hi, lovely angels. in sabrina (1954), audrey hepburn asked hubert de givenchy to modify one evening dress to hide her prominent collarbone, and that boat-neck cut became known as the sabrina neckline. sit with that for a second. a girl quietly edits a dress to suit HER, and decades later we are still copying the shape. she is the person who changed how i look at old clothes.

so what is retro style, literally. merriam-webster calls retro relating to, reviving, or being the styles and especially the fashions of the past. it has nothing to do with age: a brand-new dress cut like a 1950s one is retro, while vintage means a piece that is actually at least 20 years old. which makes retro style a philosophy and not a costume. you borrow the waist, the proportion, the full skirt, and then you wear it on a regular tuesday.

okay, the dresses. roman holiday (1953) gave us belted circle skirts and fitted cotton blouses, so that is the shape to chase. i would reach for the staud wells in black cotton stretch weave when i want a pleated waist and a big skirt with zero fuss. the veronica beard aila and the shoshanna nellie are the two gingham ones: navy and dove seersucker with a sweetheart neckline, navy with a bow at the bust and crossover back straps, and both SO easy with flat sandals. for dots, the miss circle rahma drop waist in black polka dots on white and the reformation sabine in linen have that twirl. the t tahari belted tiered shirtdress in its mosaic tile print is my pick for a cold october morning.

tip: put your hand on your natural waist before you buy any of them. the seam or the belt should land right there, because the whole look lives on that one line.

slim ankle pants are the easiest retro move you can make. think of jo stockton in funny face (1957), in a black turtleneck, a taupe trench and cropped black trousers, the beatnik uniform of the moment. that is the whole formula, and it still works.

the black ones first. the theory ibbey in crepe has a pressed front crease and goes from desk to dinner, and the whistles lily is a slim-leg cigarette pant with front pockets. the rag & bone irina is stretch jersey with a covered elastic waist, so it is the comfy pick. the favorite daughter high waist version is suiting with a cropped ankle hem and a slit.

then the capris. roman holiday dressed audrey with garments from sonja de lennart's capri collection, and the shape has been a thing ever since. the posse chiara in black and white gingham has a split hem, the dl1961 kristy is high-rise navy denim, the joe's jeans marie is a pull-on in black, and the aligne savannah is a stretch pedal pusher with a high waist. wear any of them with a boat-neck top + flat shoes.

test: sit down in the fitting room. an ankle pant should still show a sliver of ankle when you sit, and the crease should not pull sideways.

what i would skip: capris that stop mid-calf at the widest part of your leg if you plan to wear heels. cropped trousers want flats.

the sabrina neckline is the reason this whole section exists. a shallow, wide boat neck sits across the collarbone, and it reads as polished with almost no effort. in my fashion dreams it is 1954 and she is stepping out of a fitting in paris, the neckline doing all the talking.

for the stripes, the saint james minquidame is the classic navy and white breton with a round neck in cotton jersey. the la ligne breton tee is boxy with a boat neck and grosgrain side trim, and the seasalt cornwall sailor top is navy and chalk cotton with a wide boat neck. the enza costa boat neck in white is fine cotton and fitted, the cleanest base for a pearl necklace.

then the knits. the reformation brianna is 100% cashmere with a boat neck and ribbed trim. for cardigans i would go with the black cashmere crewneck with its button front, the reformation clara in black cashmere with a full button placket and a slightly cropped fit, or the theory cacao cardigan, lightweight cashmere, cropped with a small button placket and ribbed trim. button one cardigan up and wear it backwards over a slim pant if you want a little drama.

test: lift your arms. a boat neck should stay put on the collarbone and not slide off your shoulder, and the sleeve should still reach your wrist.

what i would skip: a thick chunky scarf with a boat neck. the neckline is the accessory, so let it breathe.

in 1954 salvatore ferragamo made the ballerina shoe, with a suede upper, a kidskin strip, a low oval heel and a shell-shaped patent sole, and the museum catalogs it as created for audrey hepburn. a flat that looks like a slipper started right there, and honestly i love that.

the flats first. the tory burch cap toe has a contrast toe, a little bow and a gold logo, the steve madden eleve has a square toe and a small bow, and the coach margot is chocolate with a polished gold buckle. the tory burch and the steve madden are black leather and the coach is dark brown, so they go with every dress and slim pant in this guide.

for a little height, the veronica beard caroline in hazelwood suede is a pointed slingback on a slim kitten heel, and the sam edelman bianka is the black leather one on a low kitten heel. for loafers, the coach astor is polished chocolate-brown leather with a logo detail and a lug-style sole, the sam edelman lea is a high-shine black with gold horsebit-style trim and a chunky sole, and the classic tory burch penny loafer has a gold logo and a round toe.

test: walk across the room and listen. a good flat should not slap or slip at the heel, and the strap on a slingback should hold without digging in.

what i would skip: a kitten heel with a full midi skirt in a heavy fabric if you will be walking on cobbles or gravel. take a loafer instead.

in breakfast at tiffany's (1961), audrey hepburn wore the oliver goldsmith manhattan sunglasses, a cat-eye frame, and the v&a holds over 70 goldsmith pairs. okay, so cat-eyes have real pedigree, and i would start every accessory conversation with them.

the sunglasses: the tom ford wallace is glossy black, 54mm, with gradient lenses, the kate spade jonnie is a rounded black cat-eye at 53mm with leopard print inside the temples, and the le specs soiree is slim gold metal at 60mm with pale tinted lenses. big if you want drama, small if you want sharp.

the scarves. roman holiday gave us bright printed silk scarves, and the lele sadoughi paisley is ivory satin with black paisley, while the coach tabby print is an off-white silk square. tie one under the chin, or around a ponytail.

the pearls: the nadri strand is cultured freshwater pearl, 16 inches, with a gold clasp. the kenneth jay lane barbara is a triple strand of imitation pearl at 17 inches, so it is the loud one. the 14k pearl studs are the quiet one. if one piece is big, keep the rest small.

test: hold the scarf against your face in daylight, and look at the pearls next to your skin. ivory and off white read differently, so pick the one that makes you glow.

what i would skip: stacking all three pearl pieces together in one outfit.

notes, because i could talk about this forever. keep a consistent palette: black, navy, ecru and one pop of red. wear one big retro piece (a full skirt, say) with small, quiet things. and if you want the beauty side, a winged liner, a defined brow and a red lip are the old-movie trio.

here is what i would actually do. a fit-and-flare dress first, then the ankle pants, a boat neck, a flat shoe, and the cat-eyes last. one retro piece per outfit is plenty.

and remember the sabrina neckline: she edited a dress to suit herself. do the same, and it is yours.