10 Stylish Women in History You Didn’t Know About

We often hear about gals like Audrey Hepburn or Princess Di being historical female fashion icons, but there’s an army of women who made strides in fashion years before. These fearless women in history paved the way for us and our predecessors with their revolutionary actions, and memorable sense of style.

Marchesa Luisa Casati

A style icon of Italy, this heiress was way ahead of her time with eccentric looks that would one day inspire Mick Jagger and tons of other musicians. She was the OG of androgynous rock n’ roll before it became wha t it was decades after, and even Man Ray captured her beauty. Luisa was all about bold jewelry with equally bold black eyeliner and dreamy robes that flowed. Oh, she also casually had a leashed cheetah.

Marquise Pompadour

Say hello to the epitome of extravagance – Madame de Pompadour, born in 1721, was King Louis XV’s mistress. This gorgeous woman was all about going over the top with her decadent bows and flowers sitting upon a puffed out, pastel toned rococo dress. She looked like a piece of candy, in the best way possible. Today, you would only see this on the runway.

Gala Dali

The wife of Salvador Dali (and muse, you should note) was much more than the spouse of a famously moustached artist. Her signature timeless style consisted of brimmed hats, perfectly fitted dresses, wide-legged pants, and designs by Schiaparelli, who eventually worked with the Dalis. Not only was she a stunner in her outfits, but she was a savvy female entrepreneur who kept away snakes, and attracted gallerists with ease.

Simone De Beauvoir

Simone De Beauvoir she wasn’t one to dress up for the sake of looking cute for a man – she was against corsets and prisons of fashion. This feminist, had actually said that clothing wasn’t/t on her mind most of the time, but based on how she dressed, she must have naturally had a knack for fashion. Her wardrobe included accessories oversized garnet earrings encircled by silver, and outfits like a black and white wool-braided tweed dress. She adored clothes from her voyages, like a lamb-lined silk Chinese jacket robe.