More than seven decades after making her splashy debut on the big screen with 1953's Roman Holiday, Audrey Hepburn remains one of the most fashionable figures to ever grace the silver screen. And it isn't just on screen either!
While the Audrey of the screen is seen as the picture of chic and gamine beauty, that sentiment similarly extends to the Audrey of real life, known especially for her subtlety, uncomplicated silhouettes, classic styles, and simple touches.
Some of her best remembered ensembles onscreen (excluding that LBD from Breakfast at Tiffany's) were actually her wedding dresses, from her sultry black patterned gown in Sabrina to her Dior-chic dress in Funny Face.
But the starlet's actual wedding dresses were far from the spectacle of the big screen. In fact, her three dresses actually got progressively simpler as she went down the line. Take a walk down memory lane with HELLO! and Audrey's truly iconic bridal wear…
© Getty ImagesDress #1: The almost
In 1951, Audrey announced her engagement to British industrialist James Hanson. Preparations for the ceremony began in earnest, including the acquisition of her boat neck mid-length white silk dress from the Fontana sisters, who she'd found in Rome while filming Roman Holiday. However, the following year, they called off the engagement.
© Getty ImagesThe Charade star asked the sisters to donate the dress instead, going to "the most beautiful, poor Italian girl you can find – someone who couldn't ever afford a dress like mine," as Audrey had asked for at the time. Amabile Altobella ultimately wore the dress for her farm wedding, and in 2009, it was auctioned off for $23,000.
© Getty ImagesDress #2: Wedded in white
It wasn't long until Audrey found love again, this time with fellow actor Mel Ferrer, with the Belgium-born star tying the knot with the American actor in 1954 after an eight-month courtship in Bürgenstock, Switzerland.
© Getty ImagesFor the occasion, the Oscar-winning actress was adorned in a Balmain white tea-length dress with a flared skirt, puffy ballgown sleeves, high neckline, bow-tied waist, a flower crown and full-length sleeves, a mix of royal elegance and nymph-like natural touches. The marriage, unfortunately, was troubled, and after welcoming their son Sean in 1960, they divorced in 1968.
© Getty ImagesDress #3: Breaking from tradition
By this point, Audrey had become close friends with designer and constant collaborator Hubert de Givenchy, who'd received international acclaim for his work with her. So it's no surprise that for her wedding to Andrea Dotti in January 1969, she turned to her friend for what would be a rather unconventional solution.
© Getty ImagesThe couple tied the knot at a Swiss town hall ceremony, for which Audrey simply wore a Givenchy funnel-neck knee-length dress, complete with flared cuffs, a matching headscarf, sheer white tights with ballet flats, and a pastel pink color, deviating from the traditional white. They welcomed their son Luca the following year, however their union also ended in divorce in 1982.
