even Audrey Hepburn's hair is iconic

Besides the fact that Breakfast at Tiffany's is the most widely-known of Audrey Hepburn films, and the fact that it was recently voted the most fashionable film of all time, and that it led to Audrey's fourth Oscar nomination, you can now add to the long list of credentials that Audrey's massive updo in the opening scene of Breakfast is on the top ten Most Iconic Screen Hairstyles. Sadly, she didn't take first place. She came in third, after Princess Leia's earmuff buns and Marge Simpson's towering blue beehive. Still, that's not bad, considering how many trendy hairstyles have come and gone since the invention of film. And it might be the easiest hairstyle to mimic out of the top three, especially with this handy-dandy tutorial to help you out.

How to be Audrey Hepburn/Holly Golightly for Halloween

It's that time of year again ... Halloween! And I've noticed that a lot of people have been searching for an Audrey Hepburn costume, so here's everything you need all in one convenient post. Since most women tend to do Holly Golightly as an easily recognizable Audrey costume, most of these tips are Breakfast at Tiffany's oriented. The film was recently voted the most stylish film of all time, so it's hard to go wrong as Holly Golightly!

1. The hair. A lot of people think that Audrey's iconic "pineapple 'do," that massive updo from the beginning of Breakfast at Tiffany's, is almost impossible to do by yourself. But this step-by-step tutorial shows that it's actually quite easy and possible for almost any hair length. You might need a lot of hair pins and hairspray, especially if your hair tends to be fine, but it's definitely achievable. Ask a friend for help if you have trouble; what friend could resist dressing you up as Audrey Hepburn?


2. The makeup. Recently makeup artist askmemakeup posted a video tutorial on how to do Holly Golightly's makeup. It's very good and true to Audrey Hepburn's real makeup both on and offset, so whether you're doing Holly or Audrey you're in good hands with this video.



3. The accessories. What's an Audrey Hepburn costume without a tiara? And not just any old tiara will do, my dear. Luckily, Tiaratown offers very good replicas of some of Audrey's most iconic jewelry pieces, from Breakfast at Tiffany's to My Fair Lady, and even Funny Face. Available in both gold and silver finishes, these tiaras and necklaces are beautiful enough to wear anytime, not just on Halloween.*


Sunglasses. You can't be Audrey Hepburn without some fabulous, oversized sunglasses now, can you? Audrey's top choice in shades were the iconic Ray-Ban Wayfarers, but they may be out of your price range for the time being. Not to worry, though! The Wayfarers are so enduringly popular that they've spawned tons of knockoffs, all much more affordable and all still good looking. You can get good knockoffs starting at $2, if you know where to look.


*Bonus: While you may not feel comfortable parading around in nothing but a men's tuxedo shirt and an outrageous sleep mask in the middle of autumn, you can still get an excellent replica of Holly Golightly's sleep mask, made by Fred Flare. You know, for personal use. ;)


4. The dress.* If you're very crafty, you could sew your own dress, but you'd probably have to either make your own pattern or modify an existing one to get what you want. If you're not so crafty, or you're just running out of time, then it's probably just easier to buy a dress off the rack. It's completely up to you whether you want to go long and formal or do an easier little black dress, but shop around before deciding! Remember that Audrey was known for simple and elegant LBDs, so less is always more. Try to stick with knee-length, maybe with a nice boatneck, since that was Audrey's preferred neckline. Any local boutique should have what you're looking for.

from Charade

Well, that should be everything you need. If I've forgotten something or you have any further questions, please feel free to leave a comment and I'll be happy to help. Have fun!

*Update: I've added a second section with even more costume tips and tricks here. This entry includes opera gloves, jewelry, dresses, cigarette holders, and more!
- Sewing patterns for Audrey costumes of all sorts and sizes can be found in this guide.
- And to add a little touch of Audrey the humanitarian to your Audrey as a fashion icon costume, click here.
- As long as you're going to be Audrey for Halloween, why not enter our contest and get a free book or DVD out of it? See details here.
- Link checked on July 9, 2010 and the Tiaratown website is temporarily closed for a holiday. If it's not back by the end of July, I'm afraid it's closed for good. I will find alternatives for you.

updates on the Timeless Audrey Exhibit; plus Natalie Portman

Late last year the official site of the Audrey Hepburn Children's Fund said that the European leg of the Timeless Audrey Exhibit should be launching sometime in 2007. I wrote Ellen Erwin, executive director of the Children's Fund, to ask if any tour dates had been set as of yet for the tour. She was kind enough to write back, and it looks as if the tour will be delayed a bit. After traveling Japan for two years, the wall and platform props that are an integral part of the exhibit need to be refurbished, so it looks like 2008-2009 for the European tour. This just means more time to save money and plan for an Audrey-centered trip for some of us. ;) We'll have to wait a bit longer to see the exhibit, but it'll look sparkling and brand-new, which is worth waiting for.

In other news, Natalie Portman is again drawing comparisons to Audrey Hepburn. This time it's for the US premiere of Natalie's latest film, Paris, je t'aime. She was sporting a cute black and white mod dress and a very Audrey updo, as you can see in the picture to the right. What do you think?

no news

There's nothing new to report, so instead I give you the charming haircutting scene from Roman Holiday. I love that barber.

How to get Golightly hair, just in time for Halloween!

If you were planning on being Holly Golightly for Halloween, then this article comes just in time! And even if you were planning to go as Audrey, admit it: it's Audrey as Holly, right? Because that's the one costume everyone will know. It's okay, I've done that, too. ;)

Next up is an offshoot of a rather crass (but highly relevant) list from Forbes: the top earning dead celebrities. Audrey isn't on the top 13, thankfully, but she is mentioned in this video talking about dead celebrities hawking goods, and why exactly companies use old footage of well-known actors to shill their goods. Unfortunately, there are some annoying commercials in the video and you'll just have to stop it yourself after the interview is over, because it just keeps going and going.

After that comes yet another thing I want to roll my eyes at. Marni Nixon came out with a book last month called I Could Have Sung All Night: My Story. No wonder she's been making so many local commercials about her dubbing work! I'm annoyed, of course, because she's a big reason why the whole My Fair Lady controversy just won't die down, and why people, some Julie Andrews fans in particular, hold a grudge against Audrey. For the last time, she had no idea she was going to be dubbed until it was late in filming, and even recorded most of her songs herself before someone let it slip. Jack Warner had actually wanted to keep it under wraps indefinitely and not let Audrey know (though she wasn't stupid and would have realized what was happening after the first note), but it was leaked and Marni was pushing to be credited. There! And now Marni's making a new living off of being other, more famous people's voices, even though two of them (Audrey and Natalie Wood, who had both sung with their own voices in other movies) were not aware that they were going to be dubbed. You weren't the only one that was used, Marni. Get over it.

And lastly, I've added some new reviews to the site. Maybe some more picture galleries tomorrow. :) But for the time being there's a review on Barry Paris's biography, Alexander Walker's biography, Warren G. Harris's biography, Audrey Style, and Robert Anderson's novel supposedly about his affair with Audrey, After. Whew! That's it for today.