6 Celebs Who Have A Signature Look That's Instantly Recognizable

There are some celebs who, asked to close your eyes and think of them, you'd have no trouble imagining them in a particular lewk. That goes for old Hollywood icons (we know you're thinking of Audrey Hepburn in a boatneck top and cinched waist rn), and more contemporary stars like Mariah Carey alike. Speaking exclusively to Nicki Swift, personal stylist at MiKADO Personal Styling, Jordan Stolch, expanded on what exactly it is that makes some stars' style so instantly recognizable (and JSYK, clothes are only part of the reason). 

Of course, we had to kick things off with Anna Wintour, whose sunglasses and bob are famously synonymous with the Vogue icon. Granted, there have been some who have complained about Wintour not switching things up, but as Stolch told us, "Consistency is what makes someone memorable." That's not to say Stolch believes the secret to cultivating a specific "look" is always wearing the same thing, though. Au contraire, the stylist specifically added, "This doesn't mean that we stifle creativity or that the emphasis is on banal repetition." Rather, she explained, "It's about establishing a clear message and an intentional point of view that allows every new purchase, every outfit, and every styling decision to reinforce the same authentic story, even as that story naturally evolves."

In the case of someone like Wintour, Stolch noted that there is also the benefit of consistency building trust. "Whether we realize it or not, we're naturally drawn to people who are clear about who they are and who present an image we've come to expect. When someone's outside presentation consistently aligns with their inner self, it creates a sense of credibility and confidence that feels intentional rather than performative," she told us.

Next up, we've got Dolly Parton. Famed for her love of big hair, rhinestones, and tight silhouettes, Parton has always been very vocal about why she presents herself the way she does. Speaking to Numéro in 2025, she explained that she'd always loved how the stars glittered at night, and even collected quartz stones while her dad ploughed because of their sparkle. As such, she was naturally drawn to rhinestones and glitter. She told The Guardian in 2006 that she'd been transfixed as a child when she saw the Maddox Brothers and Rose's flamboyant 'fits. "That was the first time I'd ever seen that flashy stuff on people. ... I thought, 'That's what you need to be, you need to shine if you're going to be a star.' I'm a fanatic about it to this day," she said. 

As for the other components of her look, like Parton's always-present high heels and her big blond wigs, she's spoken about those for years, too. "I patterned the way I looked after the town tramp in our hometown ... I thought she was the prettiest thing I'd ever seen," she told Vogue. "She had the peroxide blonde hair piled up on top, with red lips and fingernails, the high heel shoes, the tight skirt." 

Fast-forward to adulthood, Parton still loves her sparkly, dramatic style, and she told The Guardian she'd never want to change it. As for her Numéro interview, she all but summed up Jordan Stolch's explanation of personal style, which was that a star who has mastered her personal style "is solely focused on expressing herself honestly." As Parton told Numéro, "My look is very much me. ... I think everyone should wear what looks good on them, regardless of what other people think."

On to another blond bombshell whose signature look has remained consistent over the years: Paris Hilton. While she's played around with hair length and can certainly rock a more serious look when the occasion calls for it, Paris' love for pink, sparkle, glam, and prints has never waned, and we love that for her. In fact, even during peak "quiet luxury," Paris was sliving for sparkles and whimsy.  

Like Dolly Parton, Paris has spoken about wearing the things that make sense for her personally, writing in a 2018 post on X (then still known as Twitter), "The early 2000's was such a fun & iconic era for fashion. People didn't have stylists & actually had personal style. Now everyone kinda looks the same!" Even though she does work with a stylist today, Hilton also told Hello!, "That playful spirit is still there." Also still there: the hats, "Sliv" gloves, and chokers she dons whether or not anyone else is talking about them. 

Again, that aligns very clearly with one of Jordan Stolch's pearls of wisdom. "Perhaps the most important advice of all is to stop seeking permission from other people. No woman develops a truly recognizable signature style by dressing according to everyone else's preferences. This work requires trusting your own instincts and having the confidence to express yourself honestly," she told us. Well, in the case of Paris, who had already spoken to Hello! about relying on what came to her naturally, that's certainly the case. And, given how many people have tried to emulate her iconic past looks over the years (Kendall Jenner, we're looking at you!), we'd reckon those instincts were on the right track.

