Princess Grace's Fashion and Style: November 2003 -

[queenofthelight]

Originally Posted by Elly C

Grace Kelly's style in Rear Window

Clothes on Film

Grace was really stunning in this great dress!

The exquisite style of Princess Grace:

Style File: Grace Kelly (Vogue.com UK)#

[CordeliaFitzgerald]

I wish Princess Grace's princess fashion would get more attention since she dressed distinctively different from than she did during her Hollywood years. I mean, it was still Grace (ladylike, preppy, laidback) but it was MUCH more refined and very ornate.

Even the V&A exhibition book Grace Kelly Style devoted 2/3 of the book to her Hollywood fashion and barely covered her princess fashion. She was Princess longer than she was an actress! (And if you get the book, beware: while it's a nice overview of her fashion, it's a sorry excuse for an exhibition catalogue.)

My favorite of her princess fashion were those dresses she wore those masque balls with those over-the-top hairdos.

[gfg02]

I like this dress. Princess Grace The 2nd International Tv Festival in Monte Carlo on january 18th, 1962 with Maria Callas.
Princess Grace and Maria Callas - Rights Managed - Corbis
Getty Images - Unsupported browser detected
http://www.flickr.com/photos/trialsa...rs/2863814222/
http://62.18.15.69/fotoweb/Preview.f...07C3C6BA6E0978

[CordeliaFitzgerald]

Originally Posted by rubies

What I loved about Princess Grace and many women of their "era" was they weren't afraid to just do what they wanted with their hair and jewels and clothes.Now, it seems there is not as much personal expression in style. Especially here in the US, everyone wants to look like a jean clad soccer mom. I love Princess Grace style, even when she was dressed down, there was an elegance to it!!

Fashion and style underwent a revolution through. Just as the Flapper period of the 1920s completely rewrote women's wear (out went the corsets, high necklines, floor length gowns and trains of the Victorian/Edwardian eras in favor of the forerunner of the shorttail dress, lower necklines, and less heavy lingerie) so did the 1970s rewrite women's wear yet again (from formal structured clothes of the 1940s-1960s to casual, laidback clothes).

Nor do I think everyone wants to dress like a "jean clad soccer Mom." You can still find elegance nowdays, you just have to know where to find it and how to achieve it in your own personal life. (There's a reason why the super-preppy and high fashion shows Gossip Girl and Sex and the City have become style inspirations for many women.)

I will even go so as to say Grace herself helped with revolution. It was not uncommon for rich women of her era (1940s-1960s specifically) to lug around dozens of suitcases of clothing. She pared it down to the essentials and was famous for only carrying 1 or 2 suitcases pre-Monaco. (I'm sure after she became a Princess her clothing and jewelry requirements meant she needed tons of suitcases for her state visits.)

I do dispute your statement that women of her era could do what they wanted with their hair, clothing and jewels. Katharine Hepburn has written about how Hollywood wouldn't take her seriously and tried to girl her up because she wore trousers all the time even AFTER she won an Oscar. Jacqueline Kennedy couldn't wear slacks in public when she was First Lady because that wasn't considered proper for any woman of that era and she even ridiculed for dressing too casually for an Easter Church service (she wore a nice day dress but it wasn't deemed formal enough for a First Lady to wear). Even Grace had to fight Hitchcook about breast enhancements (he wanted her to wear falsies in a scene 'Rear Window'.) Not to mention, Grace had to fight the Hollywood system to dress the way she wanted. (Recall that when Grace came to Hollywood, the Dream Factory still controlled how the stars dressed in their casual lives.) If anything, women have more control today over how they can dress vs. Grace's era.

[Elly C]

A feature on Grace's beach outfit for the film To Catch A Thief

To Catch A Thief

(There are other features about some of her other film outfits which can be searched from the archive)

[Elly C]

The latest outfit to be discussed on this wonderful website

Clothes on Film

[IloveCP]

I loved her oscar dress:

http://img2.timeinc.net/people/i/200...p10/gkelly.jpg

Sorry,I could'nt find a full picture.

[Jaya]

Grace came at the right time and her attire was suited to her as in true couture.There isn't a time she did not draw sighs.... but then she studied herself and she was objective in what to wear. Grace 's clothes still have universal appeal and still inspire [as in the inspiration for Kate Middleton's wedding gown]because they are so classic.Grace was unafraid to be a classic and to show more conservatism than others.

[IloveCP]

Originally Posted by Jaya

Grace came at the right time and her attire was suited to her as in true couture.There isn't a time she did not draw sighs.... but then she studied herself and she was objective in what to wear. Grace 's clothes still have universal appeal and still inspire [as in the inspiration for Kate Middleton's wedding gown]because they are so classic.Grace was unafraid to be a classic and to show more conservatism than others.

Yes,very true!

If only Hollywood stars today dressed like that.

[Jaya]

Originally Posted by IloveCP

Yes,very true!

If only Hollywood stars today dressed like that.

You would think it is that easy and common
sense but since there hasn't been anyone comparable
there must have been something more to it.I would think that Grace had more brains [ accentuated sense of aesthetic] than she is credited for.Grace was not an style icon for a certain time but for all time.

[XeniaCasaraghi]

I'm agreeing with you a lot today Cordelia; there are a lot of famous woman who dress up nicely. Not everyone has the access that Grace Kelly had to dress fantastic all the time. There are the female celebs who like to look like bums, but there are still the few who put on heels, makeup, and do their hair just to walk to the mail box. Grace was at her height during a decade when woman were still viewed as ladies, housewives, pretty pictures, the perfect woman, who always had to wear a skirt. When looking at Grace, I always think of the 50's image, and with the assassinations of the 60s and the sexual revolution of the 60's and 70s, women no longer fell into that image of the perfect woman.

[IloveCP]

The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor: Flashback Friday: National Day, the Princess Grace Way

She always looked so elegant and ladylike!

I love the blue coat!

[Elly C]

A collection of knitwear inspired by Grace will be launched in September by Pringle's of Scotland.

The Scotsman

[Jaya]

Originally Posted by XeniaCasaraghi

I'm agreeing with you a lot today Cordelia; there are a lot of famous woman who dress up nicely. Not everyone has the access that Grace Kelly had to dress fantastic all the time. There are the female celebs who like to look like bums, but there are still the few who put on heels, makeup, and do their hair just to walk to the mail box. Grace was at her height during a decade when woman were still viewed as ladies, housewives, pretty pictures, the perfect woman, who always had to wear a skirt. When looking at Grace, I always think of the 50's image, and with the assassinations of the 60s and the sexual revolution of the 60's and 70s, women no longer fell into that image of the perfect woman.

Just as Audrey Hepburn stands out so did Grace and for reasons of aesthetic they alone know.I know Grace never wore black in public and she had a style of her own.I do not think many today know how to actually study like these two.Grace and Audrey did not look dishevelled but they actually looked well groomed.Grooming that was a lot . They also looked natural

[bertie5252003]

I could do nothing all day but just look at photos of Grace I loved her and then the ones with Callas the amazing one... too much. The Pringle launch also showed fabulous timing and brilliant marketing IMO thanks for all those links I just love them .

[sm1939]

Princess Grace was a true princess !! great outfits

[NGalitzine]

Why would someone in the second decade of the 21st century dress like someone from the mid 20th century? Grace dressed well most of the time but she was of her time and place, and time has moved on.