Audrey Hepburn Sabrina Dress – Your guide to Insanely Chic Fashion
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This post is all about the Audrey Hepburn Sabrina dresses and her chic 1950s fashion
Audrey Hepburn Sabrina 1954 is a charming Cinderella story centered around a chauffeur’s daughter, who travels to Paris as a simple schoolgirl and returns a sophisticated Parisienne.
The stylish Audrey Hepburn plays the role of Sabrina.
Her 1950’s wardrobe is the epitome of chic and continues to inspire us today.
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Sabrina 1954 Summary
As long as she could remember, the chauffeur’s daughter, Sabrina (Audrey Hepburn) has been in love with David Larrabee (William Holden), the handsome and charming playboy son of the wealthy family next door….but he is oblivious to her adoration.
He barely knows who Sabrina is until she returns from an extended trip to Paris as a sophisticated beauty.
Suddenly, David is very interested in her, but his older brother Linus, (Humphrey Bogart) has a plan to break them up, until he begins to fall for her as well.
What did Audrey Hepburn wear in Sabrina?
In Sabrina, Audrey Hepburn’s 1950’s wardrobe includes casual outfits with shorts and pants, simple dresses, of course, a little black dress, and a glamorous evening gown.
For shoes, Audrey Hepburn opts for simple black flats to pair with her pants or sandal wedges to pair with her adorable retro shorts.
For her more glamorous outfits, she pairs low-heeled classic black pumps with tailored suits and cocktail dresses.
Her simple fashion accessories of hats, gloves, and gold and pearl earrings give Audrey Hepburn’s outfits a classic flair.
Who designed the clothes for Sabrina?
Edith Head and Hubert de Givenchy designed the clothes for Sabrina. Audrey Hepburn also insisted that she help choose her wardrobe for Sabrina.
In 1953, Audrey Hepburn was an unknown Hollywood star.
During this time, she visited Hubert de Givenchy in his design studio, and she asked him to make her dresses for Sabrina.
Givenchy described her from this meeting as “…a beautiful and very tiny, skinny person…” and told her, “It’s difficult, because it’s collection time, and I don’t think I have time to help you.’
Audrey Hepburn persisted.
So Givenchy pointed Audrey Hepburn to racks of finished pieces from his previous collection and told her she could look through those.
She selected three pieces from the racks, which are some of her most memorable outfits from the movie.
Audrey Hepburn said that Givenchy’s designs were “perfect.”
The designer and budding actress made plans for a dinner out in Paris, which was the start of their close lifetime friendship, with him designing for her personally and a number of her movies.
Edith Head, the legendary American costume designer for classic Hollywood designed the rest of Hepburn’s outfits, which were less glamorous than her Givenchy pieces, but were still stunning pieces that brought Sabrina’s character alive in the movie.
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Audrey Hepburn Sabrina Dress – Her 1950’s Schoolgirl Outfit
Sabrina 1954 opens with glamorous shots of a splendid mansion outside New York with lavish grounds that include tennis courts, pools, gardens, and a huge garage full of gleaming cars.
It is a summer evening, and the Larrabee family is throwing a black tie party, full of beautiful and fashionable guests.
Sabrina is helping her father wash cars. Hearing the live music, she cannot resist any longer, and climbs a tree to spy on the dancing.
Audrey Hepburn’s character Sabrina is wearing a patterned sleeveless circle dress and black shirt. Her hair is pulled back into a simple ponytail.
She looks adorable and charming in her retro schoolgirl outfit, and much younger than her 24 years old, which is how old she was during the filming of the movie.
From her vantage spot, Sabrina finds who she is looking for.
She watches her crush David Larrabee (William Holden) dance and flirts with another woman, completely oblivious to the smitten Sabrina.
Sabrina’s father tells her it’s good she’s going away to Paris.
She needs to get over her obsession with David.
Audrey Hepburn Sabrina Dress – Her 1950’s Cooking Outfits
Sabrina arrives in Paris.
Heartbroken, she is very distracted in culinary school, so she crushes eggs instead of cracking them, and forgets to turn on the oven.
We love the subtle variations of the simple outfits that she wears in the kitchen
For the first outfit, Audrey Hepburn’s character Sabrina is wearing a fitted white blouse covered by black apron tied in at the waist.
Audrey Hepburn’s character Sabrina makes friends with a wealthy baron.
When she tells him that she’s invisible to the man she loves, the baron says that she needs to stop looking like a horse–and he taps her “mane of hair”!
(Here is the set-up for the glamorous Parisian style make-over)
The next variation of her cooking outfit, Audrey Hepburn wears in the winter.
She wears a white collared sweater and long skirt, with her black apron tied neatly on top.
This time her kitchen cloth, which you could call her culinary “fashion accessory”, is draped across her arm.
Audrey Hepburn Sabrina Dress – Her 1950’s Nighttime Robe Outfit
Two years have passed, and Sabrina writes to her father thanking him for the two most wonderful years of her life, saying that she will no longer run away from life or love.
Her hair is now clipped into a fashionable pixie cut.
She adds, in her note to her father, that in case he has a hard time recognizing her, she’ll be the “most sophisticated woman” at the train station.
Audrey Hepburn’s character Sabrina is wearing an elegant long-sleeved warm winter robe, simply tied at the waist.
Audrey Hepburn Sabrina Dress – Her 1950’s Givenchy Suit
Sabrina arrives back in America, and is waiting at the train station.
Audrey Hepburn’s character Sabrina is wearing a stunning tailored double-breasted skirt suit, with a ruffled hem, and low-heeled black pumps. Her accessories include a stunning white turban hat, and large statement earrings.
