Words by Annie Barber.
The iconic looks of Hollywood’s Golden Age are some of the most well-known of all time. Think Audrey Hepburn’s all-black outfit in the opening credits of ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’, Marilyn Monroe’s white dress in ‘The Seven Year Itch’, or Grace Kelly’s cascading black and white dress in ‘Rear Window’.
This time last year, Taylor Swift made headlines for announcing her eleventh studio album, ‘The Tortured Poets Department’, at the Grammys. However, this wasn’t the only thing that fans paid attention to. Before the announcement, her dedicated followers speculated that her Schiaparelli dress was an easter egg for the re-recording of her 2017 album ‘reputation’. Afterwards, they picked it apart for any hints about the then upcoming album, with some saying it was evocative of Classic Hollywood. Now that the album has been released, it’s clear that it was a nod to silent movie star Clara Bow, whom Swift named a song after. The layered silver necklaces, the flowing white dress gathered at the waist, and black velvet gloves were an homage to a troubled but much loved Hollywood actress.
Taylor Swift’s Old Hollywood inspired look is one of many which pay respect to the era. From Kim Kardashian wearing Marilyn Monroe’s ‘Happy Birthday, Mr President’ dress at 2022’s Met Gala (which created a scandal due to the damage it sustained) to Billie Eilish’s Old Hollywood inspired Vogue cover story, it’s clear that these styles have had a lasting impact on the fashion world. In fact, Classic Hollywood glamour has made a huge comeback in the first few weeks of 2025, signalling a return to the styles from an era gone by.
The 2025 Golden Globes were a strong indicator of this trend. Selena Gomez’s Prada dress was reminiscent of Grace Kelly’s blue number in ‘To Catch a Thief’. Despite Gomez’s dress being made of satin, whereas Kelly’s was made of chiffon, the similarities between the looks are striking. Pamela Anderson’s all black ensemble, complete with gloves and a silver necklace, harked back to the aforementioned ‘Breakfast at Tiffany’s’ look. Dakota Fanning’s red chiffon Dolce & Gabbana dress was reminiscent of another Audrey Hepburn look, this time from the film ‘Funny Face’.
Although these felt like nods to specific looks from Classic Hollywood, other outfits at the awards show seemingly took less obvious inspiration from the same period. Zendaya wore a stunning orange satin Louis Vuitton gown, paired with pin curls and a statement silver and emerald necklace (as well as an engagement ring, in case you’ve been living under a rock and missed the news that her and Tom Holland are engaged). This outfit felt like it would fit seamlessly into a film like ‘Gentlemen Prefer Blondes’ or ‘The Barefoot Contessa’.
Aside from these show stopping satin and chiffon dresses, many stars donned gorgeous glittery and diamanté dresses, like Nicole Kidman in Balenciaga, Angelina Jolie in Alexander McQueen, Sofía Vergara in Georges Chakra, Zoe Saldaña in Saint Laurent, Cara Delevigne in Gucci and Mindy Kaling in Ashi Studio. And Pamela Anderson wasn’t the only one wearing gloves. Kerry Washington and Ariana Grande sported black and white pairs respectively, which elevated each of their looks. Sparkly details and gloves are both staples of Classic Hollywood style, and their resurgence in popularity on the red carpet hint at them becoming potential future trends.
There have also been rumours that Ariana Grande is vying for the lead in an Audrey Hepburn biopic, with some claiming that she’s ‘method dressing’ in an attempt to bag the role. However, when speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Grande addressed the rumours, saying “[t]hat would have to be done so well and so perfectly… I don’t know”. Despite this, she did credit 50s and 60s glamour as the inspiration for her Golden Globes look, and the pink Loewe dress she wore to the 2025 National Board of Review Awards.
It will be very interesting to see if these trends grace the red carpet at the upcoming Grammy Awards, and if high street brands pick up on them in the coming months. Even if they don’t, one thing’s for sure: Classic Hollywood’s influence on fashion is everlasting.
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