GRACE KELLY
Grace Kelly's acting career began on Broadway before she made her debut on the silver screen in 1951. With deep blue eyes and a porcelain face, Kelly epitomized the poised but understated 1950's look. Known for wearing fitted bodices with full circle skirts, Kelly was even given her own "Apollonian palette" consisting of buttercup yellows, cerulean blues, seashell pinks, and Olympus white. Legendary director Alfred Hitchcock was enthralled by her elegance, casting her in three of his films — Dial M for Murder, Rear Window and To Catch a Thief. She won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in The Country Girl in 1955 and a year later, Kelly met Prince Rainier of Monaco at the Cannes Film Festival. After marrying him and becoming the Princess of Monaco, she retired from Hollywood at the young age of 26. Grace Kelly would tragically pass away from a car accident in 1982. Decades later, she still considered one of the most stunning actresses of all time.
JAMES DEAN
This brooding film legend started out acting in a 1951 Pepsi commercial. He soon would land his big break with starring roles in East of Eden and Rebel Without a Cause. With strikingly handsome looks and and slicked back hairstyle, James Dean personified the 1950s greaser, almost always wearing white tees, Lee 101 Riders denim jeans and leather jackets. "Live as if you'll die today" was Dean's philosophy, making him the poster child for rebellious teenagers across the world. His ambiguous sexuality attracted both men and women, solidifying his image as a misunderstood rebel who could not be easily defined. While most actors were interested in keeping themselves looking pretty, Dean was dirty and real, living his life to the fullest instead of fearing it. He continues to be the epitome of effortless, causal cool style.
AUDREY HEPBURN
One of history’s most beautiful women, Audrey Hepburn truly symbolizes the term "style icon". After the great success of her first American movie Roman Holiday in 1953, Hepburn won an Oscar and became an international star. She played glamorous characters like Holly Golightly and Sabrina who wore exquisite creations by Edith Head and Hubert de Givenchy. However, in her private life, Hepburn favored simple, classic silhouettes, including ballet flats, nautical boatneck tops and leggings. She was one of the first actresses to prove that a pixie haircut could be feminine when paired with an elegant dress. When asked about her fashion secrets, she would answer, "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." It’s no mystery why she remains a timelessly alluring fashion legend to this day.