For that extra touch of class, she walks a fancy poodle with a jeweled collar.
Want to learn more about the 1950s fascination with poodles for fashion?
Read more at: The Ultimate Guide to Poodle Skirts in the 1950s
Sabrina is definitely the most sophisticated woman at the train station.
We love the tailored feminine style from this Givenchy suit!
Her longtime crush, David Larrabee, drives by, and seeing Sabrina, turns around and offers her a ride home.
He flirts with her the entire way, not recognizing her!
Delighted, Sabrina plays along until they arrive home, and he discovers, to his shock, that she’s the chauffeur’s daughter!
David is smitten, and promptly invites her to the glitzy party his family is throwing.
Fun fact!
This stunning double-breasted tailored suit was one of the “off the rack” Givenchy pieces that Audrey Hepburn picked out herself! It was absolutely perfect for her Parisian makeover!
Audrey Hepburn Sabrina Dress – Her 1950’s Givenchy Evening Gown
The evening of the party, a live band is playing music, and the fashionably beautiful guests are dancing and drinking champagne.
David is dancing with his heiress fiancee, who is key for an important business merger, but he is distracted, looking for Sabrina.
Audrey Hepburn’s character Sabrina is wearing a white sleeveless organdy evening gown embellished with black floral embroidery.
Its stunning train (over-skirt) floats elegantly as she walks, reveling her pencil skirt beneath.
She is also wearing long white gloves. And her earrings are diamond flowers with pearl drops.
All the guests turn to stare when the stunning Sabrina arrives on the scene.
Sabrina dances happily with David, finally living the dream she’s watched from afar.
When the family notice that David is smitten with Sabrina, they send the older brother, Linus to intercept, not wanting to cause trouble with his fiance.
Sabrina ends the evening dancing with the older brother Linus.
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Audrey Hepburn Sabrina Fashion – Her 1950’s Sailing Outfit
While David is housebound from the “accident’ that Linus arranged, Linus takes Sabrina out sailing to try to distract her.
Audrey Hepburn’s character Sabrina is wearing a plaid button-up shirt paired, with white shorts, and wedge sandals. Her simple jewelry is gold hooped earrings.
We love this casual and charming retro outfit, which would still be in style today, and is perfect for an outdoor date on the river!
During the sailing trip, Sabrina and Linus start to fall for each other.
Audrey Hepburn Sabrina Dress – Her 1950’s Little Black Dress
Sabrina arrives at Linus’ office ready for their evening adventure.
Audrey Hepburn’s character Sabrina is wearing a black circle dress with a fitted bodice and shoulder straps fashioned as bows.
She pairs her little black dress with long black gloves and low-heeled pumps.
She also wears diamond earrings and a fashionable glittering black hat, which she removes for dancing and dinner.
Audrey Hepburn herself paired the jeweled “medieval looking” hat with the little black dress, a pairing that makes this outfit stunningly unique. Givenchy said, “Audrey always added a twist, something piquant, amusing, to the clothes”.
Linus has a plan hatched for how to send her away. He is going to pretend that they are sailing together to Paris, but once out to sea, she’ll discover she’s alone.
Fun fact!
Replicas of Sabrina’s “Little Black Dress” were sold by the thousands the year the movie was released!
Now for the drama… rumor has it that the costume designer Edith Head stole the credit for this dress, drawing up sketches for books and appearances, and signing them with her name.
Even when Edith Head won an Oscar for the costumes in Sabrina, she made zero mention of Givenchy’s three stunning designs, but instead took all of the credit!
Years later, only after the death of Edith Head, did Givenchy, a true gentleman, confirm that the little black cocktail dress was his original design.
Audrey Hepburn Sabrina Fashion – 1950’s Pant Outfit
Afraid she is falling in love with the older brother Linus, when she has been in love with his younger brother for years, she tries to cancel her date with Linus at the office.
Linus tricks her, and she ends up in his large penthouse office.
When Linus asks Sabrina if she’d like to go to a show, she replies “Oh, I couldn’t possibly go anywhere,” as she’s only wearing trousers.
When Linus takes off Sabrina’s coat and looks at her outfit, she replies, “I wanted to be so sure I wasn’t going out with you tonight.” She is not nearly dressed up enough for a night out!
Audrey Hepburn’s character Sabrina is wearing a black knit shirt paired with her iconic calf-length slacks. Her accessories include black flats and her favorite gold hoop earrings.
She then transforms her pant outfit into a chic kitchen outfit, by tying a washcloth on top of it, so she can serve Linus some “dinner” from the food stash in the office kitchen cabinets, which includes sardines and crackers.
Linus admits that he didn’t plan to take her to Paris with him, but just send her there alone, to keep her away from his brother.
Audrey Hepburn Sabrina Fashion – 1950’s Coat Outfit
For her international voyage, Audrey Hepburn’s character Sabrina is wearing a fitted coat with a large collar. This is paired with simple pearl earrings and low heeled black classic pumps.
Sabrina’s father drives her to the boat, leaving for Paris, saying that at least she is over David now.
Sabrina agrees that she’s had the cure to get over David, but asks–what’s the cure for the cure?
Because now she’s in love with the older brother, Linus.
As the boat pulls out from the dock, a bellboy delivers Linus’ hat to Sabrina, so she knows he’s on board.
He finds her and then pulls her into his arms, all very fashionably and beautifully romantic to the very end.
This post was all about Audrey Hepburn Sabrina style and her chic 1950s fashion
What are your thoughts on Audrey Hepburn’s 1950s fashion and style in Sabrina?
Do you prefer Audrey Hepburn’s casual short and pant outfits, or her more glamorous pieces, such as her little black dress or Givenchy evening gown?
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