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Entity shares what you don't know about fashion icon and humanitarian Audrey Hepburn

Poised, charismatic, and the epitome of chic, Audrey Hepburn’s life was known for her effortless grace and style. Over the latter half of the 20th century, Audrey made her mark on film and fashion industry and is still highly inspirational to women’s style the world over. With her classic elegance and beauty, it is not likely that this classic film star’s name will evade the public consciousness anytime soon.

But how exactly did this sophisticated star achieve the iconic look that she is so well known for? And what other little-known aspects of Audrey Hepburn’s life and style will blow you away? Here are five surprising facts that will make you fall in love with Audrey Hepburn all over again!

1 The story behind Hepburn’s timeless little black dress is just as dazzling as the girl who wore it.

From the beginning of Hepburn’s acting career, it was clear that the she took her stylistic choices very seriously, and her personal fashion taste in real life quickly began to intertwine with that of her on-screen personas. Hepburn worked diligently with the costume designers on set during her filming stint in Rome, and was responsible for suggesting the famed ballerina flats and wider belt that added the finishing touches to her first film ensemble.

With this is mind, it came as a surprise to almost no one that Audrey wished to take a trip to Paris during the pre-production of her next film, “Sabrina,” in order to meet the esteemed designer who would be responsible for her next character’s attire. The only person to be taken aback was the founder and famed lead of Givenchy, the French luxury brand of the era.

On the steps of the Rue de Alfred de Vigny in Paris, Hepburn politely demanded that Hubert de Givenchy present her with pieces from his collection that would best fit the part of her upcoming role as Holly Golightly. Givenchy later noted that he had never been greeted by a woman who boasted such poise and confidence while wearing whimsical clothes (along with her short cropped hair, Hepburn wore a pair of high-waisted pants, a black t-shirt and a wide brimmed sun hat to the meeting).

The pair went to work trying on various outfits on Hepburn, from ethereal white gowns to hand-tailored gray-ottoman pant suits. It was when Givenchy handed Audrey her final choice – a little black cocktail dress – that an iconic moment in the fashion world was set into motion. Cotton piquéd with a neatly cinched waist that flared out to a full skirt recalling her ballerina roots, the sharply cut arm holes and horizontal neckline of the dress was a stylistic revolution. To add a finishing touch, Audrey located a small toque that perfectly complimented her complexion and bone structure.

With one look at the completed ensemble, both Givenchy and the young star instinctively knew one thing: They had just made fashion history.

READ MORE: How to Recreate Marilyn Monroe’s Classic Pinup Style

2 Hepburn wasn’t the first choice to play Holly Golightly at “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” ... but that didn’t keep her from success.

Have you ever been someone’s second choice – whether to give an important presentation at the office or join your friend on a magical vacation? If you have, you can relate to how Hepburn felt in “Breakfast at Tiffany’s.” The book’s author, Truman Capote, wanted Marilyn Monroe to play the part. Even Hepburn admitted she wasn’t the perfect actress for the role, saying, “I’m an introvert. Playing the extroverted girl was the hardest thing I ever did.”

Yet, these challenges didn’t keep Hepburn from blasting into super stardom. After Hepburn appeared in the movie with an orange tabby cat, animal shelters reported that requests for that breed became more common than ever. Not only that, but the iconic little black dress Hepburn rocked in the film sold at a Christie’s auction for a whopping $920,00 in 2006. It was the most expensive dress to be sold from a movie in history … at least until Marilyn Monroe’s gown from “The Seven Year Itch” sold for $4.6 million in 2011.

3 Audrey Hepburn didn’t think she was beautiful – and that could’ve helped shape her iconic style.

If you’ve always thought Hepburn was too much of a fashionable goddess to be relatable, you’re greatly mistaken. In fact, Hepburn’s son, Lucca Dotti, said, “She thought she had a big nose and big feet, and she was too skinny and not enough breast. She would look in the mirror and say, ‘I don’t understand why people see me as beautiful.’”

You should especially love Hepburn if you’ve ever felt self conscious about your big feet. Despite Hepburn’s own admitted insecurities, she never tried to hide her large feet – which were around  size 10, two sizes above women’s average foot size. In fact, Hepburn is famously known for rockin’ ballet flats and buying shoes half a size larger than she actually needed, so that her feet wouldn’t look too squished.

