Strong-willed and outspoken actress Katharine Hepburn famously dressed in trousers and loose shirts. She has become one of the style icons par excellence for all the tomboy style fans out there, once saying “I wear my sort of clothes to save me the trouble of deciding which clothes to wear”. Yet, Jean Druesedow’s new book Rebel Chic also shows a different side to this story. 

In five essays we learn how the actress developed her style and personal image as a style rebel. Very aware of the power of her appearance, she cultivated her counter-culture image carefully. At the same time she took great interest in clothing design, working closely with designers she had personally hired to create her movie outfits, drawing sketches herself and doing wardrobe research for period films.  

Her private collection of performance clothes, publicity outfits and casual, off-screen clothes further contradicts the fact that Mrs. Hepburn didn’t really care about fashion. After all, why else would she have kept them all those years? More than a thousand pieces were donated to the Kent State University Museum after she passed away. A travelling exhibition, featuring many of Katharine’s treasures, is currently showing at the New York Public Library. A unique opportunity to find out more about Kate the Great‘s two opposing fashion personas: glamorous film star versus eternal tomboy.

Do you enjoy going to fashion exhibits? And who is your tomboy style icon par excellence?

Now in YLF Book Club

We are chatting about Marc Jacobs & Louis Vuitton, the 2007 documentary that follows the designer and his team while working on a new collection for his own US label and another one for the renowned French luxury brand. Join us in today’s kick-off thread to add your two cents.

Quick Reminder: On the Book Club page you can find the schedule of previous, current and future Book Club titles.