A Fashion Icon: Grace Kelly

I've seen quite a few Grace Kelly movies. Rear Window, High Society, Mogambo, To Catch a Thief, Dial M for Murder... classic films which propelled Kelly to renowned movie star status. In all of these films, and others which I didn't mention, one thing always stands out whenever Kelly is on screen - her immaculate style. Yes, you can say it's the work of her amazing stylist, but you also need charisma, elegance and beauty to wear such lovely costumes with style, and Grace Kelly was one of the most stylish women that ever lived.

Her blue, Grecian dress in To Catch a Thief, will go down in fashion film history as being one of the most famous and breathtaking dresses ever. With her blonde hair swept up upon her head, and a deep bronzed tan, Kelly looks like a goddess in that dress which cascades along the floor in layers of sweeping chiffon. The other strapless white dress she wears in the movie is equally as beautiful - photos of all the dresses mentioned are in this blog post.

Grace Kelly was considered the most beautiful woman in the world at one point, sorry Liz Taylor, and that certainly helps when it comes to fashion. Her role as Lisa Fremont in Rear Window saw Kelly wear some of the most gorgeous outfits ever. She plays Lisa, a glamorous fashion writer for Harpers Bazaar in the film, and has a wardrobe to match her stylish role, in the form of Dior silk skirts, netted box hats, slender pencil dresses and easy Capri pants that show off her slender frame. Some say that Grace wasn't a particularly good actress, and that her performances were wooden, lacked any sense of drama and was just a pretty face on screen. I disagree with that completely, as Kelly has starred in some of the most well known and recognized films of all time with her acting in them believable and authentic.

High Society is also another classic. Starring alongside Frank Sinatra and Bing Crosby, Grace dazzled as rich socialite Tracy Lord in this fun musical. Her wardrobe is a little more casual in this film compared to Rear Window, but she looks equally as glamorous. Kelly started off as a model in her teenage years, and so she has a certain elegance and poise which set her apart from other leading actresses at the time. In Mogambo, the romantic comedy set in Africa, compared to her co star Ava Gardner, anyone can see that Grace Kelly carries off any outfit amazingly well. Even when wearing dusty cargo pants and a simple white shirt, she does it with such style that it makes one want to dress just like her. She is a  fashion icon, and these beautiful photos prove it...

To Catch A Thief with Cary Grant

With Frank Sinatra in High Society

As Lisa Fermont in Rear Window, (above and below)