24 Alluring Photos of 20th-Century Style Icons (25 photos)

Every now and then, it’s worth taking a look back—if only to appreciate how truly captivating the past was, and how effortless grace used to seem.

In today’s world of endless selfies, heavy makeup, and a constant drive for shock value and controversy (courtesy of reality TV culture), we seem to be losing a subtle, elusive sense of authentic style.

Sex appeal today is far more aggressive than it was 50 years ago. Revealing clothes have become the norm, the obsession with body perfection has taken on fanatical proportions, and modern ideals often feel increasingly superficial.





Do we still have that natural poise and elegance that defined previous generations? Who is today’s equivalent of Audrey Hepburn? Can anyone modern truly hold a candle to Marilyn Monroe? Or have we simply allowed beauty standards to slip? While tastes naturally evolve and fashion continuously reinvents itself, the timeless charm of classic beauty is undeniable.

These 24 photographs are a tribute to the golden era of glamour. Some faces will be instantly recognizable, others less so, but together they capture the iconic elegance of a bygone age.



Jane Fonda.





Britt Ekland.



Annette Vadim (Strøyberg).



Flight attendants, 1968.





Raquel Welch.





Julie Newmar.



Betty Brosmer.



Jean Shrimpton.



Jacqueline Bisset.



Marilyn Monroe.





Jane Fonda.





Natalie Wood.





Jane Birkin and Brigitte Bardot.





Debbie Harry of Blondie.



Debbie Harry of Blondie.



Marilyn Monroe in "The Misfits", 1961.





Brigitte Bardot.