In the end, though, Hepburn’s own insecurities might be partly responsible for her most successful fashion looks. When she realized a bateau (or boat) neckline “hid her ‘skinny collarbone but emphasized her very good shoulders,'” Hepburn made dresses featuring different varieties of that neckline a main staple of her wardrobe. “My mother believed that a woman should find a look that works for her and use fashion and its seasonal changes to accessorize it, rather than to be a slave to fashion, re-creating one’s look over and over again,” explains Hepburn’s other son, Sean Ferrer.

So the next time you’re feeling self conscious, follow Hepburn’s lead and whip up an outfit that makes you feel just as beautiful as others see you.

READ MORE: You’ll Be Shocked at Marilyn Monroe’s Secret Talent

4 Hepburn was much more than a pretty face.

When you think of Audrey Hepburn, you might initially picture a stunning actress with a penchant for fashion. However, Hepburn doesn’t receive nearly as much credit for being a brilliant bad-ss.

Born in Britain and relocated to Holland as a child in a vain attempt to escape the devastation of WWII, Hepburn managed to survive the effects of a war-torn adolescence, reportedly by eating tulip bulbs. Even while she was starving, she kept giving dance lessons – she was a skilled ballerina – for money to support her family and the Dutch resistance.

If that’s not impressive enough, Hepburn also spoke five languages, including Dutch, English, French, Spanish and Italian. As family friend Mrs. Pauline Everts explained, “Her father was British, so she spoke English fluently as well as French, from having been brought up in Brussels, and she also spoke Dutch very nicely … she had a very musical ear.”

That Spanish came in handy when Hepburn traveled to South America to work with UNICEF later in her life.

As if she wasn’t already qualified enough to be considered a stylish saint …

5 Hepburn has kept making history, even in death.

As most hardcore fans probably know, this inspiring fashionista passed away in 1993 from cancer; she was only 63. However, even death hasn’t stopped Hepburn from leaving new marks on the world. In 1994, Hepburn officially joined the EGOT club, which is for performers who have won a Grammy, Oscar, Tony and Emmy.

Hepburn won an Oscar for Best Actress in a Leading Role with her very first film, “Roman Holiday,” in 1953. Then, only one year later, she earned a Tony for Best Actress in a Drama for her work in “Ondine.” However, Hepburn had to wait almost forty years before she won an Emmy for hosting PBS’s 1993 documentary series, “Audrey Hepburn’s Gardens of the World.” This series actually premiered the day after Hepburn passed away. But it wasn’t until a year after her death that she finished off her EGOT, winning a Grammy for Best Spoken Word Album for Children. (Because what could be better than hearing this female icon read classic fairy tales in Audrey Hepburn’s Enchanted Tales?)

Perhaps an even sweeter way Hepburn’s spirit has stayed alive, though, relates to one of her favorite hobbies: gardening. In 1990, the Netherlands Flower Information Society named a new hybrid breed of tulip after the star in honor of her work for UNICEF. The dedication ceremony occurred at Hepburn’s family home in Holland and she gave the first official Audrey Hepburn Tulip to her aunt, Jacqueline.

Not many people can claim that they’ll continue to blossom long after they’ve died … but for Audrey Hepburn, that’s just one of her many surprising accomplishments.

As a fashion icon, Audrey Hepburn has often been praised for her classic style, impeccable acting skills and her continual impact on women’s fashion. However, Audrey Hepburn is more than a classy lady who set much of today’s style into motion. She wasn’t afraid to fight for what she believed in – whether during World War II or in her acting career. She boasts an impressive resume – from languages spoken to charity work – that makes her an undeniable member of the #WomenThatDo.

READ MORE: How to Cultivate Your Own Look

24 years ago the legendary Audrey Hepburn passed away. A kind, elegant and humble spirit graced her. The world lost an icon, a lady who is still a rolemodel to many people today, but some also lost a mother, a partner and a friend. To some people she is simply Holly Golightly, to others she means a lot more. Sometimes I wonder how she would react to all us crazy fangirls and fanboys out here. Would she be freaked out? Probably! :’D But I secretly hope that part of her would also like it. People who never met her, who never even lived during her time, admire and miss her and I think it’s great that she’s still remembered so many years later. Rest in peace, Audrey. ❤ || Left photo by Yousuf Karsh. Right photo by Vincent Mentzel || #AudreyHepburn

A photo posted by Hepburnism (@hepburnism) on

But, more than that, she was a human being who had the same insecurities faced by women today – yet, she was able to look past her own imperfections and leave a permanent mark on the world.

In a nutshell, Audrey Hepburn isn’t just the woman who wore a little black dress. She’s also an inspirational figure who shows that women can succeed at anything they set their minds to – and look pretty classy doing it!

Edited by Alicia Holliday
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