This photograph of Katherine Hepburn was taken in 1967 when she was 60 years old… She inspires me… How energetic and engaged she looks… and ageless… Her trademarks… the updo… the cap, the turtleneck and the baggy sweats… means that it could be only her … She looks fabulous, chic even… in a very weekend/sporty way. Who says that fashion dates?… Who says that women in the middle years must wear ‘appropriate’ or old-fashioned attire?
Masculine looking feminine
1… Elyse Hat 2… J.Crew Turtleneck 3…. Jeni Sneakers 4… Wool and Cashmere Sweats 5… Jack Wills Rugby Shirt or Ralph Lauren Rugby Shirt
It’s time I invested in some smarter sweats… bought a new rugby shirt and traded in my old sneakers… I am definitely going for the cap… Today, fashion is about freedom.. Katherine Hepburn really got it… xv
Katherine had a wonderful attitude to life …. comfortable in her own skin. I agree she had an energy about her that was contagious and look at her skate-boarding in her 60’s. yes! I’m inspired.
Have a wonderful week-endVicki and keep safe.
“All Things French”
I love how ageless and timeless some women are. Thanks for the inspiration on a friday.
Time to get the skate-board out…..for the weekend. Smile.
pve
Bonjour Vicki!
She has always been a favorite of mine for her elegant beauty back in the day, then her almost tomboyish look in the later years that I JUST LOVE. I have actually “studied” her style close-up to try to figure out how and why her style works. She was TRUE TO HERSELF. She was active, witty, and did not CARE what the conventions thought about her. She kept neat, fit and had fun. Maybe her loose pant style does nothing for me, but the ESSENCE of what she captured….free spirit, fun, fitness and boldness is what anyone of us can capture in our own style. For me, it is HEELS, keeping myself slim and active and fun-loving, creative, black tights and boots, jeans and sweaters and little to NO make-up and of course, some diamond studs!!!!!!!!!
LOVE YOUR STYLE MY DEAR!!! Anita
Thank you Anita… and I love the way you describe her ‘essence’… perfect… :)
She exuded STYLE which is why we remember her still; she was an original ; a class act rather like Audrey and Jackie all very much style icons today.
Great post, Vicki…have a wonderful weekend.
Catherine
xx
Catherine… You are so right… That elusive ‘style… KH certainly had it… in bucket loads… :)
She was timeless and is inspires me as I get closer and closer to the big 6 – 0. She knew who she was and carried her style off fabulously!
The more I read and write about women… the more I am believing that age is irrelevant… 40..50…60 or more… These days all is possible as long as we have physical and mental health… and the excitement to live our lives well…
She was truly an icon and well ahead of her time – I admire her feisty and confident attitude so well conveyed in this photo. What a great role model!
She certainly was ahead of her time.. I love so many of the quotes I read when looking for the one I used today… I shall post more…:)
I think the problem is often the expression “mutton dressed as lamb” and then the other extreme to be too dowdy or drab or grannyish …
I think we need more photos and publicity of midlifers living the good life and looking great … not typecast
That is exactly what I am on the lookout for…:)
Yay … a change is coming … not “the change” :)
Keep up your beautyful work ..
One of my very favorites..if not my favorite…
Fun… isn’t it…:)
I love this photo of Katherine Hepburn! Look at how graceful her hands are, and how expressive! Just beautiful.
She was a very expressive woman.. that is the impression I always felt from her movies…
Loved her!
I frequently copy her updo.
But the hat would look ridiculous on me.
I always think I would look silly too… but I am going to try… and maybe I am inspired because today, the snow is bucketing down in London.. and a cap would be just the thing…:)
Love Katherine! Her style was so classic, and iconic. Thanks for this great post. -Al
She seemed to give classic an edge.. didn’t she?
I think as we get older and get more comfortable in our skin it’s also nice to be comfortable in our clothes. And if we could look a little bit like Katherine Hepburn…… :-)
That would help…:)
She was a woman that I truly admired for her lust for life and staying so active even in her later years, her style was and is timeless. Happy weekend, Vicki! xxoo
Yes, active is the key…
I love Tomboy chic and I can’t think of a better example than Kate Hepburn! I had two older brothers growing up and so often raided their closet for clothes. I guess it was a hard habit to break since I got all their hand me downs when I was very young. Nice inspiration, Vicki.
