There have been many weird and wonderful fashion trends over the years, from burlesque and steampunk to multi-coloured, tie-dye shirts and skin-tight leather leggings.
Vintage memorabilia can still be bought today and with sites like www.ebay.co.uk stacked with styles from the flower power era you can still grab yourself a fabulous pair of flares or a sassy 60s dress.
Sure, patterns, cuts and hems have come and gone, but those who wore them best have certainly left a lasting legacy.
That’s right; the world’s fashionistas aren’t easily forgotten, so let’s take a close look at some of the most renowned fashion icons throughout history.
Audrey Hepburn
Well-known for her elegant style and elfin beauty, Audrey Hepburn became famous during Hollywood’s Golden Age and soon made a name for herself in popular films such as Funny Face and Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
It wasn’t just her acting skills that made her stand out from the crowd, however, as her slight frame made her a magnet for clothes and she quickly became famous for her impeccable sense of style. According to a feature in Vogue, Givenchy designed many of her personal and professional ensembles including the little black dress worn in Breakfast at Tiffany’s.
This garment later sold for a whopping £467,200, which, at the time was the most money ever paid for a film dress.
Marilyn Monroe
A figure of beauty and intrigue, Marilyn Monroe brought a breath of fresh air to the 1950s. Not only was she curvier than other girls at the time, but she was happy to flaunt her fuller figure to the world and this added an exciting dimension to the fashion industry.
With bright blonde hair, enchanting eyes and a gorgeous wide smile she had the world at her feet and quickly became a global talking point thanks to her charm, acting abilities and notorious fashion sense. Think Marilyn and you probably imagine her grinning away as her skirt is blown up by a blast from a subway vent.
This famous image was shot in 1954 as she filmed The Seven Year Itch and showcases the star in one of the most sensational outfits she ever wore – an ivory Travilla dress which went on to sell for $4.6 million at auction.
Elizabeth Taylor
Elizabeth Taylor was not only a silver screen legend but a beauty queen and an ever-hopeful romantic as shown by her endless string of marriages. As documented by the Daily Mail, she married eight times to seven different men but it wasn’t just her love affairs that helped her make the headlines.
Elizabeth Taylor had a penchant for fur and is rumoured to have once ordered 200 pairs of mink earmuffs. She also had a love for diamonds owning a collection of sparkles, gems and trinkets totalling millions of dollars. In fact, Taylor loved diamonds so much that her husband Howard Hughes landed a helicopter nearby and proposed to the actress by sprinkling diamonds on her – now that’s persuasive!
Twiggy
Elegance and class have been top of the list so far, but Twiggy was a little more on the raunchy side. Popular in the swinging sixties, a time of freedom, peace, love and anti-war protests, Twiggy was the perfect representation of a changing society thanks to her cutting- edge image.
Undeterred by short hem lines, tight cuts and bright colours she dressed her slight frame in all kinds of wacky attire and became respected for it. She pushed 60s dress to its limits promoting many unisex styles and showing off her boyish frame in military suits, dresses, collars and neckties. Dubbed the world’s first supermodel she certainly earned herself the title of fashion icon.
If these ladies are anything to go by it shows that anyone can be fashionable no matter what your shape and size. From the super skinny to the more curvaceous there are clothes out there that will set your figure on fire – just wear them with confidence and pride.