The Graduate Star Katharine Ross Was A Peak '60s Glamor Girl & These Pics Are Proof

Katharine Ross enjoyed an outstanding acting career, but she was also one of the defining glamor girls in the 1960s. Throughout the decade, Ross was cast in some notable titles, namely "The Graduate" and "Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid." Despite building a career in Westerns, it was the romantic comedy-drama "The Graduate" that earned Ross her only Academy Award nomination, for Best Supporting Actress. However, Ross' natural beauty also played an integral part in her success, and it was often the actor's soft features and understated elegance that got her cast in films. During an era defined by "glamor girls," Ross was perceived as a bombshell of the decade.

As the second wave of feminism emerged in the 1960s, women gained more independence and financial freedom. Young women, in particular, became less interested in marriage and more focused on their social status. Ross was among the likes of models Twiggy and Jean Shrimpton, who transformed their image by embracing natural sophistication and Mod aesthetics. These it-girls of the era became popular for redefining beauty ideals and wearing modern silhouettes. 

Despite occasionally welcoming an androgynous edge and a doll-like look, unlike Twiggy and Shrimpton, Ross was admired for her untouched lips and lightly-smudged eye makeup. Her appearance was a stark contrast to the beauty standards set in 1950s Hollywood and it propelled her to fame. Ross ultimately put an effortless spin on Hollywood glamor aesthetics and even showed up in photoshoots with wet hair and wearing little to no makeup.

In 1960, Katharine Ross posed for a portrait wearing a red-and-white gingham number. Since gingham was popularized by the decade's it-girls, Ross cemented her reputation as a peak 1960s fashion icon. As well as her trendy button-up, the actor's half-up, half-down hairstyle featured a voluminous quiff that added a glamorous allure to her ensemble. Her curtain bangs, popularized by fellow glamor girl Brigitte Bardot, also proved Ross' image was evolving to meet the defining style of the era. Despite her appearance nodding to modern trends, the actor's winged eyeliner pointed to 1950s glamor aesthetics.

On another occasion in 1960, Katharine Ross posed for a publicity portrait with wet hair. Her unbrushed hair alluded to her effortless attitude and approach to her appearance, not to mention it was a striking contrast compared to the carefully sculpted hairstyles worn by female celebrities in the previous decade. Since she became favored for her natural beauty and signature eye makeup, it's safe to say Ross made waves with her casual portrait. The actor wore little to no makeup, which only enhanced her natural look, and a thin white bikini strap grazed her collarbone.

During the mid-1960s, Katharine Ross cut her long brown hair into a pixie cut. The pixie cut may be a game-changing haircut for women over 60, but when Ross attended an event in 1966, her new hairstyle gave her a youthful edge. As bold haircuts dominated Mod fashion trends, the actor's short haircut made it clear she was a 1960s it-girl who was helping to redefine beauty standards. She wore a checked blazer that gave her look an androgynous feel and enhanced her growing sophistication within Hollywood.

Katharine Ross appeared in "The Graduate" in 1967, looking like one of the decade's glamor girls. In one scene, she was dressed in a practical beige jacket and a gray shirt that contrasted her otherwise glamorous appearance. For the film, the actor donned a teased 'do that leaned into the beehive trend –- one of the hair trends from the 1960s you may have forgotten about. Despite wearing bolder eye makeup than usual, her untouched lips and matte face maintained her reputation as a natural beauty.

A year later, Katharine Ross returned to her pixie cut and embraced the Mod aesthetic once again. She oozed confidence as she posed for a fun photoshoot in 1968, wearing a striped minidress — a celebrity fashion staple from the '60s that defined the era's style. By returning to the lively modern look, Ross highlighted her versatility in fashion and beauty, and enhanced her role as one of the era's peak glamor girls. A belt accentuated her waist, while white shoes, featuring a small block kitten heel and cutout detailing, finished her look.

In 1968 Katharine Ross landed a Vogue cover that celebrated "The American Woman." Not only did the portrait cement her status as one of the era's defining it-girls, but by adapting her beloved natural features, Ross' portrait once again highlighted her versatility. With blushed cheeks, long eyelashes, and black eyeliner along her waterline, the actor was portrayed with the decade's iconic doll-like image. Her lively flower-inspired collar, featuring colorful buttons, only added to her playful look. Long hair extensions transformed Ross' pixie cut, creating a unique and striking image.

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On another occasion in 1968, Katharine Ross was pictured at the Academy Awards standing alongside her "The Graduate" co-star Dustin Hoffman. Ross took to the stage wearing a white lace sleeveless gown. She accessorized with dainty white gloves that ended slightly above her wrists and gave her look a classic charm. The actor wore her hair in an elegant, structured updo. By wearing a delicate gown that embraced the decade's formal red-carpet style, Ross enhanced her reputation as a peak glamor girl who could embrace many of the era's defining trends.

For this 1968 photoshoot, Katharine Ross posed wearing a very it-girl-inspired ensemble. She exuded a fun and playful attitude as she held up her feminine pinafore and revealed her frilly undergarments. The daring pose, which was strikingly different from those in 1950s photoshoots, highlighted the cultural shift in beauty standards in the 1960s and positioned Ross as one of the leading ladies behind the fashion evolution. While her white dress gave her look a country feel, the actor wore a glamorous larger-than-life hairstyle that extended into soft flicks.

Towards the end of the decade, Katharine Ross looked dramatically different. Her image reflected the changing trends of the era, and she had emerged as a recognizable 1960s it-girl. In 1968, Ross posed for a photoshoot donning a side-swept bob. Her dramatic side fringe enhanced her stylish allure, but it wasn't only her bold Mod-inspired haircut that proved she was a peak glamor girl in the 1960s. While maintaining her signature makeup, Ross wore a Venetian lace top with flared sleeves that suggested she was ahead of the bohemian aesthetic that emerged in the 1970s.