Style Icons

Gwyneth Lor
Sep 14, 2017
2 min read

Style Icons and how they shaped my style....

There are plenty of people out in the world that have amazing fashion sense. There are those who take inspiration from others or those who discover what they enjoy wearing without looking up to others. Nevertheless, what we choose to wear and feel comfortable with remains a key factor in making us our unique selves.

I believe that fashion is a great way to express ones views and who one is. It took me 18 years to realize this. As a child, I was dressed in clothes with pictures of Disney princesses & characters, Hannah Montana, High School Musical, etc. Sometimes, my parents would even dress me in clothes from Marks & Spencer or Ralph Lauren. As I grew older, into my preteen years, I wore clothes from Abercrombie & Fitch, Hollister, Macy's and H & M. At the time, I just went on with what was accessible and common for people my age, or whatever store my parents brought me to.

Upon moving to the States a few weeks prior to turning 15, I stayed the same--wearing A&F, H&M, Hollister, etc.--with the basic look of a t-shirt, blouse, jeans and an A & F hoodie. My friends would call that the "basic Asian Immigrant" look and oh boy were they accurate. I began noticing that there were many people like me around my campus dresses so similarly but I didn't mind as much then. It lasted halfway unto my 16th year when I bought my first trench coat from A & F, and dungarees from Topshop. During my 15th year, I began taking an interest in Old Hollywood (thanks to "New York New York" and Frank Sinatra haha), that's when I began evolving my sense of fashion. I began watching Audrey Hepburn films, and grew to admire her most. I watched films starring many Old Hollywood stars including: Grace Kelly, Katharine Hepburn, Lauren Bacall, Ginger Rogers, Frank Sinatra, Doris Day, Cary Grant, Gene Kelly, Gregory Peck, Ingrid Bergman, Humphrey Bogart, James Dean, etc.; and such viewing grew into a liking and interest in 1940's-1960s fashion. I began looking up to the elegant & classic yet simple styles of Audrey and Grace. I began liking Katharine's independent yet confident look, Lauren's flowy hairstyle, Ginger's jumpsuits, and Ingrid's natural or no-makeup look. With all of these different styles, I began to form my own style of which I felt most sincere and comfortable with. By 17, I have purchased quite a small amount of vintage clothes, accessories and objects; as well as some modern day pieces that portray a classic & elegant look. I began wearing crisp white button ups, turtleneck tops, swing skirts or A-line skirts, black capris or trousers, longer trench coats, overalls, striped blouses, and even wearing my hair in a 1940s style although I was never completely successful. I felt like myself dressed in a vintage-classic-elegant crossover. It was all thanks to my discovery of Old Hollywood and moving to the States that I was able to find my own style. Special thanks to my 4 main style icons:

Audrey Hepburn