Undercurrent

In the film High Society, done in a wash of technicolor, Grace Kelly, a goddess in white ruffled dresses and off-shouldered couture affairs, is a gorgeous triumph of genes. Her blond hair, curled demurely in a tight chignon, and high cheekbones and graceful carriage speak louder than her patrician tones. As the co-star of Bing Crosby, her charming roué of an ex-husband who still has a yen for his ex-wife, Grace Kelly is clearly the lady of the house. But it’s in the original film, The Philadelphia Story, starring an almost-impossible-to-resist Cary Grant in Bing Crosby’s role, that the film comes to life. Katharine Hepburn’s recreation of the haughty socialite, a character not too far from her own, with her strong-jawed determination, direct gaze and regal mien, is a testament to the actress’ upbringing. But it is her uncompromising demeanor that had critics heralding Hepburn as a woman to watch out for.

Never the type to seek out roles of the damsel-in-distress kind, she was fiercely independent. Men lauded her for her outspoken charm and good looks (she was a tall redhead with a fascinating sense of humor). Women adored her feminist ideals and no-nonsense approach to a male-dominated industry. She was once quoted saying, "I was totally unaware that we were the second-rate sex."

As her bearing was decidedly mannish, her wardrobe tended to reflect her masculine tendencies. Known for wearing wide-leg pants, crisp oxford shirts with an upturned collar, and jackets more appropriate for a safari while she was out and about, she was the personification of the independent woman. Later she would be reinvented by Dior with tailored women’s suits with a strong silhouette. For her fall 2006 collection, Diane von Furstenberg claimed she was inspired by tough female archetypes, molding outfits that ranged from sharp ’40s suits to brash separates in bold prints around her ideal working girl.

Though she often dressed in pants offscreen, onscreen Hepburn was draped in goddess gowns that would emphasize her lean silhouette. Long-sleeved, floor-sweeping dresses cinched at the waist (sometimes higher) became her signature look, particularly in her Oscar-nominated roles in The Philadelphia Story and Woman of the Year.

Though many consider her abrasive manner and haughty carriage a far cry from today’s ideal modern woman, she was strictly her own person, never kowtowing to Hollywood or society’s standards. The daughter of a suffragette, she wore slacks decades before they were fashionable for women. She refused to wear makeup unless she was being filmed. And later on, she took control of her career, after being labeled box-office poison after several films flopped, by obtaining the rights to a Broadway show she was starring in. After selecting a director and co-actors, the film, which happened to be The Philadelphia Story, became a smash, garnering her accolades from critics and theatergoers alike. She even received a nod from a still-in-shape and still-relevant cultural icon – Madonna – in a ‘90s hit song entitled Vogue.

YStyle celebrates the dazzling screen legend with a series of photographs that pay homage to the strong siren’s image with dresses and suits with long silhouettes that make any woman seem taller and slimmer, more regal in bearing. Alternately prim and sexy, modest and assured, the fashions of James Reyes and Ivar Aseron are constant reminders that a girl doesn’t have to be overtly sexy to be attractive. She must simply be confident and comfortable in what she’s wearing to be considered stylish. "So I look ghastly, do I?" Hepburn once said, after being criticized for wearing dungarees to the studio lot during filming. "I don’t care – so long as I’m comfortable." Now here’s a woman to look up to.

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James Reyes can be reached at 0917-6236183 and Ivar Aseron at 0927-276583.