Looking through the archives of photos of Birkin from her youth, you see slouchy knits, wool peacoats with oversized collars and sharp silhouettes, ruffled collar blouses, smart shoes, patterned sweaters, and more. It’s a feast of playful and understated chilly-weather ensembles, glorious mismatches that keep you guessing (like jeans, a button-down, and a sweater over her shoulders paired with strappy high heels). But the allure of Birkin’s style is as much about the actual clothes on her back as it is the confident ease with which she wore them. Another quote of hers? “It’s impossible to be stylish without confidence, you see.”
Birkin was also famous for toting around a basket, which in turn inspired the famous Hermès Birkin bag. In a 2018 interview, she said: “I was well known for carrying a basket. So I obviously knew girls liked to have masses of things in their handbag.”
Below, Vogue outlines some of Birkin’s best vintage outfits and style combinations for fall—and ideas for how to get the looks yourself.
Photo: Getty Images
