The Katharine Hepburn Look Book
Photo: Haynes Archive/Popperfoto
A fiercely private person who avoided press and public events, Katharine Hepburn’s aversion to “glamour” only made her that much more alluring. One of the early female adopters of trousers — she wore hers wide-legged and roomy — the actress liked to dress and live informally. Sporty and casual, she played tennis every morning and preferred to spend her days in menswear-inspired outfits like collared shirts and blazers instead of the tailored dresses popular at the time. Today, she is commonly referenced as a pioneer of the American sportswear aesthetic. Enjoy these highlights from her chic, comfortable wardrobe in our slideshow.
Circa 1930 Photo: Michael Ochs Archives
Circa 1932 Where: In a head shot. Photo: © Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Circa 1933 Photo: Getty Images
Circa 1933 Photo: Getty Images
Circa 1933 Where: In Little Women. Photo: Hulton Archive
April 5, 1934
Circa 1935 Where: Playing golf with a friend.
Photo: Hulton Archive
Circa 1935 Where: In Break of Hearts. Photo: John Kobal Foundation
Circa 1935 Where: In a studio portrait. Photo: American Stock Archive
Circa 1936 Where: In Sylvia Scarlett. Photo: © Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Circa 1937 Where: With Adolphe Menjou in Stage Door.
Photo: Archive Photos/2011 Getty Images
January 31, 1937 Where: In an airplane. Photo: AFP
Circa 1938 Photo: Alfred Eisenstaedt/Time Life Pictures
Circa 1938 Photo: Alfred Eisenstaedt/Time Life Pictures
Circa 1938 Where: On the set of The Philadelphia Story.
Photo: Alfred Eisenstaedt
Circa 1940 Where: With George Cukor, discussing the script for The Philadelphia Story, in Hollywood, California. Photo: Haynes Archive/Popperfot...
Circa 1940 Where: With George Cukor, discussing the script for The Philadelphia Story, in Hollywood, California. Photo: Haynes Archive/Popperfoto
Circa 1940 Photo: © Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
March 23, 1940 Photo: © Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
October 3, 1940 Where: At the the Merion Cricket Club in Philadelphia. Photo: © Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Circa 1941 Where: With George Cukor in Hollywood, California. Photo: Haynes Archive/Popperfoto
Circa 1942 Where: In Keeper of the Flame.
Photo: Archive Photos/2012 Getty Images
Circa 1942 Where: In Keeper of the Flame.
Photo: Clarence Sinclair Bull
Circa 1942 Where: In Keeper of the Flame.
Photo: James Manatt
Circa 1945 Where: Playing tennis. Photo: FPG/2011 Getty Images
Circa 1945 Photo: Michael Ochs Archives
Circa 1945 Photo: © Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Circa 1945 Photo: © Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
March 16, 1946 Where: With Robert Taylor on the set of
Undercurrent. Photo: James Manatt
Circa 1947 Where: On set of a Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer film.
Photo: Haynes Archive/Popperfoto
Circa 1947 Where: With Spencer Tracy in
Sea of Grass. Photo: Archive Photos/2011 Getty Images
Circa 1948 Where: With Clark Gable.
Circa 1948 Where: In
State of the Union. Photo: © Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Circa 1950 Where: With Spencer Tracy. Photo: Michael Ochs Archives
Circa 1950 Where: With
Daily News photographers Harry Warnecke and Robert Cranston. Photo: New York Daily News Archive/2001/Daily News, L.P. (Ne...
Circa 1950 Where: With
Daily News photographers Harry Warnecke and Robert Cranston. Photo: New York Daily News Archive/2001/Daily News, L.P. (New York)
Circa 1951 Where: At a press reception at Claridges, London. Photo: Popperfoto
March 21, 1952 Where: Sailing to Europe on the S.S. America. Photo: New York Daily News Archive/1952/Daily News, L.P. (New York)
April 17, 1952 Where: Relaxing after a rehearsal of
The Millionairess, at the Apollo Theatre in London. Photo: Keystone
May 25, 1952 Where: Cycling.
Photo: © Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Circa 1954 Where: In Venice, Italy. Photo: Popperfoto
May 8, 1954 Where: Arriving at the airport in London. Photo: AFP/2003 AFP
Circa 1955 Where: In
Summertime.
Photo: Archive Photos/2012 Getty Images
Circa 1955 Where: With Rossano Brazzi in Venice, Italy. Photo: Hulton Archive
March 4, 1956 Where: At Idlewild Airport. Photo: © Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Circa 1960 Where: With Rober Ryan in
Cleopatra, at the American Shakespeare Festival. Photo: Martha Holmes/Martha Holmes
Circa 1960 Photo: Michael Ochs Archives
Circa 1967 Where: With Katharine Houghton and Sidney Poitier in
Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. Photo: Michael Ochs Archives/2011 Getty Images
August 9, 1967 Where: With her niece Katharine Houghton on the set of Guess Who's Coming to Dinner.
Photo: © Corbis. All Rights Reserved.
Circa 1969 Where: In
The Madwoman of Chaillot.
Photo: Getty Images
Circa 1970 Photo: Michael Ochs Archives
May 9, 1970 Where: In New York City.
Photo: Tom Wargacki/2007 Tom Wargacki
Circa 1971 Where: In
The Trojan Women. Photo: Archive Photos/2007 Getty Images
Circa 1979 Where: With George Cukor, taking a walk between takes of The Corn Is Green, in South Wales.
Photo: Hulton Archive
January 10, 1979 Where: Outside her home in New York City. Photo: New York Daily News Archive/1979/Daily News, L.P. (New York)
November 19, 1981 Where: Taking a bow after her opening night performance in
The West Side Waltz, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Photo: N...
November 19, 1981 Where: Taking a bow after her opening night performance in
The West Side Waltz, at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Photo: New York Daily News Archive/1981/Daily News, L.P. (New York)
July 27, 1983 Where: Leaving the play You Can't Take It With You.
Photo: New York Daily News Archive/1983/Daily News, L.P. (New York)
May 29, 1985 Where: With Joseph Levine. Photo: New York Daily News Archive/1985/Daily News, L.P. (New York)
March 7, 1988 Where: In
Laura Lansing Slept Here.
Photo: NBC/? NBC Universal, Inc.
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