Sticking with the Hiltons, we couldn't not include Nicky Hilton in our list of stars whose personal style speaks for itself, because her own image has also remained incredibly consistent over the years. Timeless, sophisticated, and not at all unlike a real-life Blair Waldorf, Nicky's style has always been very distinct from her sister's, and we're not surprised she went on to become a fashion mogul. In addition to having her own lines, Nicky also released "365 Style" in 2014, but she made a point of noting that she wasn't trying to encourage anyone to try emulate her. Speaking to The Cut, she explained, "I'm not doing a style book to say, 'Dress like me,' because that's stupid. It's more about finding your own personal style."

Similar to Paris Hilton's approach of finding the things she loves and sticking with them, Nicky also told The Cut, "A lot of things that I've carried into my adult look were taken from me being a young girl. I've sort of modernized it. For example, I would wear that little jumper that Eloise wore, and now I still wear those to this day."

Nicky explained to The Cut that she loved the "Eloise" look because growing up, her life was very similar to that of the fictional character. "We both grew up in fancy Manhattan hotels — her the Plaza, me at the Waldorf. We have a lot of similarities," she said. The literary reference tied in perfectly with another of Jordan Stolch's comments to us, about style being a form of personal storytelling. Granted, most people don't have an actual, published story to draw inspiration from, but we're here for Nicky being the real-life embodiment of the beloved book character all the same. 

Victoria Beckham has been in the public eye for decades, and outside of her years as one of the Spice Girls, she's always dressed herself. That said, from the early 2010s onwards, she's been rocking a very cohesive look of structured yet flowy silhouettes, palazzo pants, and even (gasp!) a flat shoe from time to time. 

Victoria spoke about her more laidback personal style in a 2020 Q&A with fashion graduates facilitated by The Guardian, and explained that much of the about-turn came from her own confidence. "My confidence has definitely grown as I've got older. I know what works on me, what looks good, what makes me feel confident and comfortable. I don't feel like I have anything to prove now in the way I dress," she said. That's key in establishing an easily identifiable style, Jordan Stolch told us, explaining, "Every woman benefits from developing her own signature style. She's no longer chasing trends, trying to 'keep up,' or looking to the fashion industry for permission."

That's certainly been the case for Victoria, and like we said, these days her look is instantly recognizable. As for the things she wore way back when (like her iconic matching moment with David Beckham, which she's joked about being disappointing in retrospect, or the super-tight looks she sported in the early-to-mid-2000s), Victoria also told The Guardian, "I guess it was a sign of insecurity that I would always wear clothes that were very tight, very fitted." Well, safe to say those days are gone, and like we said, she even wears flats on occasion (who didn't do a double take when she started rocking Adidas Stan Smith sneakers in the mid 2010s?) "Everyone went crazy," she recalled. Crazy in a good way, though!

Finishing things off with a star who's no longer with us but whose style will go down in fashion history for being so unique, we'll conclude with Diane Keaton. The "Father of the Bride" star was known for her love of tailoring, menswear and hats, and in the wake of her passing at the age of 79 in 2025, countless media outlets lauded her for her willingness to do her own thing. In fact, CNN even highlighted how special it was that she continued to do so when so many other stars were working with professional stylists. 

In her exclusive conversation with Nicki Swift, Jordan Stolch specifically mentioned Keaton, noting that she always excelled at truly being herself. "It isn't manufactured, but grows out of a genuine understanding of who someone is, what they value, and what they want to communicate," the stylist told us. Stolch also noted that because of how personal Keaton's style was, there was no way to really replicate it. Mentioning in particular Keaton's hats, jackets, and trousers, she said, "These signature elements didn't happen by accident, they became recurring expressions of a consistent identity." That's not to say those inspired by Keaton couldn't emulate the actor in their own way, though. Far from it, Stolch advised those trying to figure out their own style to take stock of what they already have and work from there. "Your own signature pieces will emerge in much the same way," she said. 

At the end of the day, trends can be fun, and even those on our list have played into the pieces of the moment from time to time. However, the key to a signature style lies in not being governed by those trends. Great news for your personal style — and your bank balance, too.