Fresh, enthusiastic and playful, yet with a glamorous secret: who among us hasn’t wished to look like Audrey Hepburn in Roman Holiday? One of the most mimicked style icons of the 20th century, Hepburn is timeless, a contradiction of girlish sweetness and womanly allure, and she truly shines in this career-launching role.

This summertime classic is ideal inspiration for a look that’s just as beautiful in 2013 as it was in 1953. Get this Hollywood look with natural, healthy cosmetics and beauty secrets that’ll make you feel like a princess ready to ride a Vespa down Via Veneto with a handsome stranger.

“Rome! By all means, Rome. I will cherish my visit here in memory as long as I live,” says Hepburn as Princess Ann, and this enthusiasm for a city that was Hepburn’s own home for twenty years shines through in the film, adding to the actress’ iconic healthy and wholesome glow. Fifty years later, the film has ben re-released in theaters to inspire a whole new generation of wistful wannabe travelers to fall in love with Rome, and Hepburn (not to mention dashing Gregory Peck.)

Hair: Baby Bangs and Soft Pinned Curls

Hepburn’s Breakfast at Tiffany’s look and pixie crop may be her most popular hairstyles to copy, but the softer, sweeter updo she sports throughout most of Roman Holiday is so carefree and perfect for summer. This is a more casual, lower maintenance version of the curled-and-pinned styles popular at the time, and it’s easy to achieve at home with the help of a curling iron and lots of bobby pins. Get a tutorial for a similar look at My Favorite Things Blog.

Baby bangs definitely aren’t for everyone, though Hepburn pulls them off with aplomb. You can fake it by curling the front section of your hair and pinning it in place for a face-framing fringe-like look without the commitment.

Makeup: Fresh Face, Bold Brows and Pink Lips

Audrey Hepburn’s look is all about full, bold brows. Along with her doe eyes and full lips, her brows are her defining feature, and this signature look is back in style. But you know what? They weren’t totally natural. Hepburn needed help in that department, too, with makeup artists reportedly working hard to fill them in and get them just right. The key to filling in your brows is to use short strokes with a sharp pencil, brow marker or brush, mimicking hairs. Tarte offers a serious holy grail product for this purpose: Amazonian Clay Waterproof Brow Mousse, which comes in three shades and includes a brush and wand for application.

A light tinted moisturizer or BB cream like Marie Veronique Organics Everyday Coverage, a swipe of mascara and a touch of pink on the lips and cheeks will finish off this classic Hollywood beauty look.

Accessories: The Neck Scarf

A neck scarf is the final touch for the Roman Holiday look. You can find adorable vintage silk scarves in virtually every color and pattern imaginable on Etsy, eBay and in your local thrift and vintage shops.

Images: Wikimedia Commons

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What happens when one style meets another? Is it catastrophe waiting to happen or is there hope for harmony?

That’s why we created Style Clash. Some design styles are more flexible; others force us to stretch outside our comfort zone. Each week we will offer tips for mixing competing styles successfully.

What do we mean by “successful”, you ask? If nothing seems strange, jarring or just plain ugly, then I’m all for it regardless of time period, colorway or material. I call it a successful Style Clash.

For our second installment in the Series we will meet Mid-Century Modern with Gothic and see where we land.

If you watch the TV series ‘Mad Men’ then you recognize Don Draper reading the newspaper in his handsome and functional Mid-Century Modern style office (top image). The decor is simple, straight-forward and 1950s to a tee.

Very few accessories and lots of glass and natural materials are key to this design style. Notice the stone flooring and wall, as well as the wood mantle and ceiling beam (image above). The furniture is lean and compact, made of wood or metal with sturdy, svelte legs; upholstery is anything but ornate (image below).

Some surmise that Mid-Century leans toward minimal, but shag rugs and pops of red-orange, bright yellow and olive green hardly say serene or plain.

In comparison, Gothic Style (image above and below) falls from a far more plush and passionate planet. It is dark and dramatic. Ornate decoration, deep, rich colors, dark woods and opulent fabrics create a mood unfit for the shy or timid. A glamorous chandelier falling from the center of a Gothic room is practically a requirement.

Combining these opposing styles may be impossible to imagine, but that’s why we are here. Style Clash turns the unimagined into a design marriage made in heaven.

The clever mixing of Mid-Century and Gothic (image above, images below) results in refined, edgy and come-in-and-stay-a-while rooms. The dark walls and richly textured velvet upholstery say Gothic to the core, while svelte wood furniture and metal legged modern chairs are born straight from Mid-Century.

The fireplace becomes sleek in a marble finish; the chandelier remains a major focus in each room, but less ornate and glam. If I had to define the style, I’d call it dark and dramatic with refined finesse.

Meet me here next week as we continue to cruise the spectrum of interior design styles, two at a time. Ciao for now!

Images: The Mid-Century Modernist, Daily Mail UK, Gramercy Park Hotel, Graham Atkins-Hughes

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