mystique’. Tailored in a contemporary cut, the  simple, elegant lines and eye-catching low-cut back-detailing exudes effortless sophistication that Hepburn would be proud of. Combine with Golightly’s beloved pearls for a true Hepburn homage or modernize the dress by cinching it in at the waist with a brightly colored belt and some matching lurid accessories. One thing is for certain Hepburn’s mystique showed that black doesn’t have to be boring…

Choose a shorter cut with the Hepburn dress for a night out on the town, whereas the Hepburn Maxi Dress is ideal for formal occasions such as a riveting ball where you could meet your Prince Charming, dazzled by your ‘Hepburn Mystique’. Out of the two, my favourite would be the Hepburn Maxi Dress and at £385 it is an investment that might break your bank balance but it will guarantee that all eyes will be on you. Featuring the same signature clean lines, the Hepburn Maxi Dress has one key difference and that is its shocking thigh slit for a sensuous reveal of the back of your legs. Demure at the front and a party at the back, the dress is perfect for passionate waltzes whereas the Hepburn dress can help you channel the Hepburn mystique in a less subtle fashion, with both pins firmly on display. Whichever dress you choose to channel the Hepburn Mystique one thing is for certain, it will be a buy that you wont regret. Why? Because both Hepburn dresses have the ability to transport you into a far away realm where time ceases to exist and Hepburn still lives, caught in a state of a never ending fantasy that only disappears when you want to enter the real world again once more. 

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Please note I have received monetary compensation in exchange for this post but this does not affect my opinions and all research is my own.