The Iconic Films Inspiring Us To Live Our Most Stylish Lives
A film has the power - albeit briefly - to empower us with the swagger of our favourite movies stars. From Marlon Brando’s BDE in The Wild One to Grace Kelly’s icy-coolness in Rear Window, we’ve all lived for the moments where we channel the energy of our favourite on-screen heroes.
It’s not simply about borrowing from their fashion sense, either. Emulating the style of a beloved character is about mannerisms, delivery and smoulder.
Think of the movies that make you feel cool, inspire you to look the part, and strut out into the scene like you own it. Everyone has his or her own style, with a classic movie to match it. We’re style-siphoning from these films...
The Great Gatsby (2013)
Fashion style: Opulent vintage
His style: The white suit - need we say more? Who wore it better? A Ralph Lauren clad Robert Redford in the 1974 original or Leonardo Di Caprio in the Brooks Brothers’ creation sported in Baz Lurhmann’s 2013 extravaganza? Either way, keep it crisp and clean.
Her style: The handkerchief skirt, embellished dress, sumptuous fur collar, feathered art deco headbands, fingerless lace gloves and pastels for days... to dress like Daisy Buchanan is to look and feel like a million dollars.
Lifestyle guide: Throw extravagant parties without needing an excuse, live beyond your means, sleep with whoever you’re drawn to.
Say it with style: “He looked at her the way all women want to be looked at by a man.”
À Bout de Souffle/Breathless (1960)
Fashion style: Classic casual
Her style: With her pixie haircut, black eyeliner and unexpected combos, like pairing Breton stripes with a long pleated skirt, Jean Seberg was one of the leading pioneers of the nonchalantly thrown-together look.
His style: The shabby yet debonair suits, the fedora used more as an accessory to toss than keep his hair in place, Jean-Paul Belmondo’s beatnik-bourgeois look still makes any man feel smoking hot without having to light a cigarette.
Lifestyle guide: Do whatever it takes to lead a more colourful life. It’s better to be on the run for love than stuck in a rut with nothing to live for.
Say it with style: “Being afraid is the worst fault there is.”
Annie Hall (1977)
Fashion style: Kooky and androgynous
Her style: Diane Keaton’s own personal style of a button-down shirt, patterned ties, bowler hats, Ralph Lauren tuxedo vest and loose, high-waisted khakis continues to lead the way for women who want all the fun and none of the stuffiness of menswear.
His style: As a universal fashion rule, “don’t dress like Woody Allen” is always good advice, but the army jacket over check shirt look he sports in the cinema queue scene is all the rage at the moment.
Lifestyle guide: Stick to being who you are, all the more so when it doesn’t suit others.
Say it with style: “La-dee-da, la-dee-da.”
Marie Antoinette (2016)
Fashion style: Flamboyant frills
Her style: Costume designer Milena Canonero adorned Kirsten Dunst in no less than 60 highly stylised and elaborate creations in a palette of sugary, bonbon-hued pastels. Resplendent silks and taffeta create a frothy drama befitting the decadent queen.
His style: Knee breeches, wigs and buckled pumps are unlikely to be back in style any time soon, but the bright opulent colours of the Versailles court are certainly making their mark on the menswear catwalks.
Lifestyle guide: Have a good time, all the time. And more is most definitely more.
Say it with style: “It’s not too much, is it?”
Ocean’s 8 (2018)
Fashion style: Bold and flashy
Her style: Cate Blanchett has 40 costume changes, Sandra Bullock 65, but for stand-out style it’s a close call between Anne Hathaway’s shocking pink, strapless Valentino gown with matching cape showcasing her Cartier necklace and the silky red Zac Posen gown worn by Rihanna.
His style: There are a few flashy outfits in the Ocean’s menswear range that literally haven’t lost their shininess. It’s a certain kind of brave man, however, who can carry off Brad Pitt’s Anto Beverly Hills snakeskin shirt. And no one makes black seem more suave than George Clooney: from his black tuxedo with untied bow to the coal-hued, single-breasted jacket and flat front trousers combo from Ocean’s Thirteen.
Fantasy lifestyle: You can trick badly dressed rich criminals into parting with their millions as long as you’re smart, slick and look amazing.
Say it with style: “Baby, I don’t have a diamond yet. Come on. Do you really want to spend the rest of your life watering down well vodka, because it’s really kind of a waste?”
Main image credit: Walter Daran via Getty Images