From runway and streetstyle darlings like Bhavitha Mandava (who opened the Chanel Métiers d’art show), as well as Lola Tung and Chase Infiniti (who bridge the gap between film promotion and global runway circuits), there are various individuals we tend to look to for fashion inspiration. Dua Lipa (did you see her wedding dress?!) and Alexa Chung are also two famous personalities who have a huge influence on fashion lovers’ style, with their iconic styles standing out globally. Locally, celebrities like Leandie du Randt and Simoné Nortman, as well as the Sarie Smaakmaker, Thia from To the Tee Studio boast contrasting personal styles, inspiring South Africans to not only keep to trends, but also explore and develop their own personal styles. But, we often also turn to vintage style icons for inspiration. Think Audrey Hepburn, Princess Diana, Jackie Kennedy and, following the release of the drama series (available on Disney+), Love Story, also Carolyn Bessette Kennedy. The question is: what makes the ultimate iconic look?

Iconic style is rarely accidental. It’s a result of consistency, self-awareness and understanding what works for your lifestyle, body shape and personality. And then, it’s also about wearing it with confidence. It’s not about owning the most expensive wardrobe, but rather about developing a signature aesthetic that feels authentic.

Start With Your Personal Style DNA

First of all, it’s very important that you understand your lifestyle before you buy clothes. One way of doing that is to identify recurring items and themes in your wardrobe – this will give you an idea of what you tend to lean towards when it comes to comfort and style. Also, look for inspiration without copying others. Start by creating a mood board or style vision for yourself. Pinterest works wonderfully for both style inspiration and mood boards.

FIND SOME FASHION INSPO HERE AND HERE

Examples of style themes for women could include feminine elegance, relaxed luxury, modern minimalist, romantic dressing or classic tailoring. Men might lean toward themes like contemporary gentleman, refined casual, modern tailoring, heritage-inspired dressing or creative professional.

Invest in Timeless Foundation Pieces

Like with anything iconic, an iconic look and wardrobe are also built on strong foundations. One of the essentials for a woman’s iconic wardrobe, for instance, includes a tailored blazer. Sumissura just launched a collection of five new made-to-measure suit cuts – the perfect addition to an iconic wardrobe. “We wanted to simplify without sacrificing anything our customers love: the depth of personlisation, the variety of fabrics, and the precision of the fit,” says Teresa Marco, their Product Department Manager.

Other items key to an iconic wardrobe for women include a white shirt, a perfect-fit denim, a little black dress, a trench coat and a good-quality handbag.

Men should invest in things like a classic navy blazer, crisp white shirt, well-fitted chinos, a quality denim, a tailored suit and leather shoes.

Here, it is important to keep in mind that quality is often better than quantity. And, investing in neutral-coloured pieces would mean that you can wear it with nearly anything, making it an item that adds versatility to your iconic look.

Find Your Signature Piece

Style icons are often renowned for their signature iconic looks and it’s often because of one single signature piece. Whether it’s a bold red lip, statement eyewear, silk scarves, a specific jewellery style, signature hats, distinctive watches, pocket squares, signature jackets or leather accessories, it’s usually one thing that makes an iconic look memorable.

For instance, Princess Diana’s 1990s athleisure aesthetic is something she became known for, consisting of oversized collegiate sweatshirts, cycling shorts and structured blazers that continue to dictate current modern streetwear trends. Similarly, Audrey Hepburn became known as the champion of the “Little Black Dress,” tailored capri pants, ballet flats and oversized sunglasses.

Men who made a mark as style icons over the years included Steve McQueen – the ‘King of Cool’ with his white T-shirts, bomber jackets, chinos, chukka boots and folded Persol 714 Sunglasses – and Paul Newman with his old money aesthetic. Even Bob Dylan, quite an artsy dresser, had a way of turning heads with elevated suede trucker jackets, rugged boots, slim mod suits and the black turtleneck, currently a modern menswear staple. Love Story served as a more recent reminder of a serious style icon, JFK Junior, who had a nonchalant approach to getting dressed. From his short shorts to his baggy tees, he certainly knew how to wear his personality with confidence.  

