The world of fashion and film has lost one of its most enduring icons. Brigitte Bardot has died at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy that forever changed post-war style. Once described by Charles de Gaulle as a French export as important as Renault cars, Bardot shattered the stiff formality of 1950s fashion with a raw, magnetic sex appeal that women across the globe longed to emulate.
The Wardrobe That Revolutionised Fashion
Bardot's signature style was a compelling mix of gingham, ballet flats, Breton stripes, and daring necklines. She introduced a new, relaxed elegance where loosened buttons, bare shoulders, and artfully dishevelled hair became the height of cool. Every subsequent revival of so-called 'effortless French style' traces its roots directly back to her influence. Here, we revisit the key looks that defined her legendary status.
The Trench Coat & The Bouffant
Long before it became a staple for modern It-girls, Bardot claimed the trench coat as her own. A photograph from October 1963 in London shows her styling it with black knee socks and a hair bow. She perfected the look by belting it tightly at the waist, pairing it with a voluminous bouffant hairstyle, black knee-high boots, and a quilted Chanel bag.
That iconic blonde bouffant became her trademark. Born a brunette in 1934, she first dyed her hair a warm, 'dirty' blonde in 1956 for the film 'Mio Figlio Nerone'. The colour, reminiscent of sun-bleached summers on the Riviera, and the half-up, half-down dishevelled style are still considered the 'ultimate blonde' look, endlessly copied but never quite matched.
Beatnik Cool & Smoky Eyes
Bardot brilliantly channelled the rebellious spirit of the late-1950s Parisian Left Bank. Her beatnik uniform of black turtlenecks, cropped cigarette pants, striped tops, and ballet flats rejected overt glamour for intelligent understatement, aligning her with a youth culture that valued freedom and nonconformity.
Her mastery of makeup was equally groundbreaking. Decades before social media tutorials, Bardot's smoky eye was a masterclass in sultry glamour. Her signature technique involved a bold black 'cat's eye' flick, heavy kohl-rimmed eyes, and thick layers of mascara—a combination that remains a go-to for evening allure.
Defining the Femme Fatale & Animal Magnetism
Her breakout role in the 1956 film 'And God Created Woman' at age 22 cemented her as the ultimate femme fatale. She dominated the screen in a series of wasp-waisted looks that came to define 1950s sexuality, a silhouette she frequently adopted off-screen with figure-hugging shift dresses and sensuous tailoring.
Before her later renunciation of fur, Bardot was synonymous with animal-print coats. Leopard, tiger, and zebra were favourites, often worn as a glamorous travel uniform. She was photographed arriving at London's Heathrow Airport in November 1967 in a belted leopard-print fur, black boots, and a beret.
Boho Glamour & Casual Denim
By the 1970s, she embraced the bohemian kaftan, but with her signature twist. In 1972, she wore a canary yellow chiffon version embellished with jewels, often choosing sheer fabrics to add a hint of sex appeal to the decade's loose, fluid styles.
The 1970s and early 80s also saw Bardot pioneer a fabulous off-duty aesthetic. Denim was key, from bell-bottom jeans and 'double denim' to simple jeans paired with a T-shirt or a chambray shirt—a casual blueprint that remains influential today.
A Lasting Legacy
Perhaps her most seismic impact on fashion came from the beach. In 1953, an 18-year-old Bardot posed in a bikini on the Cannes shore, a move that famously stopped traffic and promoted her film Manina, The Girl In The Bikini. Her subsequent photographs across the South of France helped cement the bikini as a modern fashion staple. Brigitte Bardot's style was never just about clothes; it was an attitude of insouciant confidence and raw appeal that continues to inspire generations.
