Recreate THESE Looks From 3 Classic Fashion Icons!
PLUS, livestream Q&A and announcing this month's book club selection!
LIVESTREAM Q&A: Ask Me All Of Your Questions!
Hello, classic crew premium subscribers! Thursday (5/26/2022) at 7:30 pm EST I’ll be doing my monthly livestream Q&A on YouTube - but I’ll only be answering questions from YOU, the people who have access to my exclusive content here on Substack.
If you have any questions for me, feel free to ask in the comments below! And if you have any more personal questions that you would like to keep anonymous, send them to my email at askclassicallyabby@gmail.com.
Hello my lovely friends! I hope you all had a great weekend. We took our son on his first road trip to visit some friends, and he did a great job! He made a ton of new fans - he really is the cutest little guy. It’s definitely a challenge returning to normalcy after you have a baby, but we are slowly but surely getting there - and that’s pretty exciting.
Today, I want to talk about how to emulate three classic fashion icons. Now, before I continue, let me clarify: women who dress in a classic style don’t always live a classic life. But I think we can still take style inspiration from women who dress well, even if we don’t agree with all their life choices. Even though style is often a reflection of our values, it isn’t always. Still, we can look at a woman’s way of dressing and try to emulate it because it’s beautiful, classic, and chic.
I have always loved fashion. For a while, I actually thought I would become a fashion designer! It’s why I’m such a proponent of dressing modestly and stylishly - I don’t believe that modesty has to be frumpy. Instead, I believe that modesty goes hand-in-hand with beauty. It accentuates the most attractive parts of you while keeping private those things that should be respected and honored.
So today, I want to take a look at three classic fashion icons that we can take inspiration from and give you some tips to recreate their looks. So let’s do it!
Audrey Hepburn
Audrey Hepburn is one of my personal favorite style inspirations. I have always tried to emulate her feminine and classic look! She always looked every bit the lady. To look more like Audrey Hepburn, always accentuate your waist. In most of her outfits, Audrey wore a belt to draw attention to the smallest part of her - and despite the fact that Hepburn was not a curvy woman, by belting her looks she created a faux hourglass shape.
Hepburn also never wore anything lowcut. Her dresses often had boatneck necklines, collars, or they were strapless and cut straight across. That always made her look incredibly classic and modest, although not noticeably so.
Cigarette pants are another classic piece to add to your wardrobe that Audrey Hepburn often wore. Wearing a fitted pant that hits above the ankle is elongating and flattering, as well as versatile.
Lastly, to emulate Audrey Hepburn’s look, accentuate your eyebrows. Audrey Hepburn would not look like Audrey Hepburn without her signature brows, and it’s amazing to realize how this incredibly feminine woman was defined by what could be considered a more masculine brow.
Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis
Jackie O. is famous for her beautiful way of dressing. She always looked clean cut and put together, and every outfit was feminine yet structured. Her preppy look has inspired so many women to embrace a similar look.
To recreate Jackie O’s iconic style, start with tailored dresses. Jackie always wore clothing that was perfectly tailored to her figure. Instead of purchasing a dress with some stretch to it, find a dress that has structure and get it tailored to fit your body. You’ll see right away how different it is when you wear something that is made for your curves rather than off the rack.
Next, Jackie always looked absolutely beautiful with a big set of sunglasses and a scarf tied around her hair. Next time you are sitting outside in the wind, tie on a pretty scarf and pull out a fun pair of sunglasses to protect your eyes! There is something so feminine about tying a scarf over your head - it’s just so pretty.
Lastly, Jackie O wore skirt suits in colors that looked so enticing. Find a suit that is pretty and feminine, and make sure it has some unique details like fabric covered buttons or piping. That will really take it up a notch and be a nod to Jackie O’s style.
Phyllis Schlafly
Now, you may not ever hear anyone call Phyllis Schlafly a style icon, but that’s just because the media absolutely DESPISED her. Well, this amazing woman was a fashion plate. I’ve recently been watching her old interviews on YouTube, and she always looked stunning. If I look half as good as she did after six children, I’d count myself lucky!
To recreate Phyllis Schlafly’s look, find a pink that works for your skin tone. I absolutely love that whenever Schlafly went on a TV program, she wore pink. It was a statement of her femininity posed against the women’s liberation movement. So, find a pink that you love (it could be more saturated or more pastel, more red or more orange) and wear it! Nothing is more girly than pink, am I right?
As well, look for dresses with interesting details that bring attention to your face. Often Phyllis Schlafly wore dresses with beautiful necklines and a gold pin attached to the collar. Because she knew she would be cropped on television, she found dresses that would look particularly unique in the frame of the camera. It was a brilliant fashion choice, and not a bad idea for us women at home to copy for ourselves.
Schlafly never had a hair out of place for her appearances, so to emulate her, find a hairstyle that looks nice and neat, even on days when you don’t have a lot of time to style it. By having her hair styled perfectly, Schlafly conveyed a sense of cool, collected calm that legitimized her position.
Last but not least, to recreate Schlafly’s look, embrace the idea of poise. Phyllis always sat stick straight with her hands in her lap and both feet on the ground. She spoke confidently and without fear. All of this made her look like someone you could trust, especially next to the feminists she was arguing with. Incorporate poise into your life, too.
If you had to recreate one of these fashion icons looks, who would you choose? Do you have a favorite? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
ANNOUNCING: This Month's Book Club Selection!
I’m excited to share this month’s book club selection! This month we are reading fiction (we switch up month-to-month), and I can’t wait. The book we will be reading is…The Secret of Santa Vittoria! My father has been recommending this book to me FOR YEARS, so I really can’t wait to dig into it. I’m looking forward to discussing it with you all!
What’s New On Classically Abby…
Welcome to Classically Abby!
I'm a wife, mama, opera singer, entrepreneur, YouTuber, and your guide to becoming the classic woman you've always wanted to be! Follow me on YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter to see how! And together, let's be classic.
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Hi Abby! I’d love any thoughts or advice you have on building a classic and modest wardrobe for summer. I find that summer is one of the hardest times to maintain a classic sense of style and fashion because I’m usually overwhelmed by the heat! :) Most of my friends wear athleisure 24/7 (which I used to be guilty of as well!) but I want to elevate my style this year. What are your favorite summer pieces? Things you recommend avoiding? Many blessings to your sweet family and congratulations on your upcoming move to Florida -- how exciting!
Hello Abby, you look really good after having a baby. My question is what is your favorite cookbook and what is your favorite Jewish food? God bless you.