Among fashion lovers, Audrey Hepburn is cited as a style icon, but perhaps it would be more fair to say that Holly Golightly—her character in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s”—is truly the icon that should be referenced.
A quick Google search reiterates that idea, as the first images that surface of Hepburn are varied portrayals of the actress in full-on Golightly garb: sleeveless black Givenchy cocktail dress, opera-length gloves, high bun, dramatic cigarette. Second to those images on Google are photos of Hepburn in her other outfit we all reference when: The very Fosse-esque mix of cropped black skinnies, black flats, and a tight black turtleneck—her wardrobe from 1957’s “Funny Face.”
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Both outfits are, by all accounts, quite chic, though they’re costumes. Hepburn—despite having made 27 movies—has become has synonymous with these two very specific looks, even to people who haven’t ever seen “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” or “Funny Face,” probably because they accentuated her inherently gamine aesthetic.
In the interest of expanding your view on the actress (and giving you a little more to ammo when you call her a style icon), we’ve decided to sift through photos that don’t include black cocktail dresses or cigarette holders. Many of the photos we found showcase Hepburn during her off time—at events, between takes, and as an older woman, when most of her time was dedicated to her work as a UNICEF ambassador. So click through the gallery above for 20 photos of Audrey Hepburn you’ve probably never seen, and read below for a quick primer on her life, from ingenue to Oscar winner.
Name: Audrey Hepburn, though some reports say she was born as Audrey Kathleen Ruston
Born: 1929 in Brussels, Belgium.
Skills: Hepburn trained as a ballet dancer and appeared in plays before starting a film career.
Big break: Playing the lead role of Princess Ann in 1953’s “Roman Holiday” alongside Gregory Peck, which earned her an Oscar.
Marriages: Actor Mel Ferrer, whom she married in 1954 and divorced in 1968. Italian psychiatrist Andrea Dotti, whom she married in 1969. Dotti reportedly began having affair with younger women, and they divorced in 1982 From 1980 until her death, Hepburn lived and was romantically involved with Dutch actor Robert Wolders.
Children: Sean Ferrer and Lucca Dotti
Humanitarian work: Hepburn was appointed Goodwill Ambassador of UNICEF, and received multiple honors for her work, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom, presented to her by then-president George Bush.
Died: 1993 of appendiceal cancer.
