The words in my post title were said by nobody other than the one of a kind Audrey Kathleen Hepburn. Yesterday would have been her 83rd birthday and even though she isn't around us to celebrate it anymore, through her passion, kindness and unique style, she has lived on in our hearts and will continue to do so forever.
"People associate me with a time when movies were pleasant, when women wore pretty dresses in films and you heard beautiful music. I always love it when people write me and say 'I was having a rotten time, and I walked into a cinema and saw one of your movies, and it made such a difference." - she would say, and that's exactly what happened in my case.
I can still recall that spring evening when I first saw 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'. The story left me absolutely enchanted, getting to know Audrey Hepburn has certainly shaped me into the person I am now. I have always been a New York lover and seeing the story of Holly Golightly, a small town girl making it big in the Big Apple and living an independent, carefree life of a socialite made me want to follow in her footsteps. After a while I started setting T-shirts and skinny jeans aside just to replace them with fancy floral dresses to be worn on a daily basis. And, as you all know, I stayed true to this rule up until now.
"There is more to sex appeal than just measurements. I don't need a bedroom to prove my womanliness. I can convey just as much sex appeal, picking apples off a tree or standing in the rain."
"People associate me with a time when movies were pleasant, when women wore pretty dresses in films and you heard beautiful music. I always love it when people write me and say 'I was having a rotten time, and I walked into a cinema and saw one of your movies, and it made such a difference." - she would say, and that's exactly what happened in my case.
I can still recall that spring evening when I first saw 'Breakfast at Tiffany's'. The story left me absolutely enchanted, getting to know Audrey Hepburn has certainly shaped me into the person I am now. I have always been a New York lover and seeing the story of Holly Golightly, a small town girl making it big in the Big Apple and living an independent, carefree life of a socialite made me want to follow in her footsteps. After a while I started setting T-shirts and skinny jeans aside just to replace them with fancy floral dresses to be worn on a daily basis. And, as you all know, I stayed true to this rule up until now.
"There is more to sex appeal than just measurements. I don't need a bedroom to prove my womanliness. I can convey just as much sex appeal, picking apples off a tree or standing in the rain."
I can say without a shadow of doubt that this is one of the most important life lessons Audrey taught me. The image she conveyed to the world was somewhat revolutionary- a petite lady in a little black dress with a cigarette in her hand being hailed a sexy style icon. She proved that you don't have to be provocative or show off too much body to be alluring. Regardless of whether she was wearing a ball gown or a sweater paired with jeans, she was, and still is constantly admired by men and women all over the world.
Having seen 'Roman Holiday' for the first time, I curled up in my bed and burst into uncontrollable tears. I have been greatly impressed by the scenery and characters. Suddenly, I came to despise the way life has changed throughout those 50 years and people who value nudity and binge drinking over true love and sacrifices for the significant other. Being the hopeless romantic that I am, I kept wishing I could experience something similar, with my own Joe Bradley, a gentleman who knows exactly how to treat a woman. To be perfectly honest, I still do.
Not only was Audrey Hepburn a woman of remarkable beauty, she also had a heart of pure gold. Despite a difficult childhood and a lost dream of becoming a prima ballerina, she was determined and hard-working enough not to give in. Stardom never affected her character- what she prized above were family values. She even put her career on hold to tighten bonds with her sons. Painful experiences inspired Audrey to work as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. She visited over 20 countries and drew the attention of world leaders and international media to children abuse.
I could go on and on about her for hours, but I will leave it here in case I feel like dedicating another post to her in the future. I don't want it to be a picture heavy one, so stay tuned for a recap of my favourite Audrey outfits soon.
To finish it off, I would like to share with you one of my favourite Audrey moments of all time. The most interesting thing about it is that contrary to what many people think- she wasn't acting at the time. She had no idea this was going to take place- she was surprised by Gregory Peck and what we can see in 'Roman Holiday' is actually her natural reaction. Beyond adorable, if you ask me!
Having seen 'Roman Holiday' for the first time, I curled up in my bed and burst into uncontrollable tears. I have been greatly impressed by the scenery and characters. Suddenly, I came to despise the way life has changed throughout those 50 years and people who value nudity and binge drinking over true love and sacrifices for the significant other. Being the hopeless romantic that I am, I kept wishing I could experience something similar, with my own Joe Bradley, a gentleman who knows exactly how to treat a woman. To be perfectly honest, I still do.
Not only was Audrey Hepburn a woman of remarkable beauty, she also had a heart of pure gold. Despite a difficult childhood and a lost dream of becoming a prima ballerina, she was determined and hard-working enough not to give in. Stardom never affected her character- what she prized above were family values. She even put her career on hold to tighten bonds with her sons. Painful experiences inspired Audrey to work as a goodwill ambassador for UNICEF. She visited over 20 countries and drew the attention of world leaders and international media to children abuse.
I could go on and on about her for hours, but I will leave it here in case I feel like dedicating another post to her in the future. I don't want it to be a picture heavy one, so stay tuned for a recap of my favourite Audrey outfits soon.
To finish it off, I would like to share with you one of my favourite Audrey moments of all time. The most interesting thing about it is that contrary to what many people think- she wasn't acting at the time. She had no idea this was going to take place- she was surprised by Gregory Peck and what we can see in 'Roman Holiday' is actually her natural reaction. Beyond adorable, if you ask me!
xoxo, Dominika.
