Did you have a feeling that Beth Harmon's style [1] was inspired by Audrey Hepburn while watching The Queen's Gambit [2]? That was purposeful, and *ding ding ding* you are absolutely right. We discussed all the fashion references [3] with the Netflix series's costumer Gabriele Binder, who explained that she looked to different icons from the '60s throughout the show, shifting Harmon's look ever so slightly as she grew up. "As Beth matures, her style changes with new experiences and places she travels to. Her early style is influenced by Jean Seberg, Audrey Hepburn, and Natalie Wood, among others," Binder told POPSUGAR.
Even though Harmon, played by Anya Taylor-Joy [4], goes on to spend time in New York and compete in chess tournaments in Paris and Moscow later in the story, the Hepburn influence carries on. She might pick up slight beauty moves from the likes of Edie Sedgwick, and later, the hats and hairstyles of Juliette Gréco, but her aesthetic continues to be sophisticated, boyish, and delicate all at once — a combination Hepburn mastered and made iconic.
Just for fun, we gathered images of Hepburn throughout the '50s and '60s and compared them to the looks Taylor-Joy wears as Beth Harmon on the show. We just want to warn you before you begin to scroll — you'll want to get yourself a tall glass of water, because like they told spectators at the match between Borgov and Harmon in Russia, you're gonna be here for a while.
Audrey and Beth both mastered the black turtleneck with a cropped trouser and flat loafer.
A white collared shirt, cinched at the waist, looked best when paired with a full skirt.
Audrey and Beth have an uncanny resemblance lounging at home in their cowl-neck sweaters and leggings.
Simple striped graphics with trousers made great wear-everyday outfits.
A checked dress, reminiscent of a chessboard, in a monochrome palette looked prim and proper with a necktie.
Both women wore loose, cropped raglan tops with cropped high-waist pants.
Black and white outfits looked loveliest with a simple flat and red lips.
Both Beth and Audrey knew how to make good use out of a silk printed headscarf.
Outerwear sets consisted of furry hats, midlength coats, and gloves.
Both women preferred outerwear with texture or geometric details.
Salt-and-pepper tweed and simple flats were easy for errand running.
Their triangle shift dresses fell right above the knee in typical '60s fashion.