There are several elements of Audrey Hepburn/Holly Golightly seen in the 1960s culture, with the most obvious being her fashion sense. Women in the 60s had intricate hairstyles that were either up-dos or extravagant curls when left down. Their hair was just as sophisticated as their clothing. Women during this time period were generally very skinny and, like Holly, wore hats to match their fitted dresses. Just before the scene Holly gets arrested, she asks Paul to take her to a restaurant that would be appropriate for her casual attire. Her “casual” look is something that one might consider to be elegant for today’s restaurant attire. One significant reoccurring motif for the 60s is women smoking. Throughout "Breakfast at Tiffany’s," Holly had a cigarette in her hand during to complete her elaborate look. The number of women smokers today has dramatically decreased since the 60s because of the advancements in medicine, technology, education and the number of women holding careers.

The role of a woman in the 1960s was much different than other time periods. They were much more independent and were at a point in which they could no longer tolerate gender inequality. Holly did a splendid job of demonstrating this notion by living alone and taking care of herself. She didn’t need to live with a man nor did she need a man to help her host her grand parties. Her relationship with Paul definitely portrays her love for independence. She insists on buying whiskey from him rather than letting him pay for her and she refused to listen to Paul when he suggested that she go to the hotel rather than the airport when in the cab. Holly was perfectly capable of living by herself and making her own choices, just like most 1960s women.

Holly’s fear of being “caged” represents the role of the late 1950s and early 1960s woman. Women were obligated to work 55 hours a week as housekeepers and homemakers and had no time of their own. Women were completely controlled by men; therefore, Holly feared long term commitment. The main purpose of Holly’s relationships was to get her hands on the money these men offered. She usually found her “targets” at her parties and would do her best to get one of them to marry her. The movie title shows Holly’s high maintenance attitude and love for money, which she looked for in her “targets." It took her a very long time to realize that money doesn’t mean as much as love. She seemed to finally have an epiphany, as Paul was leaving the cab in the rain during the very last scene, and she decided to marry him for his genuine kindness rather than his financial gains. Breakfast at Tiffany’s does an exquisite job of characterizing the 1960s woman and providing subliminal messages that lead to the underlying conflict of stability versus freedom. Holly’s attitude provided a great lesson for women in the 60s and it still influences women today.