“Fashion fades, only style remains the same.” Coco Chanel
It seems that I see Coco Chanel everywhere these days. She is always present in every style book I read, other fashion bloggers refer to her style in their outfits and her nautical style with stripes is very much on trend. I too am inspired by her enduring look, which has only been intensified since seeing the film Coco & Igor last weekend. Apart from a gripping story, the film also features many beautiful outfits.
I thought it was about time to profile one of my favorite style icons and find out what made (and still makes) her so special in terms of style. One of the things that makes Coco Chanel’s style so special, is that her clothes are still modern today. While watching the film, I was left wondering how many of the clothes were copies of true things she had worn or if they had been adapted and modernised for the film.
In any case, the clothes exuded style and class and appeared to be timeless. They were actually created with a team of designers who received the collaboration of Chanel’s current designer: Karl Lagerfeld. They put themselves in Coco’s shoes and tried to imagine what she would wear. Have a look at some of the original costume sketches of the garments that appear in the film. If you like to read more about this check out this page.
Coco’s style
Coco Chanel stuck to one particular style throughout her life, thereby creating a very distinct signature style.
Some characteristics of her style include:
- Simplicity, elegance and comfort: the key elements of her style
- Black and white: colors she often stuck to
- Nautical: many garments were inspired by sailor and nautical themes and often featured stripes
- Men’s wear: she had an ability to transform men’s wear into elegant and comfortable feminine clothes
- Lots of accessories: large and plentiful fake pearl necklaces were often featured in her outfits
- The little black dress: Chanel has been credited as the ‘inventor’ of this wardrobe staple in 1926
- Focus on style and not trends
Iconic Coco Chanel designs
Some iconic Chanel designs and products include:
- Faux pearls
- The little black dress
- 2.55 quilted bag
- Yachting trousers (sailors’ bell-bottoms)
- Chanel tweed suit
- breton top
- Quilted flats
Coco Chanel quotes
Apart from the famous quote that I mentioned above there are some more quotes from Coco Chanel worth mentioning:
“Fashion is not something that exists in dresses only. Fashion is in the sky, in the street, fashion has to do with ideas, the way we live, what is happening.”
“In order to be irreplaceable one must always be different.”
“A girl should be two things: classy and fabulous.”
“”The best color in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you!”
“”The best color in the whole world, is the one that looks good, on you!”
“As long as you know men are like children, you know everything!”
“A woman is closest to being naked when she is well dressed”
I am truly inspired by some of her iconic designs and aim to infuse a little more Chanel style into my wardrobe.
What do you think about Coco Chanel and her influence on style? Do her designs still inspire and influence you?
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Feature image by Vogue
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She was one of the kind and she wasn’t even beautiful like a classic beauty.Still to my eyes she’s even more beautiful because she had her own distinct style.I get inspired and I hope I will find mine.That’s one of the reasons I blog after all.
Love this entry!
PS: I think you mean Karl Lagerfeld.
Thanks Chouette! Yes, of course I meant karl Lagerfeld. Corrected it now.
Love Coco’s style because it’s so neat! I love groomed, don’t like casual, can’t do boho. My other style icons are Wallis Simpson and Margot Fonteyn. Could happily wear a skirt suit every day!
Yes that’s true. I guess I like the simplicity of her style and the timelessness. The black and white combi almost always works for me as well…
Some of the designers want to take credit for their inovative designs today, but if you look back, what they really were is inspired by the great original s that came before!
Coco Chanel influence on fashion still inspires me and many other women around the world today. She’s a true fashion icon and always had an eye for style..
Have you seen all the latest Chanel movies. Apart from Coco & Igor, there is also Coco before Chanel which is very good too.
No,i haven’t seen all of her movies! Her life before Channel would be very interesting to watch.. Thanks!
It’s a great movie. Have fun watching it!
To me, Chanel is the epitome of style, I can’t think of any other person who’s style is equally timeless. My favourites are the breton stripe tops, ballerina flats and the 2.55.
She is also so unique as she is also the only female designer that is still so prominent in fashion today….
As a person she had quite a few flaws but her talent for style and design is, I believe, undisputed. I’m actually wearing a Chanel inspired ecru white and black outfit today. Should try to photograph it…..
Coco Chanel is a fashion icon. Her personal life was filled with one scandal after another but she defined modern style more than any other designer. The 2.55 bag, little black dress, the Chanel suit, ropes of pearls – all classics. Even her perfume (No.5) is still popular. She changed the way women dress. She was ahead of her time. I admire every item she ever sent down a runway.