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A Look at Dame Gladys Cooper's Best Style Moments

The legendary English actress and fashion icon's legacy lives on, inspiring trends for more than 100 years.

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gladys cooper style
Library of Congress/George Grantham Bain Collection

Dame Gladys Constance Cooper was born in 1888 to a journalist and founding editor of food and beverage publication The Epicure. Cooper was a particularly attractive child growing up and began her life in the spotlight at very young age, modeling for postcards before transitioning to the stage and then earning roles in films like My Fair Lady, Rebecca, and The Secret Garden, plus a recurring role in The Twilight Zone.

Once billed as "Britain's Most Beautiful Actress," the Oscar, Emmy, Tony, and Academy Award–nominated actress worked until the age of 81, and she left a style legacy that has outlived her roles. The following photos offer insight into Cooper's ease in front of the camera and glamorous style that keeps her a household name to this day.

1

Beauty in Contrast

gladys cooper 1888 1971, english actress, early 20th centuryartist bertram park
Print Collector//Getty Images

This striking photo of Cooper was actually from an early 20th-century postcard that circulated throughout England. A fur stole and matching hat, velvet dress, a simple strand of pearls juxtaposed with an eclectic sash make for an outfit to remember.

2

Star of the Show

gladys cooper
Hulton Archive//Getty Images

Cooper began her illustrious acting career on the stage, and she starred in the lead role in The Pursuit of Pamela in 1913. The actress was queen of accessories, donning a gold arm cuff and embroidered belt at the waist.

3

Haute Bohemian

gladys cooper
Hulton Archive//Getty Images

This moody photo of Cooper was taken by Lallie Charles, an Irish photographer considered to be one of the most commercially successful female portraitists at the turn of the 20th century, along with her sister Rita. With her hair tucked into this beautifully embroidered newsboy cap, the actress looks as fashion-forward as ever.

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4

Supporting Role

gladys cooper
Sasha//Getty Images

One of Cooper's final bright moments on the stage was in a 1930 run of Cynara, based on the novel An Imperfect Lover.

5

A Star is Born

gladys cooper style
Library of Congress/George Grantham Bain Collection

Cooper radiates turn-of-the-century chic with her silver headdress and beaded gown boasting a gauzy train. This 1913 photo reflects her newly found success after playing Muriel Pym in the play Milestones.

6

Ravishing in Robin Egg's Blue

gladys cooper
Hulton Archive//Getty Images

Cooper was such a beautiful child that her mother started her in modeling at the age of six. While photography was still a relatively new thing, the rise of postcards allowed people to send each other photographic prints for a low price, and Gladys and her sister Doris were featured in many of these.

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7

Understated Elegance

gladys cooper 1888 1971, english actress, early 20th centuryartist rotary photo
Print Collector//Getty Images

Here, Gladys looks utterly gorgeous au naturel in a simple bun without accessories. This is just one of many photos that cement her as a true beauty to be remembered.

8

Wrapped in Red

gladys cooper
Print Collector//Getty Images

Another postcard from her modeling days, here Cooper looks ultra-chic with her short hair wrapped in this oversize red bow. The actress often returned to the camera for photo shoots, even when she no longer needed the money, and she was a favorite "pinup" of British soldiers in WWI.

9

Sleepy Time Chic

actress gladys cooper in cynara, 1930
Hulton Deutsch//Getty Images

Cooper reprised her role as Clemency Warlock in Cynara for 250 performances, with this sophisticated night gown and bell-sleeved robe from British fashion designer Edward Molyneux (who dressed royals and other 20th-century style icons and whose proteges include Christian Dior and Pierre Balmain) making for a memorable ensemble

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10

Beauty and Grace

gladys cooper 1888 1971, english actress, early 20th centuryartist rotary photo
Print Collector//Getty Images

Gladys Cooper was quintessentially British in the way she dressed: plenty of practicality balanced with intricate details and luxurious touches. Here, she wears her signature string of pearls with a fur stole and a wide-brimmed hat for a unique yet stylish ensemble.

11

Timeless Elegance

gladys cooper and wendy hiller
PA Images//Getty Images

Even in Cooper's final years, her hair was always perfectly set, and she was always dressed to the nines. Shown here in 1967 with actress Wendy Hiller, the pair celebrates after being appointed Dame Commanders of the Order of the British Empire.

Lettermark
Lauren Wicks
Freelance Writer

Lauren Wicks is a freelance writer and editor based in Birmingham, Alabama. Before going on her own, Lauren worked for brands such as VERANDA, EatingWell, and Cooking Light, and she covers all things lifestyle from interior design and luxury travel to wine and wellness.

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