Sabrina Carpenter: The Enduring Allure of Old Hollywood Glamour in 2025
The signature bangs. The bouncy curls. The body-hugging vintage garments. Sabrina Carpenter is our new ‘It Girl’ and she is bringing back old-timey beauty.
Sabrina Carpenter has reached new heights of popularity over the past 12 months, and it’s not only due to her incredible voice and witty charm. As well as shaking her espresso, she has also been shaking up her aesthetic and serving us the most gorgeous looks. Yes, Sabrina’s look has totally captivated us as she continues to perfect modern takes on classic shapes and silhouettes. Her style has shown to celebrate the timeless allure that is Old Hollywood Glamour - and we are so here for it.
The question is, how is this classic look worn in the modern day?
The Timeless Allure of Old Hollywood Glamour
In a market saturated with fast fashion brands and fleeting trends, there is something undeniably captivating about Sabrina’s nostalgic glamour. We’ve been through many ‘eras’ in terms of recycling beauty and fashion trends. The clean girl look, noughties revival, and 90s chic have all recently made a reappearance in our aesthetics. There is one look, however, that continues to turn heads year after year – and that’s Old Hollywood glam.
While the industry continues to look ahead to new trends and cycles, the decision to look back to an era where glamour was rooted and defined is so refreshing. The 1920s to the 1950s was the prime era of sultry feminine style and statement looks - and still remains the blueprint for refined glamour to this day.
Of course, this fashion era wouldn’t be Old Hollywood glam without its leading ladies, including Audrey Hepburn, Marilyn Monroe, and Grace Kelly. These starlets oozed an aura of classic beauty and were major influences on the fashion that defined their era, as well as ours.
Known for its cinched waists, draping gowns, intricate beading, and luxurious chiffon and silk materials, the Golden age of Hollywood continues to fascinate and inspire designers to create their own renditions of these looks. For designers, Sabrina Carpenter is the perfect modern muse.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Wardrobe
The beauty about Sabrina’s outfits is that they all seem to pay homage to previous iconic looks. She weaves vintage glamour into every fit and combines eras from the 1950s through to the 90s. Whether she’s wearing a figure-hugging dress reminiscent of Marilyn Monroe or a capri catsuit that takes us back to the 50s, Sabrina gives a nod to vintage looks while making a statement in the present day.
The following ensembles highlight just some of Sabrina’s fashion choices that make her stand out in the fashion world and show just how she brings Old Hollywood to a contemporary audience.
The beauty about Sabrina’s outfits is that they all seem to pay homage to previous iconic looks.
Marilyn & Madonna: At the VMA’s, Sabrina channelled her inner Marilyn and her inner Madonna with her red carpet look. She stunned onlookers with a silver beaded Bob Mackie dress that was originally designed for Madonna in 1991, and paired it with gorgeous Old Hollywood-inspired hair and makeup. The dress was inspired by Marilyn Monroe in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes and just as it did with Madonna, it turned heads on the red carpet.
Vintage Leopard: During an appearance on the Late Late show, Sabrina donned a vintage Lillie Ruben black skirt suit with statement leopard print accents. This outfit pays direct homage to Fran Fine from the 90’s sitcom, The Nanny, and brings the iconic look back to life. The jacket has a gorgeous peplum waistline which gives her that hourglass look and feminine silhouette, while her big bouncy curls are the cherry on top to the whole ensemble. Honestly, I fell in love with this look the second I saw it.
Capri Catsuit: During her ‘Short n’ Sweet’ tour, Sabrina changes into a custom-made Patou capri lace catsuit, embellished with crystals and paired with opera-length gloves. The capri style of the legs gives a nod to the 1950s when these trousers were first made popular for women. Hollywood icon Audrey Hepburn wore capri pants in her 1954 movie (ironically titled ‘Sabrina’) and popularised capris at a time when women scarcely wore trousers. It’s flattering, glamorous, and oozes fashion nostalgia.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Hair
We’ve all said it. “I need Sabrina Carpenter’s hair”. Same, girl, same. If hair envy was a crime you’d see me locked away behind bars. Sabrina’s big bouncy blowout is nothing short of majestic and it is a huge part of the Old Hollywood look.
Hollywood waves have dominated the red carpets for years and have been worn by every star, from Marilyn Monroe to Zendaya. It’s all about volume and having the perfect S-curl waves that sit perfectly in place. It’s chic, it’s classy, and it’s dramatic.
Sabrina’s bouncy Hollywood hair has become her signature look, and while we may not have the time to recreate her VMAs look (her hair took 6 hours and required some very talented professionals), we can always use our trusty rollers to create that chic voluminous blowout.
These sleek, vintage waves were made popular by movie starts like Veronica Lake in the 1940s.
Sabrina Carpenter’s Makeup
Old Hollywood makeup focuses on enhancing natural beauty while also adding that glamorous, polished look. Just think of Marilyn’s flawless skin, defined eyes, and iconic red lip.
Similar to Marilyn’s iconic makeup look, Sabrina isn’t shy of a winged liner and a red lip. Sabrina’s makeup has taken social media by storm, especially for her trademark blushed cheeks and radiant highlighter. Her dewy, porcelain complexion gives her a doll-like vibe that is quite ethereal, and pairs beautifully with her signature glossy lip.
The key thing to remember is that Old Hollywood makeup is all about balance. Choose one feature to take centre stage, whether that’s a defined eye or a bold lip, and keep the rest simple and understated.
Similar to Marilyn’s iconic makeup look, Sabrina isn’t shy of a winged liner and a red lip.
Old Hollywood glam is all about creating a polished and glamorous look. Not only is this style determined by your clothes, but it is also embodied by your hair, makeup, and the overall aura you project to the world. Clothes and hair aside, confidence is the key to elevating any outfit. Old Hollywood starlets oozed a sense of confidence and self-assuredness that surpassed the clothes or makeup they were wearing - their aura was magnetic.
Sabrina Carpenter rocks this confidence. She’s modernised Old Hollywood and given it a new lease of life in the current day. Some say Old Hollywood glam should be kept for red carpets, but Miss Carpenter proves that you don’t need to wait for a special occasion to rock your favourite look. Hold your head high, own your style, and unapologetically be yourself.
Why not treat every day like a special occasion?
