Diane Keaton wore a Thom Browne ensemble for the 2024 announcement of an eyewear collaboration with Look Optic. Courtesy Share on Facebook Share on X Share to Flipboard Send an Email Show additional share options Share on LinkedIn Share on Pinterest Share on Reddit Share on Tumblr Share on Whats App Print the Article Post a Comment She was the ultimate cool girl who defined menswear-influenced style in the 1970s, and almost a half-century later Diane Keaton remained the ultimate cool woman both onscreen and off, making style statements in films and on red carpets that were equal parts uncommon, fun and age-appropriate, and which always felt wholly authentic to her personality. Keaton, who passed away on October 11 at the age of 79, was already a star before 1977's Annie Hall, with roles that included 1972's The Godfather and its 1974 sequel, as well as Woody Allen films like 1972's Play It Again, Sam (after starring in Allen's Broadway play by the same name) and 1973's Sleeper. But it was Annie Hall that vaulted Keaton into dual stratospheres of acting and style, winning a best actress Oscar for the titular role of the free-spirited woman fond of tossing off a phrase like "la-di-da," though it's easy to make the case that her fashion in that film made a larger contribution to her legacy. The androgynous Annie Hall look, a layering of menswear-inspired pieces that felt artful yet unplanned, not only became an essential fashion trend of the late 1970s, it also continues to be referenced in collections to this day. Related Stories Movies Critic's Appreciation: The Irreplaceable Diane Keaton Modernized the Screwball Heroine With Sophistication, Intellect and Singular Style Movies Hollywood Pays Tribute to Diane Keaton: "We Lost a True Original" Diane Keaton and Woody Allen in 'Annie Hall,' 1977. Courtesy Everett Collection Keaton's contributions to her look in Annie Hall caused a conflict with the film's costume designer, Ruth Morley, who initially envisioned a character who wasn't so fully formed from a style perspective. Having written both the character and the film based on Keaton and his relationship with her in the late 1960s through early '70s, Allen intervened and asked Morley to let Keaton control her own onscreen style during filming; the resulting wardrobe blended pieces from vintage stores and Keaton's own closet, as well as separates contributed by Ralph Lauren. In the summer following the film's release in April 1977, The New York Times highlighted the trend - "the Annie Hall look is now popping up on the streets with amazing frequency," it proclaimed - and included an interview with Morley. "The look was designed for a girl who didn't quite know who she was," said Morley, who died in 1991. "The girl is little confused but not a hippy; she's unusual, she's trying to find herself ... [b]ut even though she didn't yet know who she was, she had originality and she was creative." Diane Keaton and Woody Allen in 'Manhattan,' 1979. Courtesy Everett Collection That last quote also might apply to Keaton overall, with one exception: she knew exactly who she was, and throughout her life she often made that statement via what she wore. The actress-director-producer's signature style resulted in a 2024 book, Diane Keaton: Fashion First (Rizzoli, $55), in which Keaton credits her mother as her style inspiration. Her parents' names? Jack and Dorothy Hall. "She was dolled up no matter what," Keaton wrote of her mother. "And I was following right behind her, loving every minute of it." Lauren penned the book's foreword, noting that Keaton attended his fashion shows long before she became famous. "I am often credited with dressing Diane in her Oscar-winning role as Annie Hall. Not so," he wrote. "Annie's style was Diane's style. Very eclectic. she loved floppy hats and oversized men's jackets. She loved dangly neckties and layers of sweaters and vests and cowboy boots. Around the same time, I sent models down the runway dressed like that. We shared a sensibility, but she had a style that was all her own." Soon after Keaton's death was announced, Lauren posted a statement to his brand's social media: "Diane always marched to the beat of her own drum - in the way she lived, the way she saw the world, and the way she made all of us feel," he said. "She was authentic, unique and full of heart. She was always herself-one of a kind." Diane Keaton in 'Baby Boom,' 1987. Courtesy Everett Collection It wasn't difficult to see Keaton's personal style in her onscreen looks. The details are all there, from menswear inspirations revealed through tailored trousers and jackets, the latter often cinched with a wide belt, to an appreciation for accessories, hats in particular. She added that self-identity to her character's corporate look in 1987's Baby Boom and to the polished, tailored pieces she wore in 1990's The Godfather Part III (though admittedly Milena Canonero's costumes struck many film and fashion critics as being somewhat