You can still learn these fashion lessons from style icon Brigitte Bardot
Before you could follow all kinds of influencers and models with the push of a button, there were real influencers. Women like actresses and models who were the standard. There was no internet, so everything they did was in magazines and periodicals. One of those super famous women was Brigitte Bardot. Now that she has passed away, we look back at this actress and model who transformed into the ‘French Marilyn Monroe’. She is still loved to this day, not necessarily for her films, but mainly for her style. Whether you’re talking about her 60s hairstyle or bold eyeliner: this is why you can still learn from this elegant French style icon.
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First, some context: who is Brigitte?
The French it-style? She is the face of it. Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot was born in 1934 not far from the Eiffel Tower. She started as a ballet dancer, after which she quickly dove into the modeling world. After purely modeling for clothing, she found herself on the cover of ELLE girl. Not by coincidence, of course, when you have such a model as a model. When filmmaker Jean-Paul Belmondo saw these photos, he was sure: she will become a star. A few small roles later (Doctor at the Sea from 1955, for example), she got the chance to star in a Roger Vadim film. The protégé of the great filmmaker Marc Allégret and Brigitte's husband chose her as the lead in Et Dieu… créa la femme (And God created woman). This became her big international breakthrough.
Why Brigitte is such a style icon
She changed how everyone wanted to look. Just like Marilyn Monroe, she was a mystery. She was not the ‘girl next door’, but a sensual young woman with curves and a penetrating gaze. Brigitte had an eye for style, and that was quickly adopted. With her short outfits, heavy makeup, and amazing hairstyles, she became a dream for all men. At the same time, she became a symbol of women's emancipation. The sleepy and conservative France was flooded with her sensual aura. That was unprecedented. She loved herself, and other women were allowed to do the same. As a result, women worldwide began to mirror her style, leaving a definitive impression. Women were allowed to draw attention to themselves and be sensual.
What lessons you can learn from her
Whether she has always had a moral compass is the question (because yes: she is indeed controversial due to her racist views), but we are sure that her style has changed the world. The idea of a capsule wardrobe? That stems from her. The classic French look is simply a blueprint of her, so pay attention to what lessons you can learn from her:
1. statement makeup says more than all the fuss
If there is one thing you recognize Brigitte by, it is her makeup. That classic 60s black eyeliner is inseparable from her. You see it in all her films from the 50s and 60s. The rest of her face was quite minimal, with some blush and something on her lips, but those eyes? They were thickly outlined in black. That soft smoky eyeshadow and extended eyeliner is exactly what stole all hearts. This shows once again that eyeliner suits everyone. And whether you dare to go for heavy makeup or opt for a smaller wing: a statement eyeliner makes the difference between a simple and a well-chosen look.
2. Ballet flats are always in
Brigitte's favorite shoe has long been the ballet flat. Where you used to see these shoes mainly in the dance world, she loved to wear them. She certainly wasn't going to walk the French Riviera in high heels. She went to the Repetto store (which still exists!) where she bought ballet shoes for years. Here she asked if they could make flexible flats for her, and voilà: the ballet flats were born. This is proof that these shoes are not just for the ballet world, but are simply fashionable.
3. Gingham print is cute and definitely not childish
Gingham and Brigitte are truly one. She even wore a pink gingham dress as a wedding dress when she married for the second time in 1959. This nostalgic, feminine style came from Christian Dior, which he presented in his ‘1940s New Look’. Besides her wedding, Brigitte was often spotted in this print. For example, in Voulez-vous danser avec moi, where she wore a dark blue gingham skirt with black patent leather pumps. It’s really beautiful, so you really don’t have to feel like a little kid in doll clothes: you just look cute in this fabric.
4. Effortless is better than maximalist
In true French fashion, Brigitte was such a stylish person who made everything look effortless. Her hair was not perfect: there were loose strands, but it always looked nice. She wore heavy makeup that she combined with calm textures and shapes in her clothing – everything was coordinated. This gave an effortless feel that not many people have. She wore white pants and a black blouse just like that, as if she were walking around in a gala dress. That’s something you can also do: by matching good items together and wearing them with confidence, you can walk through life just like Brigitte.
5. High boots
If she wasn't in ballet flats, you would see Brigitte in high boots. To make her figure look longer, she often wore these. Usually, they were low boots that resembled riding boots or had a small heel. Especially with this cold weather, this is a lesson to remember: you can never go wrong with high boots.
6. A big hairstyle can never go wrong
Although the French girl is a natural brunette, we know her as the blonde with super big hair. Not like Dolly Parton, of course, but an effortless version of that. Teased up with a headband in it or just in a blowout that you can’t ignore. No matter how it looked, it was always up. And that bangs? Not many wore them. She was a true trendsetter, as that voluminous hairstyle can be seen everywhere. Grab some rollers, a blow-dry brush, and you’re ready. So if you really don’t know what to do with your hair? Then a blowout can save you every time.
7. Accessories make the look
Actually, there is one rule you really need to remember: accessories make the look. Brigitte always wore something around her outfits. Think of a straw hat, a leather bag, a big necklace, or earrings. That cat-eye sunglasses? She made them popular. And everyone knows that one photo with her big black headband. They are still in high demand (although we mainly use them in our makeup routine now).
Did you pay attention? Then I know you’ve learned something good. Because let’s be honest: beauty lessons from a French woman never fail. They save you on bad hair days, on days without inspiration, and at moments when your outfit is just nothing. A little Brigitte style can never hurt.
