Lessons Learned from Audrey Hepburn’s Legacy

Thirty years ago this month, British actor, style icon and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn passed away at the age of 63. Despite her absence the last three decades, she continues to be on countless “best of” lists, the subject of books, and has multiple websites devoted to her life and work—not to mention, her unforgettable face gracing vintage movie posters and black and white postcards your fun aunt picks up to decorate the house with. Film director Blake Edwards once said about Hepburn, “I think that there are few people in one’s life that you never really feel that they’re gone. I have to remind myself that she isn’t around.” At the time of publication for this article, her TikTok hashtag (#audreyhepburn) has racked up 462.4 million views.

But there was more to Hepburn than her well-known gamine features: her bold eyebrows, side-swept bangs, doe eyes, charismatic smile and covetable style. Some might say Audrey’s aura still manages to leap off the silver screen, mesmerizing audiences from the 1950s to this day—and who knows how many fans she’ll make tomorrow. It could be her down-to-earth relatability. Her film characters were far from perfect and in her major roles, it’s easy to learn a bit about life and stumbling along the way. Hepburn’s “dramatic” choices covered a range of characters who dared to go outside their comfort zones and coincidentally fall hard for love. And in Hepburn’s real-life finale, what seemed to matter most to her was stepping out of the spotlight, having more time with family and engaging in charitable causes.   

From her personal life and film roles, here are the lessons I’ve learned from the legacy of Hepburn. A Golightly list if you will.

Consider A Change

At some point in Roman Holiday, Sabrina, Funny Face and My Fair Lady, each of Hepburn’s characters go through their individual metamorphoses: some of them involve chopping off hair (like in Roman Holiday where Princess Anne goes to a local barber shop for this makeover) or in Sabrina where the titular character—the daughter of a chauffeur—returns to Long Island as a glam dame with a short 'do after a sabbatical in Paris.

As for Funny Face and My Fair Lady, the changes to Jo Stockton and Eliza Doolittle respectively happen with a little outside help but both are relatively open to these life-altering transformations. For Jo, she was a former bookstore mouse turned international fashion model. For Eliza, she was an ex-cockney-accented market worker turned high society aristocrat in London. In each story, every character gives off a “change is good” vibe. It might be scary to do it, but why not take a chance?

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Find The Right Fit

It helped that Hepburn inspired designer/couturier Hubert de Givenchy as his muse for as long as she was alive. He also provided some key, bespoke costumes for her films such as Sabrina, Funny Face and in Breakfast at Tiffany’s: it goes without saying, one of the most iconic little black dresses that ever existed appears in the opening scene of the film based on the Truman Capote novella. Hepburn “owned” her clothes and made them work for her characters—not the other way around. At times, Hepburn’s dance background could be seen in the way she glides in her gowns with voluminous skirts. In Sabrina alone, her radical change from pinafore-wearing, ponytailed girl to statement-making sophistication in slender silhouettes happens in the wardrobe. Style became an essential part of Hepburn’s identity, on and off the screen, and she knew how to work it.

Get Away

Hepburn once famously said, “Paris is always a good idea.” In Sabrina and Funny Face, Hepburn’s characters literally move out of their comfort zone and coincidentally, both make Paris a short-term stay for different reasons. For Sabrina, she’s seeking a sort of education to grow beyond Long Island (to focus on herself and not get distracted by her lifelong crush, David Larrabee) and for Jo, she’s working as a fashion model and secretly, she’s in Paris to meet a famous Philosopher. The City of Lights provides a backdrop for subtle messaging: get some perspective by leaving home for a while. Dabble in something new and forget where you came from. And going back to the transformation theme, a change of address brings about positive change: inner and outer, of course.

Dance like Everybody’s Watching (or at least like Fred Astaire is watching)

Don’t you ever feel like breaking out into dance when you hear your favorite upbeat song anywhere (or in Hepburn’s universe within the setting of Funny Face, at an intellectual cafe in Paris)? In a world where everyone seems to be glued to their phones, how about some improvisation? Maybe it’s to impress someone like—I don’t know—Fred Astaire? Or maybe you just want to do it for yourself as a form of self care? 

In any case, it’s difficult not to be enthralled by Hepburn’s dance solo in Funny Face. The pure spontaneity of it all and her classic black outfit—finished off with a turtleneck and comfy loafers—is a whole vibe of one part not giving a fuck and two parts giving into the music and the moment. 

Sing Along

Even though Hepburn possessed a softer tonal quality, she sang with her heart on her sleeve in Funny Face and in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. Sadly, and even though she trained vigorously, Marni Nixon replaced Hepburn’s vocals in My Fair Lady. It doesn’t matter: we’ll always have Hepburn’s delicate acoustic version of “Moon River” in Breakfast at Tiffany’s which remains one of the most emotionally stirring renditions of the Henry Mancini classic.

Some good

Hepburn slowly stepped away from her entertainment career but used the last years of her life to devote to UNICEF: She served as Goodwill Ambassador from 1988 to 1993 and during her tenure there, she made several missions to visit projects that were beneficial to children. She also spoke publicly on behalf of children’s rights. She knew her name and reputation could leverage some influence and bring attention to whatever she supported. Perhaps this part of her life is often overshadowed by her Hollywood fame, but her UNICEF role was just as important as her professional work. It was certainly one of the high points of her career, and a graceful note at the end of her life: in the service of others. As an entertainer, she had an undeniable soothing effect. And as a humanitarian, you could say she had the same impact.

Words: Sabrina Cooper