22.06.2010- Girls on Film

Elleuk.com are hosting an online survey to find the most stylish film of all time. The winning film will be screened at the BFI on September 13th and if you vote you stand a chance of winning tickets to the event as well as earning a subscription to the magazine for a year. A total of twenty five movies are nominated from the last one hundred years of cinema, and include films as diverse as Francis Ford Coppola's The Godfather and Billy Wilder's Sabrina. In celebration of ELLE's poll, I've shortlisted five films from the list which I think are style icons:

Volver (2006), directed by Pedro Almodóvar

Penélope Cruz plays Raimunda in a story of family, mystery and suspense which bears all the hallmarks of Almodóvar's work. His use of bright colour and focus on strong female protagonists sets him aparts as an auteur of modern European cinema. The costumes were designed by Bina Daigeler, who had previously worked with Almodóvar on his 1999 film All About My Mother. Penélope Cruz was nominated for an Oscar in 2007 for her role as Raimunda, and the film really allows her beauty to shine through; her gold hoop earrings and jet black hair have since been cemented as icons of style in contemporary cinema. The aesthetic of the film encapsulates the vibrancy, passion and colour of Almodóvar's cinematic heritage and never fails to inject a burst of sunshine into the dullest of British afternoons.

La Dolce Vita (1960), directed by Federico Fellini

Fellini's film tells the story of society journalist Marcello, who is transfixed by film star Sylvia upon her arrival in Rome. The film features one of the most iconic sequences of 20th century cinema, as Sylvia cavorts in the Trevi fountain dressed in a black gown, designed by Piero Gheradi's specifically for Fellini's picture. The film has been voted the 6th greatest of all time by Entertainment Weekly and remains an inspiration for many modern film-makers around the world.

Marie Antoinette (2006), directed by Sofia Coppola

Starring Kirsten Dunst as Marie Antoinette, the film focuses on the French royal and her early relationship with and betrothal to Louis XVI, played by Jason Schwartzman. Focusing on her life as a teenager, the film features costumes designed by Milena Canonero, who has worked on Out of Africa and A Clockwork Orange, as well as The Godfather Trilogy, directed by Sofia's father, Francis Ford Coppola. The film seeks to re-evaluate possibly one of the most infamous figures of French history, and depicts the decadence of her life at court in sumptuous cinematic detail.

Top Hat (1935), directed by Mark Sandrich

Featuring the most dynamic partnership to ever grace the big screen, Top Hat is Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers at their finest; the screenplay of this film was written specifically for them. The classic Old Hollywood style of the film, with Fred bedecked in top hat and tails and Ginger in the most elegant gowns of era, makes Top Hat the perfect cinematic escape to the glamour of the 1930's.

Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961), directed by Blake Edwards

Based on Truman Capote's story of the same name, Breakfast at Tiffany's stars Audrey Hepburn as Holly Golightly, the 'daring darling' of the New York social scene. The iconic black shift dress that Holly wears throughout the movie is still considered the ultimate in sophistication and style. Givenchy provided three dresses worn by Hepburn in the film, one of which was sold by Christies in 2006 for over £400,000. I don't know anyone who hasn't been influenced by this film, whether it be paying homage to Holly by eating a Danish and sipping a coffee outside Tiffany's, buying an iconic beige trench such as the one Holly wears at the end of the film (I cry every time) or searching high and low for that perfect little black dress. To me, Breakfast at Tiffany's is undoubtedly the most stylish film of all time, not only because of the now iconic costumes it features, but because of the impact and influence it continues to demonstrate over contemporary dressing and design. And I just love it. Which helps.

So what do you think? Which film is the most stylish of all time? To vote in the ELLE poll, visit elleuk.com.

(Image credit: IMDB.)