Understand the Power of Fit for the Ultimate Iconic Look

It’s true that an average outfit can outperform even the most expensive one if it has been tailored exceptionally well. Since we all have unique body shapes, tailoring bridges the gap between your unique shape and mass-produced clothing, allowing for more flattering proportions and elevated professionalism. A well-fitted garment communicates attention to detail and ensures structured comfort, whilst also maximizing its lifespan.

Mass-produced fashion items often come with incorrect shoulder sizing, tight or gaping waistlines, or even garments that are too tight and restrict movement.

Knowing your body proportions will guide you to buy better when you want to create the ultimate iconic look. Horizontal proportions determine your overall silhouette, based on how the widths of your shoulders, bust and hips relate to your natural waist. By understanding this, you will be able to identify whether your body shape is an hourglass, rectangle (banana/column), triangle (pear), inverted triangle or oval (apple). At the same time, your vertical proportions affect how clothing – such as high-waisted jeans, cropped jackets or dresses – sits on your frame and refines your centre of gravity. Once you know your body shape and proportions, you will be able to dress for your body type, allowing for a more elevated look, ultimately aiding in creating that iconic look you’re after. In the end, it’s all about playing with proportions to create visual balance. The key is to highlight your favourite features and draw the eye to create a symmetrical silhouette.

Build a Consistent Colour Story

You might have noticed that most style icons have a recognisable colour palette. Whether you’re into monochrome dressing, earth tones, coastal blues, winter whites or black and camel combinations, discover your best colours and start creating wardrobe cohesion from there.

The idea is to learn to use neutrals effectively, as this ensures a versatile wardrobe, and to be strategic about how you use accent colours to create the ultimate iconic look.

Elevate Your Iconic Look Through Accessories

If there is one thing I’ve learned, it’s that accessories can either make or break an outfit. So, when you know how to incorporate the correct accessories, you can transform a good outfit into an iconic, memorable one in no time.

Women’s accessories could include items like structured handbags, scarves, statement jewellery, belts and sunglasses, where men can opt for things like watches, belts, leather bags, sunglasses and pocket squares.

Dress for the Life You Want

Whilst all of these things are important in creating the ultimate iconic look, one of the most valuable things you can give to yourself and your wardrobe is a little bit of time to consider what you really, really want. Do you want to dress with intention? Perhaps you want to create a wardrobe that aligns with your goals? Or, maybe you want to be more aware of the psychology of style and know which colours speak to what. Also consider what styles, textures and colour combinations make you feel confidently you, because in the end, confidence is the ultimate accessory.

Develop a Signature Look for Different Occasions

Of course, different occasions call for different signature looks. For example, a woman’s travel and weekend style wardrobes will be very different to her business and evening dressing wardrobes. At the same time, men’s business casual and smart casual wardrobes will differ from their travel style and smart casual wardrobes.

Still, certain elements in one’s wardrobe can overlap if you make clever wardrobe purchases. Buy a trench coat that could work for both business and travel. Invest in a white shirt that can be dressed up or down. And, choose neutral colours that can be mixed and matched across these various wardrobe capsules.

Creating the Ultimate Iconic Look Is About Consistency, Not Perfection

Looking at the style icons mentioned earlier, one thing is clear: there’s consistency when creating the ultimate iconic look. They repeat certain silhouettes, colours and formulas rather than constantly reinventing themselves. Iconic style isn’t about trends, labels or copying the best looks from social media. It comes from understanding who you are, dressing with intention and creating a wardrobe that reflects your personality and lifestyle.  

• The Luxury of Connection: A Slow Family Escape to Val du Charron
• Wine Beyond the Glass: 5 Unexpected Ways to Enjoy South African Wine
• The Adventure Edit: What to Wear on a South African Road Trip
• Le Manoir: Facades and Flavours That Transport You to France
• LION: A Four-Part Series Documenting a Cub Becoming King