In what might be the most perfect biopic casting ever, 36-year-old Lily Collins has been hired to play Audrey Hepburn in an upcoming film set during the making of the latter’s 1961 hit, Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Loosely based on a novella by Truman Capote, the film saw Hepburn’s character, Holly Golightly, living the high life as a vague kind of escort, famously wearing a series of exquisite looks designed in collaboration with the couturier Hubert de Givenchy. Theirs was a partnership that would last their entire lives, with the designer crediting Hepburn as his muse. Since the film’s release, its style has become synonymous with Hepburn, as well as the Sixties, from her LBD to her multiple-strand pearl necklace and elbow-length gloves.
With her doe eyes, brown hair and incredible bone structure, Collins was born to play the iconic actress. Indeed, fashion editor Anna Bromilow, who styled Collins to look like Hepburn for the June 2011 issue of Tatler, always thought she’d be great at bringing the star to life on the big screen. “Audrey will always be an icon for all ages, the epitome of elegance and grace,” she says. “Her gamine look from the Fifties graduated to something more grown up, and a little sexier in the Sixties. She loved a boxy coat, matching suits, sleeveless dresses and her looks were perfectly styled, put together but never contrived. She was the ideal fashion muse, simultaneously demure and bold, simple but iconic. Of course her style will always be synonymous with the Givenchy sleeveless black dress moment: effortless, elegant, understated, impactful.”
Indeed, Hepburn’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s style continues to inspire today. Here’s how you can take inspiration from it in 2026.
The LBD
Aside from Coco Chanel, no one is more synonymous with the Little Black Dress than Audrey Hepburn. Prior to her popularisation of the look following Breakfast at Tiffany’s, its reputation had become a little stale – something which changed following Givenchy’s genius reimagining of it. There are endless LBDs to choose from, but for that quintessentially Hepburn brand of elegance, choose one that is at least midi length. Other fun details that modernise the LBD today include skinny scarves or cape overlays, which add more structure to the silhouette, or hardware like gold buttons or eyelets.
The ballet flat
Prior to becoming an actress, Hepburn’s childhood dream had been to be a ballet dancer, so it’s unsurprising that she adopted the beatnik style when it became fashionable in the Sixties. She was rarely seen in any other kind of footwear: in fact, she owned a multitude by Ferragamo in different colours, with the designer naming a pair after her in 1954. And they’ve never been more on trend, with new takes by Alaïa, Gucci and Miu Miu for 2026. Pair yours with 7/8 length jeans and a tucked-in shirt for a modern feel.
The boyfriend shirt
For Bromilow, it is the boyfriend shirt scene in Breakfast at Tiffany’s that has been the most sartorially influential for her, as opposed to the LBD. “Whilst everyone heralds the black dress as the big moment, I will never forget her oversized shirt as a fashion-obsessed child. It was effortlessly sexy – the deconstructed tuxedo at its best.” A wardrobe classic, we love pairing ours with great denim and a belt, or thrown on over swimwear on the beach, of course. It’s a look that has been endlessly recreated (Gwyneth Paltrow in The Talented Mr Ripley immediately springs to mind) – and for good reason. Bonus points if you can find an eye mask with eyelashes on to pair it with at home…
The headscarf
Another Hepburn wardrobe signature that is enjoying a major renaissance right now is the headscarf. Worn by the actress both on and off screen (most notably in Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Funny Face), there are countless images of her with one tied around her beehive, a few strands of micro-fringe poking out. While Hepburn’s were largely from Hermès, you can now find great silk scarves on the high street, as well as the knitted triangle version which has become popular amongst the street style set in winter.
The polo neck
Another beatnik signature that Hepburn wore throughout the Fifties and Sixties was the polo neck, including in her film Funny Face, also costumed by Givenchy. She typically wore a black version tucked into slim-fit black trousers (often capri length), paired with ballet flats. A high quality polo-neck sweater is a wardrobe essential – look for cashmere or merino wool and prioritise ones that finish at the waist so that they can be tucked in easily without too much fabric. We also love wearing them with a gilet or knitted vest layered on top, or as a base layer underneath a dress.
The tiara
The famous promo shot of Hepburn wearing a tiara in her beehive, with elbow-length gloves and a cigarette in a long holder, is one of the most immediately recognisable images in film history. And while you might think the tiara has no place in a modern wardrobe, you’d be wrong. In fact, Vogue’s senior contributing fashion features editor Julia Hobbs has recently designed a collaboration of “everyday tiaras” with jewellery brand Jennifer Behr, with fans including Suki Waterhouse and Lily Allen. Think Nineties Courtney Love rather than Bridgerton when it comes to your styling – use them to dress up a more laid-back daytime look rather than as part of an eveningwear moment.