Fashion News

Style icons from the year you were born

Are you an Audrey or a Marilyn, or perhaps a Diana? Find out which style icon was making waves in the year you were born.

From Grace Kelly to Madonna, take a look back at the style icons of the second half of the twentieth century and discover who the sartorial star was the year you were born.

This gallery first appeared on Grazia UK.

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1950 – Audrey Hepburn One of the most cherished style icons of the twentieth century, Audrey Hepburn’s film career kicked off in the fifties.

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1951 – Elizabeth Taylor With her hourglass figure and signature scarlet lip, Elizabeth Taylor was the ultimate fifties icon.

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1952 – Jean Patchett One of the first high fashion models, Jean Patchett was on the cover of numerous magazines throughout the forties and the fifties.

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1953 – Marilyn Monroe No look back at style would be complete without a mention of Marilyn Monroe. 1953 was a breakthrough year for Marilyn with roles in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and Niagara.

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1954 – Grace Kelly 1954 was a busy year for Grace Kelly – she appeared in five films resulting in Life magazine calling it ‘The Year of Grace’.

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1955 – Sophia Loren The Italian actress and member of Hollywood royalty got her breakthrough in The Gold of Naples in 1955.

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1956 – Brigitte Bardot A natural brunette, Bardot’s career turned around when she became a blonde bombshell in 1956.

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1957 – Jean Seberg In 1957 the elegant French actress made her film debut in the title role of Saint Joan.

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1958 – Sandra Dee With her perfectly coiffed blonde curls and immaculate style choices, American actress Sandra Dee continues to influence fashion fans today.

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1959 – Doris Day The actress and style icon bagged an Academy Award nomination for her role in the 1959 film, The Pillow Talk.

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1960 – Jackie Kennedy A fashion icon and lover of pink way before millennials, Jackie Kennedy’s exquisite style never dates.

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1961 – Catherine Deneuve Still referenced by fashion designers today, Deneuve was the original French ‘It’ girl.

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1962 – Francoise Hardy The eternally chic French pop star was a street style star long before social media.

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1963 – Dusty Springfield One of the most iconic sounds of the sixties, Springfield was also adored for her big lashes, bigger hair and her love of a column dress.

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1964 – Jean Shrimpton An icon of swinging London, Shrimpton was famed for her mod meets glam look.

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1965 – Edie Sedgwick Andy Warhol’s long-term muse and one of America’s first ‘it’ girls, Edie’s leggings, mini dresses and dark kohl liner defined sixties style.

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1966 – Mary Quant One of the designers who took credit for inventing the mini skirt, Quant was also a style icon in her own right.

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1967 – Twiggy 1967 was the year Twiggy broke America appearing on the cover of US Vogue three times in twelve months.

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1968 – Mia Farrow In 1968 Farrow gained her first leading film role in Rosemary’s baby.

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1969 – Jane Birkin Never without a heavy fringe, an effortless outfit and straw basket in tow, Jane Birkin provides perennial holiday wardrobe inspiration.

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1970 – Joni Mitchell 1970 was the year that Joni Mitchell released one of her biggest hits, Big Yellow Taxi. Not just loved for her unique sound, her bohemian style cemented her as a seventies style icon.

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1971 – Anita Pallenberg The Italian actress and muse of the Rolling Stones never put a sartorial foot wrong. We would love to raid her wardrobe full of sparkling mini dresses, shearling coats and bell bottom jeans.

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1972 – Liza Minelli Gaining worldwide success for her Academy Award-winning role in the 1972 musical film Cabaret, Minelli will always be remembered for her glittering seventies style.

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1973 – Dolly Parton We love the country star for her commitment to voluminous blonde hair and OTT style.

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1974 – Diane Von Furstenberg In 1974 Diane Von Furstenberg famously invented the wrap dress a style that still rules on the runway today.

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1975 – Diana Ross With her sparkling on-stage outfits, towering curls and dramatic eye makeup, Diana Ross was one of the Seventies most glamorous style icons.

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1976 – Farrah Fawcett One of the most defining images of the decade, Farrah Fawcett’s knit/kick flare/Nikes combo is still relevant today.

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1977 – Debbie Harry With her bleach blonde hair, dark kohl liner and collection of band tees, Blondie was the original rock chick.

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1978 – Cher Never one to do things subtly, Cher’s glittering bodysuit from the video for her 1978 track, Disco Inferno, is one of our all-time favourite looks.

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1979 – Jerry Hall Throughout the seventies Jerry Hall’s polished and glamorous style meant she always looked every inch the supermodel.

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1980 – Marie Osmond The singer and member of the showbiz family epitomised the glamorous style of the eighties.

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1981 – Lauren Hutton Just as successful now as she was in the seventies and eighties, Lauren Hutton’s carefree approach to fashion has always inspired.

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1982 – Bianca Jagger Whether in a tailored suit or show-stopping gown, Bianca Jagger always knew how to make an entrance.

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1983 – Jane Fonda An actress, activist and fashion icon, in the eighties Jane Fonda was also famed for kick starting the craze for at-home exercise videos

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1984 – Grace Jones The singer and model at centre of the Studio 54 scene continued to inspire throughout the eighties..

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1985 – Brooke Shields Revered for her perfect eyebrows and cool-girl approach to fashion, Brooke Shields is one of the defining faces of the eighties.

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1986 – Princess Diana Whether she was wearing a full-length gown for a State dinner or in sportswear on the school run, Princess Diana’s style choices never failed.

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1987 – Iman Model, YSL muse and wife of David Bowie, Iman was also known for her exquisite taste in clothes.

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1988 – Cindy Crawford Part of the original troupe of supermodels, in the eighties and early nineties you could not pass a news stand without seeing Cindy Crawford on a cover.

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1989 – Naomi Campbell In 1989 Naomi Campbell was the first black model to appear on the cover of American Vogue.

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1990 – Madonna Forever switching up her sartorial allegiances, in 1990 for her Blonde Ambition Tour, Madonna wore the now-famous bra designed by John Paul Gault

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1991 – Carla Bruni Long before she married the French president, Carla Bruni was a model, singer and influential style star.

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1992 – Claudia Schiffer Another member of the nineties supermodel elite, in the nineties the German model was a GUESS girl and the face of Chanel.

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1993 – Alicia Silverstone While Clueless’ Che Horowitz forever holds a place in our hearts as a nineties style icon, Alicia Silverstone also had a wardrobe we would love to raid.

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1994 – Kate Moss Her face defined the nineties era of ‘heroin chic’ and her effortless grungy style makers her an inspiration to this day.

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1995 – Courtney Love Punk icon and wife of Kurt Cobain, by the mid-nineties Courtney Love had quit her band Hole and started out on her own.

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1996 – Winona Ryder In the nineties Winona Ryder was not just a box office success but a style icon too.

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1997 – Jennifer Aniston While all anyone could talk about when it came to her character Rachel was that haircut, on the red carpet Jennifer Aniston gave us style inspo by the bucketload.

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1998 – The Spice Girls We couldn’t choose just one member of The Spice Girls – to us they’re all style icons!

1999 – Elizabeth Hurley Ever since she walked the red carpet in that safety pin Versace dress, Liz Hurley established herself as a style icon to watch.

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2000 – Sarah Jessica Parker Both SJP and her shoe-loving alter ego Carrie Bradshaw were late noughties style icons.

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