9 Stunning Style Moments That Made Ali MacGraw A Fashion Icon

Despite the fact that Ali MacGraw was only in 11 films, she made one heck of a cultural impact — especially in regards to fashion. In the 1960's, MacGraw worked as a model, and although her first film, "A Lovely Way to Way to Die," came out in 1968, it was 1970's "Love Story," that brought her critical acclaim, as well as a Golden Globe for her portrayal of Jenny Cavilleri. Though MacGraw's personal style certainly made a splash, her on-screen fashion was particularly iconic, and to this day, "Love Story" remains a go-to when it comes to creating the perfect fall wardrobe.

"It was a time when individuality was so prized," MacGraw told Vogue in 2017 about the 1960's fashion trends. "If you put your outfit together in a way that made you happy and made you project comfort in your own vibe, people would always tell you that you looked great... Right now, people are spending a lot of money, based on what they see online and in magazines, to look bad," MacGraw told the magazine, adding that when it comes to fashion, the 1960s offered an even playing field. "People who lived among the pickle carts in the old Lower East Side were running around and looking just as terrific as the ones going to Paris and buying Courrèges," said MacGraw.

Although you'll regularly see 1960s-inspired fashion trends make a comeback and then fade away again, sadly, the egalitarian fashion energy of the decade is gone. However, that can't stop us from looking back at an era that was groundbreaking in more ways than one. As someone who was there, MacGraw had some stunning style moments worth noting.

The 1960s and the '70s were all about loud prints, so it makes sense that Ali MacGraw, as a former model, would lean into the big and bold patterns of the time. Here, MacGraw is wearing a chinoiserie-print outfit, — a European style of design that incorporated Asian motifs. The look appears to consist of a long a skirt and matching shawl that's wrapped around MacGraw's shoulders, while a black top, black tights, and white shoes complete the outfit. Considering the design, it was an avant-garde style for the time.

At some point in the early 1970s, Ali MacGraw was photographed wearing a knit cap (an accessory she wore often) and a blanket, as opposed to coat. While such a look today might result in MacGraw getting a side-eye or, even worse, a stink-eye, that's not happening here, because as MacGraw said herself when talking to Vogue in 2017, unconventionality was embraced far more in the '60s and '70s than it is now. If you ever felt like skipping your coat and heading out to hail a cab in New York rocking a blanket, this photo of MacGraw gives you permission to do so. 

Before Ali MacGraw made, "love means never having to say you're sorry," an iconic and forever-quotable line from her 1970 film, "Love Story," she was a model. In 1967, MacGraw modeled this mustard-yellow matching top and bottom by Tiffeau and Busch, with a white felt hat and white gloves. This was certainly a more conservative look compared to the hippie-inspired outfits that MacGraw would come to wear throughout the 1970s. The shade of yellow is pure '60s, and though it fell out of popularity for a few decades, it's one of many "ugly colors" that have become trendy again.

When "The Godfather" had its world premiere in New York City in March 1972, everyone was there — including Henry Kissinger, of all people. At the time, Ali MacGraw was married to Hollywood film producer, Robert Evans, so naturally, the couple attended the movie's star-studded premiere. While MacGraw wore a sleeveless full-length black dress, it's the black feather waistcoat and matching feather headpiece that stand out for their uniqueness. As Carrie Bradshaw once said, "I made the effort. I put a bird on my head." — a line that MacGraw can also proudly say. 

When it comes to things people actually found attractive in the 1970s, crochets tops, bottoms, and basically everything in between weren't just big, but huge. In fact, crochet was so trendy that Ali MacGraw wore a crochet cap to the 1971 Academy Awards. Today, someone wearing crochet anything to the Oscars would probably be considered way too casual, but because it was the 1970s, and MacGraw paired the cap with a silver choker and navy gown, the outfit totally worked and further solidified her fashion icon status. 

On one June night in 1970, Ali MacGraw was photographed at the 21 Club with her then-husband, Robert Evans. Although the two were probably just heading to get dinner, MacGraw took advantage of the outing, wearing a bold-printed red dress with bell sleeves and an uneven hem. To complete her outfit, MacGraw accessorized with a silver choker and several large silver necklaces. On her feet, MacGraw wore strappy black shoes that would definitely be considered an interesting take on the gladiator sandals that got a modern update in 2023. 

Although her acting career was about to take off, when Ali MacGraw modeled this daisy-clad bikini in 1968 she couldn't have known that. In the 1960s, the flower power movement started to get traction as more people turned away from the Vietnam War and toward peace. As we've seen with the Trump women's outfits that meant more than you realized, politics and fashion often inspire each other, so seeing one of the era's biggest cultural movements printed on a bikini seems like a natural evolution. It also makes sense that MacGraw, an activist and feminist, would model it.

In March 1974, Ali MacGraw and her second husband, Steve McQueen, attended the American Film Institute Salute to James Cagney wearing a simple but chic black-sequined dress. As a trend that comes and goes, in recent years, we've seen sequins getting incorporated more and more into everyday glam, because one should never need a special occasion to toss on some glitz. At the 1974 Hollywood event, MacGraw paired her strapless black-sequin dress with a large, white-chiffon flower in her hair, making her look both epically fashionable, but still not too far from her flower-power roots.

As much as Ali MacGraw knew how to dress for the fanciest of Hollywood events, she also knew how to make casual chic look effortless. In 1967, MacGraw modeled this black-and-red-striped button-down top with red shorts and a matching red scarf in her hair. Not only does MacGraw look fantastic, embodying the style and colors of the time, but it's easy to imagine so many women coming across this photo, tearing it out of the magazine, and wandering off to the mall to try to secure the exact same look.