‘Tomboy chic’… great description… :)
My mother and I had an ongoing ‘fun’ argument about our favorites: Her Katherine Hepburn, me Audrey. On the American Film Institute’s list of all time female film legends–K.H. is #1 …Audrey #3 (remarkable as she didn’t make that many films). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AFI's_100_Years…100_Stars
K.H. was true to her NE Coast Yankee upbringing. A.H. to her European aristocratic mother’s dictums, and her childhood years spent under harshest Nazi occupation and rule.
Something that drove K.H. was having been the one to find her beloved nine-year old brother hanging in the barn. She decided to live for them both and even took his b-day.
Along with Jackie and Grace Kelly they were tremendous role models for generations of girls. It’s sad that today ‘The Kardashian’ way seems to dominate. Which brings to mind another benefit of blogs like yours V. Keeping the spirit of true women alive!!
All fabulous inspirations… i can’t say that i really am that enamoured with the Kardashians… yet I admire their business sense…;)
It’s really true, Vicki!
Hi vicki love all those older actors…xo
So many of them can provide modern interpretations and inspiration for our daily lives…
I have always loved the Hepburn style and used to think that age doesn’t matter………….. until I developed arthritic hands and knees despite being fit. And I’m definitely younger than 60!
That is a shame Elizabeth… Sometimes some forms of arthritis can actually lessen as you get older… I hope that is the case for you….
Her look was iconic for that masculine/smart feminine appeal and no one has done it better since!
Age to me and has always been a state of mind, nothing more than that. Its how you FEEL. I might be “late 40″s” but I feel “mid 30″s”! Have a great weekend Vicki!
Me too, Tina… I feel better than I did in my 30’s…:)
In the background–there is a Volkswagen minibus that perhaps she drove to the park to skateboard! She left the door open in her haste to start playing!
Maybe…:)
The Great Kate! Oh how this made me smile and is just so perfect on every level. She was my first “icon” (there must be another word?) bien avant l’autre Hepburn who followed, both remain for their courage in life as well as in the arts. In looking at what you have chosen, I see how much that early influence has stuck with me as I dress now in my 40s.
While typing this, I learned of the passing of Andrée Putman, another woman of courage who was completely true to her design world even in how she dressed…
Andrée Putnam was one of my favourite designers… I wrote about her in, “French Essence”… how sad to think she is gone but what a great legacy she leaves…
This has always been my absolute favorite photo of KH!
Love her style, love her attitude….
A beautiful weekend to you, chere Vicki!
xoxo,
– Irina
So true…. Beauty is so much to do with attitude.. :)
Kate Hepburn owned her style, as did Jackie Onassis and Audrey Hepburn. When I look at photos of them, it could be 1950, 1980 or 2012. They are the epitome of timelessness and, if you really look at them, you will see that they improved with time. I have seen women like them on occasion and I am compelled to stare and try to discern what makes their look so individual and elegant. Wouldn’t it be an honor to be counted among them?
Those women did improve with age… actually, they were beautiful at every age… what a great compliment… :)
You are keeping this legendary woman out there with your post thank you. A roll model to be sure, so glad I found you xx
Some women are relevant at every age… and at every decade… True style, lives on…:)
I love her spirit and no-nonsense style. She was a woman to be reckoned with!
I imagine she was from all accounts… and there is nothing wrong with that…:)
Ah, there is my hat! Over lunch, three of us were discussing our spring trip to Paris and what we were going to pack. “Hats” came up and knowing we will be walking the city the entire trip, a proper sunshade is always my concern. I grew up at the beach here in Southern California in the water or sunbathing day after day, year after year. With age comes wisdom and my focus has become preservation! That means a hat, packable, practical…does that mean tre’s un-chic?
The one thing I so not want to do is walk around looking like a tourist.
Is KH’s hat or a wider brimmed sun hat going to reveal my tourist identity?
I don’t think so…:)