Audrey Hepburn: What She REALLY Stood For

By Kate Gibson
Audrey Hepburn: we all know who she is: a star of the silver screen, an icon in the fashion world, and the resident of a soft place in our hearts. Many know her from her roles in “My Fair Lady” and “Breakfast at Tiffany’s,” but the roles that she played, the clothes that she wore and her good will in the world skim only the surface of the legacy Audrey left behind. Audrey taught women how to “always be the leading lady in your own life.” (Audrey)
Sure, Miley Cyrus and her “F you attitude” have promoted confidence and the idea that being different is okay. Look around though. Women have a serious lack of proper role models and messages these days. All we hear are crass lyrics on how to embrace your booty and that visuals are everything. I’m “all about that bass” but seriously I would love a well-known figure to step up to the plate and exemplify not only class, but a great message as well to help groom our generation and the future ones with what actually matters in the long-term. Perhaps we shouldn’t be looking to the present selection of ‘celebs’ and we should look back to the days of black and white films and Fred Astaire.
Who doesn’t love a good LBD? Or a pixie cut? Many of these things are seen as social norms more and more, but Audrey was one of the first women to not only do it but rock it. Instead of a pixie cut being a form of rebellion and independence, Audrey wore it as a form of personal expression and choice. Isn’t that the message we want to send young girls who see a pixie cut? And shouldn’t a dress be elegant and not a way to wear the least amount of clothes as possible? Audrey thought so.
Do you love Taylor’s super bold lip colors? Well she wasn’t the first. Audrey was known for her daring fashion choices, one of them being a nice bold lip color. She often said that changing your look was not “changing yourself but what you are saying.” Being yourself was most important to Audrey and sometimes that meant wearing a bright coral lipstick and men’s loafers – never ceasing to look fabulous.
She wasn’t just a fashion inspiration. She was an inspiration to good for others. As an ambassador of UNICEF and a well-known humanitarian, she touched the hearts of people all around the world. She believed that helping others wasn’t too hard; all you had to do was use the hand at the end of your arm. This message of charity and humility is so important for young women to learn today and it is this type of person that makes a real difference.
“Happy girls are the prettiest girls.” This is her most well known quote. She often promoted beauty as a reflection of confidence and personal happiness. This is the biggest reason why Audrey should be a role model to all ages of women today. Instead of saying that you love your butt and screw the haters that don’t just being confident and happy is beautiful. Audrey’s abundance of confidence and quirkiness made her beloved and one of the most beautiful women in history. There is no reason why we all can’t be as beautiful and elegant as Audrey. All you have to do is smile and you’re half way there.