When we think of old Hollywood icons, most people’s minds automatically go to Marilyn Monroe. Lots of young girls look up to Marilyn as a cultural icon and an “inspiration.” However, most people don’t think of Audrey Hepburn. I, however, have always loved Audrey and everything she stood for. She was much more than just the beautiful actress from Breakfast at Tiffany’s. More girls should look to Audrey for inspiration. There are millions of reasons why, but here are just a few.

1. She was made of pure class and grace.

Audrey was classy… end of story. She carried herself with grace, confidence, and poise. She was always known for her compassion and she was much more than just a beautiful face.

“For beautiful eyes, look for the good in others; for beautiful lips, speak only words of kindness; and for poise, walk with the knowledge that you are never alone.”

2. She went through a lot to get where she did.

Audrey was born in Belgium in 1929. Her father abandoned her family in 1935, during World War II and became a Nazi sympathizer. After her father left, her mother moved her family to the Netherlands where her grandparents lived. It was there that she began dancing ballet. In 1944, she began taking her ballet dancing career very seriously. She even began dancing in secret shows to raise money for the Dutch resistance. After doing some acting work in England, Audrey was offered a chance to star in in the Broadway musical “Gigi.” This show skyrocketed her career in America, and the rest is history!

“Nothing is impossible, the word itself says 'I'm possible'!”

3. She was beautiful!

Audrey was a style and beauty icon. To this day, thousands of people still strive to embody her beauty. In fact, if you Google “Audrey Hepburn Makeup Tutorial” you will see there are 333,000 results. People really appreciated (and still do) Audrey’s beauty. Even in her last years, she was just as fresh faced and beautiful as she ever was. Her style was magnificent as well. Audrey was close friends with Hubert de Givenchy. She once said, “His are the only clothes in which I am myself.” Givenchy was the designer of almost all of her most famous gowns, including Holly Golightly’s black dress in Breakfast at Tiffany’s. She conveyed a style like no other. She wore beautiful gowns that did not have to be revealing to make her look beautiful. She was truly elegant.

“The beauty of a woman is not in a facial mode but the true beauty in a woman is reflected in her soul. It is the caring that she lovingly gives the passion that she shows. The beauty of a woman grows with the passing years.”

4. She did what made her happy.

Audrey loved her career on Broadway and in film and she also loved being a mother. After she had her son Sean, she went right back to work and began shooting Breakfast at Tiffany’s. After she finished her work as Holly Golightly, she decided to take a break from acting to spend time with her family, because that is what made her happy. She did not return to acting until 1975.

“The most important thing is to enjoy your life - to be happy - it's all that matters.”

5. She cared for others.

In 1988, Audrey became a UNICEF Goodwill Ambassador. She spent five years traveling the world and participating in charity work to benefit children. Not only did she help provide aid to children struggling to stay alive, but she also reported what she saw to the media, world leaders, and government in a cry for help. Audrey dreamed of a world where all children could live a safe, happy, and healthy life. Between the years of 1988 and 1993, Audrey was honored with many prestigious awards for her humanitarian work; including, but not limited to, The International Danny Kaye Award for Children, The International Humanitarian Award, The UNICEF Children’s Champion Award and The Presidential Medal of Freedom. Even after her death in 1993, she is continuously honored for her humanitarian work. The Audrey Hepburn Children’s Fund is still in existence today and continues on her courageous work for children.

“As you grow older, you will discover that you have two hands, one for helping yourself, the other for helping others.”

6. We can still learn from her today.

Audrey was a truly beautiful person. She is someone we should all look to for inspiration. Whether it be inspiration for an outfit, our makeup, or most importantly, the way we carry ourselves or the way we treat others. There are so many things that we can learn from Audrey’s legacy. Audrey has taught us that we should respect ourselves, respect others, and always know how lucky we are. She showed us that we should always strive to be better people and to make the world a better place.

Her charity work lives on today, as does her spirit. Check out Audrey's Website to find out more about The Audrey Hepburn Children’s Fund and ways you can help.

“The greatest victory has been to be able to live with myself, to accept my shortcomings… I’m a long way from the human being I’d like to be. But I’ve decided I’m not so bad after all.”