I’m a big fan of Audrey Hepburn’s. This is not unique, and there is a reason for that. Audrey had a mature elegance, yet she exuded a childlike charm most of us wish we still retain in our adulthoods. From what I’ve learned of her personal life, she was the sort of woman I aspire to be.
But mostly what I know of her I’ve gathered from the screen. I love her delivery in the romantic spy comedy Charade, I love her absurd Beatnik dance number in Funny Face, I feel her underdog pain and revel in her reemergence as a fine lady in Sabrina (although Humphrey Bogart’s fluff speech about being an industrialist for the shoeless kids in Puerto Rico makes me cringe). My Fair Lady and Breakfast at Tiffany’s need no explanation. But of all these greats, my favorite picture starring Audrey is her first (and the first Audrey movie I ever saw), 1953’s Roman Holiday.
Even taking into account its bittersweet ending, Roman Holiday is such a feel good movie. It’s easy to get invested in every carefree moment of Princess Ann’s secret adventure - from driving a vespa, to tasting gelato for the first time, to getting her hair cut drastically short (best bangs ever), to dancing under the stars and falling for Atticus Finch - I mean Gregory Peck. For years, Audrey’s Italian Boy style haircut from this film has inspired my own hairstyle.
In particular, Roman Holiday's costuming is impeccable. Ann’s famous day-out outfit is the perfect contrast to the beautiful, but confining ball gown of the opening sequence. Her neckerchief, button-down shirt with rolled sleeves, Roman sandals, and high-waisted circle skirt perfectly embody the light-hearted feel of her short-lived holiday.
Before I embarked on my own three day holiday to Florida with my mom and sister, I decided to make a quick circle skirt modeled after Princess Ann’s. The skirt has side seams, a center back seam with a zipper, a high waistband, and two hidden pockets. I used a lightweight rust-colored woolen fabric, which was a gift from my friend Celeste’s grandma, Lucy. Lucy kept this fabric for decades, and it is still in perfect condition.
The skirt proved to be extremely comfortable and a great choice for a 12-hour day at Universal Studios and the Islands of Adventure. It wasn't too hot and I didn't have to worry about my legs getting sunburnt. The pockets were super convenient.
I’ve made plenty of circle skirts in my time, some with an elastic waistband, some with a zipper closure, some using commercial patterns, some having free-drafted my own pattern. While other online tutorials for circle skirts exist, this is a method I’ve developed that I’m really quite pleased with. You can fit this pattern in your purse and use it to make a skirt of any length!
Please click “read more” on the lower right for photographed instructions!
But mostly what I know of her I’ve gathered from the screen. I love her delivery in the romantic spy comedy Charade, I love her absurd Beatnik dance number in Funny Face, I feel her underdog pain and revel in her reemergence as a fine lady in Sabrina (although Humphrey Bogart’s fluff speech about being an industrialist for the shoeless kids in Puerto Rico makes me cringe). My Fair Lady and Breakfast at Tiffany’s need no explanation. But of all these greats, my favorite picture starring Audrey is her first (and the first Audrey movie I ever saw), 1953’s Roman Holiday.
Even taking into account its bittersweet ending, Roman Holiday is such a feel good movie. It’s easy to get invested in every carefree moment of Princess Ann’s secret adventure - from driving a vespa, to tasting gelato for the first time, to getting her hair cut drastically short (best bangs ever), to dancing under the stars and falling for Atticus Finch - I mean Gregory Peck. For years, Audrey’s Italian Boy style haircut from this film has inspired my own hairstyle.
In particular, Roman Holiday's costuming is impeccable. Ann’s famous day-out outfit is the perfect contrast to the beautiful, but confining ball gown of the opening sequence. Her neckerchief, button-down shirt with rolled sleeves, Roman sandals, and high-waisted circle skirt perfectly embody the light-hearted feel of her short-lived holiday.
Before I embarked on my own three day holiday to Florida with my mom and sister, I decided to make a quick circle skirt modeled after Princess Ann’s. The skirt has side seams, a center back seam with a zipper, a high waistband, and two hidden pockets. I used a lightweight rust-colored woolen fabric, which was a gift from my friend Celeste’s grandma, Lucy. Lucy kept this fabric for decades, and it is still in perfect condition.
The skirt proved to be extremely comfortable and a great choice for a 12-hour day at Universal Studios and the Islands of Adventure. It wasn't too hot and I didn't have to worry about my legs getting sunburnt. The pockets were super convenient.
I’ve made plenty of circle skirts in my time, some with an elastic waistband, some with a zipper closure, some using commercial patterns, some having free-drafted my own pattern. While other online tutorials for circle skirts exist, this is a method I’ve developed that I’m really quite pleased with. You can fit this pattern in your purse and use it to make a skirt of any length!
Please click “read more” on the lower right for photographed instructions!