Coco Chanel

With all the drama that occurred in Coco Chanel's personal life, it's no surprise she caused quire a stir in the fashion world, as well.

Beginning as a seamstress, then a milliner, then a dressmaker, she liberated women from the bustles and corsets of fashion and introduced a more relaxed, sporty, chic look for women to wear.  Her look epitomized a youthful, fashionable woman and many wanted the look.

She used innovated design methods and made sure to execute those methods and looks in her everyday life -- wearing her hair short, her skin tanned, and her clothes androgynous.

Incorporating many looks and themes from her personal life, as well, her designs took her love of hunting, riding, and the exotic and made them suitable for everyday wear.  She created crew-neck sweaters and striped tops, bell-bottom pants, and ethnic prints into her designs to mimic what she enjoyed doing in her everyday life.  Even the famous, sleek and simple look of the Chanel No. 5 perfume bottle was modeled after her lover's toiletry bottles.

Most notable of all was her signature Chanel Suit, a look still copied and styled in history today.  The woolen suit was comprised of a knee-length skirt and cardigan-style jacket with three quarter sleeves and finished with gold buttons and a sleek trim.  The look was accessorized with a simple strand of pearls, low pumps, and a leather handbag.  Jackie Kennedy made the look a symbol of the 60s when she famously wore a pink and navy Chanel suit the day of John F. Kennedy's assassination.

When Chanel passed, she left behind a legacy of timeless elegance that still remains iconic and fashionable to this day.

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