With Diane Keaton’s passing, Hollywood mourns one of its most extraordinary talents—and even more extraordinary muses. While others chased convention and carefully curated designer moments, Keaton always built a uniform from rebellion: a crisp shirt here, a man’s waistcoat there, trousers pooling just so at the ankle, and, of course, a hat perched at a knowing tilt. When it comes to the difference between wearing your clothes and letting your clothes wear you, Keaton remains the blueprint.

Keaton, who passed away at 79 on October 11, leaves behind not only a body of work that reshaped the modern romantic comedy but also a visual legacy that rewrote the rules of what it meant to be completely at ease in one’s own skin. Long before “personal style” became a point of existential neurosis, she understood the power of consistency. With her monochrome palettes, wide belts, sleek tailoring and penchant for headwear, the actress established a sartorial vocabulary of her own that remains one of the most recognisable in Hollywood.

Fashion has always been everything,” she once said when combing through the archives of her past looks, and it was a significant part of her five-decade-long career. In the late 70s, Ralph Lauren may have found his perfect poster girl in Annie Hall, a role she effectively styled from her own wardrobe. But Keaton didn’t just wear RL, but embodied the brand for a whole new vernacular. And while that film immortalised her taste for ties and preppy silhouettes, the truth is she never stopped evolving the formula. Decades later, she would stride into award ceremonies in sculptural Thom Browne or sweeping black-and-white capes with an indelible conviction that never took itself too seriously.

Even now, scrolling through the actress’ decades of impeccable nonchalance feels like a masterclass in dressing for oneself. And in that, she remains utterly inimitable and forever one of the most compelling people on our screens.

Ahead, we look back on some of her greatest looks.

Diane Keaton best style moments