Diane Keaton's Transformation Into A Style Icon Was Always Full Of Authenticity

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Merriam-Webster defines an icon as "a person or thing widely admired especially for having great influence or significance in a particular sphere." It's an apt description of Diane Keaton, who passed away in October 2025 at the age of 79. She was a Hollywood icon, rising to fame in the 1970s in "The Godfather" and "Annie Hall," but she was equally as notable as a fashion icon. To refer back to the definition, she was widely admired for being one of the celebs who never missed with their signature style, which included what was traditionally dubbed menswear — suits, bowler hats, and loafers — but what can now be called everyday wear generally. Through her embracing of these items, Keaton was one of the folks who made the aesthetic so appealing for women.

Whether she was on the screen, the red carpet, or out and about in Hollywood, Keaton looked polished and original in her signature looks. She even became an inspiration for fashion trends in the 2020s, as the coastal grandma and eclectic grandpa trends took over TikTok. To no one's surprise, she explained in her 2024 book, "Fashion First," that fashion played a big role in her life since her childhood, and throughout her life, she continued to have a playful approach to it, which in itself is a style lesson to us all.

In "Fashion First," Keaton wrote, "In the 1970s, I was finding my style and slowly finding my career" (via The Gloss). Luckily for her, the two became intertwined. When ex-boyfriend Woody Allen wrote the role of Annie Hall, who was based on Keaton, the latter insisted on using her fashion sense for the character, including the hat, vest, tie, and slouchy khaki trousers. She wrote in her book, "I loved being able to dress like myself. My muses were the women of New York City who were walking the streets of Soho in baggy trousers and a blazer. I was layering pieces." Two lasting results came from the move: Keaton won the best actress Oscar for the role, and her menswear-inspired fashion became a hit.

Her look throughout the '70s and '80s showed her affinity for confident style that layered pieces, and it was always accessory-heavy. Scarves and other neckwear were instant staples in her wardrobe. Along with striking style, strong acting roles and accolades continued to come her way in this era, as did her costars. After Allen, she dated her "Godfather" costar Al Pacino, followed by Warren Beatty, who she shared the screen with in "Reds." However, none of them ever became permanent fixtures, as Keaton took the path of other celebs who embraced the single life.

In the 1990s, Diane Keaton's fashion transformation continued to evolve, as she ditched the look of the '70s and '80s –- the big hair and drab colors on dated fabrics, notably -– and settled into a more refined aesthetic. It was also her way of saying there's more to her than Annie Hall. At a charity event in Los Angeles in 1993, she wore a shapeless green dress that gave off Coco Chanel vibes from the 1910s. She continued to lean into heavy accessorizing, adding a white beret and long, flapper-era pearls to the outfit.

Still, her beloved suits were never far away. She wore an elegant, double-breasted white version to the 1997 Academy Awards, which she attended with "Father of the Bride" costar Steve Martin. She added a dramatic thick choker (again, hello neckwear), tiny oval glasses, and gloves, another signature Keaton item.

Diane Keaton, often described as one of the funniest actors in Hollywood, didn't slow down her career when she turned 60 in the early 2000s. In fact, a few of her best films came out in this era, including 2003's "Something's Gotta Give" and 2005's "The Family Stone." It's also when Keaton became an icon for an aging group of fans. She showed that playing with fashion isn't only for younger women, and we all ate it up.

In this era, she firmly established herself as a fan of black and white, both separately and paired together. "The 2000s were an accumulation of all the things I learned about fashion through the decades," she wrote in "Fashion First," adding, "I incorporated a tie or two from the '70s, some polka dots from the '80s, my cross necklaces from the '90s and absolutely nothing from the '60s except for my black turtlenecks. I toned down the colors from the past and leaned into my instinct and love for black and white." For example, at the 2004 Golden Globes, she wore an all-white outfit, repeating gloves and pearls, and at CinemaCon 2019, she paired black and white, adding drama with a voluminous silhouette that flattered her instead of swallowing her.

Oh, to look as chic and confident as Diane Keaton did in her 70s. The key? Comfort. She chose pieces that she felt comfortable in and gave them a personal flair with accessories that ran the gamut of on-trend to simply something she felt like wearing. In the 2020s, for instance, Keaton often opted for beautifully tailored coats. "A coat is my version of a ballgown," she wrote in "Fashion First," adding, "A coat is perfection. I can relax in a coat, which is a blessing for a person like me who tends to be anxious and worried most of the time. A coat gives me the opportunity to make my own decision about how my waist will look. I lock myself in with a nice big belt." She followed this exact formula at a September 2023 Ralph Lauren fashion show in Brooklyn, New York, wearing a long coat in a stunning gray plaid pattern.

She also circled back to her beloved suits, which she's long discussed loving. She wrote in her book, "There are so many wonderful things to love about a suit. The pants don't have to be too tight. Neither does the jacket. I like my sleeves to go down long, to cover me up. Suits make me feel comfortable." For an example of how well she could pull off a suit, look no further than the Thom Browne one she wore to the designer's show at Paris Fashion Week in July 2023. It was perfection with its coordinated pieces, topped off by a signature hat and glasses that couldn't be more Diane Keaton.