When it comes to Hollywood history, is there anyone more synonymous with beauty and elegance than Grace Kelly?
The actor, who at age 26 became the Princess of Monaco when she married Prince Rainier III on April 19, 1956, is perhaps best known for her work with director Alfred Hitchcock, and her roles in films such as Rear Window (1954), Dial M for Murder (1954), To Catch a Thief (1955), High Noon (1952), and The Country Girl (1954), for which she won an Academy Award. Decades after her death, Princess Grace—who was just 52 when she died in 1982 from injuries sustained in a car crash—is remembered as an icon of American cinema.
Alongside her fame as a starlet of Hollywood’s Golden Age—co-starring with some of the era’s top leading men, including Frank Sinatra, Cary Grant, Jimmy Stewart, Gary Cooper, Clark Gable, and Bing Crosby—Kelly endures as a beacon of style and sophistication. During her Hollywood career, she was known to wear white gloves, often earning places on “best dressed” lists. When she got married, she wore a peau de soie and lace gown by the costume designer Helen Rose, which is arguably one of the most famous wedding dresses of all time.
Princess Grace’s refined fashion sense was on display during all seasons, but her summertime looks offer a particular bout of inspiration, from her patterned sets to unique headwear. Below, take a look at some of the best vintage photos of Grace Kelly in the summer, both on and off the screen.
