Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn Are the Unlikely Style Icons of the Downtown Fashion Set
While the NYC downtown set might be most frequently associated with the restaurant you've never heard of and the daring new fashion trend that hasn't even hit TikTok yet, there has been a surprising wave of nostalgia hitting the cool style set recently. Instead of low-slung jeans and Sambas, downtown looks more often resemble those of Grace Kelly and Audrey Hepburn—style icons who are the pinnacle of elegant fashion from the 1950s and 1960s and helped popularize pieces such as pillbox hats, skirt suits, animal-print outerwear, and pumps.
It was polished dressing and sophisticated style at its height, which is perhaps why it's so surprising to see it adopted by the downtown fashion set. Maybe that is what makes it feel so right. It is a 180-degree turn away from the edgier fashion we've come to associate with anyone living in lower Manhattan, which makes it unexpected yet exciting and fresh. Ahead, see more on the nostalgic style that is defining how the fashion set is dressing.
Pillbox Hats
Pillbox hats are practically an essential for the fashion set at this point, whether in white sculptural felt or leopard print. The accessory was a staple of Audrey Hepburn in the 1963 film Charade but is equally likely to pop up on the 2025 street style set.
GIGI BURRIS
Sharina Wool-Felt Cap
maison krasnova
Leo Fur Felt Pillbox
TOTEME
Shearling Pillbox Hat
Car Coats
The classic trench is getting an elegant and sophisticated twist with the car coats popping up everywhere. Style insiders are pairing the knee-length, single-breasted outerwear with slip skirts and sleek pumps.
Lafayette 148
Knotted Bouclé Car Coat
Sézane
Clyde Trench Coat
J.Crew
Relaxed Topcoat in Italian Flecked Herringbone
Leather Gloves
A key outfit finisher for the final month of winter? Leather gloves. They are often styled with a tailored skirt suit or car coat, as frequently seen on Grace Kelly in the 1950s and 1960s.
THE ROW
Lorella Short Leather Gloves
Agnelle
Fanny Leather Gloves
Banana Republic
Cashmere-Lined Long Leather Gloves
A-Line Silhouettes
Flared A-line silhouettes have been gaining popularity in recent seasons and are going full steam ahead for this coming year. Whether in coat, skirt, or dress form, the fluted shape feels like a throwback to the style of previous decades.
STAUD
Wells Pleated Gingham Poplin Midi Dress
The Frankie Shop
Gabrielle Knit Midi Skirt
Veda
Carmen Leather Skirt
Top-Handle Bags
Pocketbooks, doctor bags, carryalls, and more finished with top handles are the bags of choice at the moment. Many of the polished bags have a vintage-meets-modern feel.
