6 Outfits That Prove Angelina Jolie Always Serves Up Old Hollywood Glamour
I would like to add to the record that I owe my current Angelina Jolie obsession to my friend and former colleague Taylor Hicks, Bergdorf Goodman’s assistant manager of social media. Her Instagram is a mix of her personal style and all of the fashion moments that inspire her—most stemming from Old Hollywood movies and photos that are decidedly more glamorous than the current movement toward less glossy images. To me, it’s a welcome source of inspiration since I, too, consider the golden age of Hollywood to be one of my biggest influences. We actually bonded over our shared love for this bygone glamour when we worked together in New York at Allure.
But back to Angelina Jolie. Now that I’m living on the opposite coast, I recently did a deep dive into Taylor’s Instagram photos and uncovered some of Angelina Jolie’s best style moments. Looking at photos of Angelina Jolie next to film stills of actresses like Lauren Bacall and Tippi Hedren, it occurred to me that Angelina Jolie really is the modern-day equivalent to many of the last century’s biggest style icons.
Her looks are grounded in satin gowns, diamond jewelry, Veronica Lake waves, and a red lip, and to me, they carry on a tradition of classic elegance that can at times feel lost today. Hicks seems to agree. “Angelina Jolie so beautifully captures quintessential Old Hollywood glamour because she knows precisely how to carry herself,” she says. “There’s always so much grace and elegance in everything that she wears.”
But she is also a very modern woman. When I asked Taylor about her fascination with Jolie, she told me, “Angelina Jolie inspires me because she’s the type of woman who is more comfortable blazing her own path than following the one laid out before her. Quite frankly, she’s just a badass in every way. From starring in female-empowering roles like Lara Croft and Maleficent to raising six children while completing over 60 field missions as special envoy to the UNHCR, she’s proven time and time again that her talent and tenacity know no bounds.”
I, for one, agree with her on these points and will continue to be inspired by Jolie’s elegant style and modern way of thinking. Ahead, I’m breaking down some of the A-lister’s best looks and tapping into why the vintage-inspired styles are still relevant today.
To me, this is one of Angelina Jolie’s best looks. The elegant silhouette and tactile velvet fabric are the perfect offsets to her diamond earrings.
A film still from The Tourist, this outfit takes so many style cues from Old Hollywood.
Another moment from The Tourist and another example of her seriously cool retro-inspired style.
Though Mr. and Mrs. Smith is set in current time, Jolie still harks back to retro style with this lingerie set.
Available in brand sizes 1 to 5.
On the red carpet with Brad Pitt in one of my all-time favorite looks.
Less femme fatale glam but equally stylish, this 1960s look represents the decade’s style perfectly.
Next up: shop our editor’s top summer staples.
Kristen Nichols is the Associate Director, Special Projects at Who What Wear with over a decade of experience in fashion, editorial, and publishing. She oversees luxury and runway content as well as wedding features, and covers fashion within the luxury market, runway reporting, shopping features, trends, and interviews with leading industry experts. She also contributes to podcast recordings, social media, and branded content initiatives. Kristen has worked with brands including Prada, Chanel, Tiffany & Co., and MyTheresa, and rising designers such as Refine and Tove, and her style has been featured in publications including Vogue.com, Vogue France, WWD, and the CFDA. Before Who What Wear, Kristen began her career at Rodarte, where she worked on styling, photo shoots, and runway shows, and at Allure, where she moved into print and digital editorial. She graduated from the University of Southern California, where she studied art history and business, and currently lives in New York.
-
I Did a Double Take When I Saw What Shoes Angelina Jolie Just Wore
Talk about unexpected…
By Eliza Huber
-
This Flat-Shoe Trend Looks So Posh, and Angelina Jolie Just Wore It on the Red Carpet
Per usual, she looks chic.
By Allyson Payer
-
Angelina Jolie Traded Pumps for the Only Logical Shoe Trend to Pair With Skirts in the Winter
Let's not freeze, okay?
By Allyson Payer
-
Angelina Jolie Reached Peak Demure in Venice Wearing These 3 Classy Fall Colors
Here's how she did it.
By Natalie Munro
-
Angelina Jolie Wore the Boot Micro-Trend the Chicest People Are Buying
She's keeping it classic, per usual.
By Allyson Payer
-
Angelina Jolie Wore the Classic Bag Trend I'd Pick Over a Margaux
It's true.
By Eliza Huber
-
Angelina Jolie Just Wore Fall's #1 Dress Trend to the Airport
Traveling in style.
By Erin Fitzpatrick
-
Angelina Jolie Just Wore Ballet Flats in Paris Like a True French Girl
So chic.
By Erin Fitzpatrick