--- ---  # What Katharine Hepburn Wore When She Wasn’t Wearing Pants  by [Eliza Berman](https://time.com/author/eliza-berman/)  ## Eliza Berman Berman is a senior editor at TIME. May 12, 2015 2:00 PM UTC  Caption from LIFE. A man's suit of covert cloth made by a man's tailor is her favorite off-stage outfit. The horse brooch at her neck is a good-luck pin she wears on and off the stage. Caption from LIFE. A man's suit of covert cloth made by a man's tailor is her favorite off-stage outfit. The horse brooch at her neck is a good-luck pin she wears on and off the stage.Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  by [Eliza Berman](https://time.com/author/eliza-berman/)  ## Eliza Berman Berman is a senior editor at TIME. May 12, 2015 2:00 PM UTC The article of clothing with which Katharine Hepburn is most closely associated is trousers. The actress’ fondness for pants—before they were considered ladylike—was not only a fashion statement but, to many, a symbol of stubborn independence and a declaration of modernity. But many of Hepburn’s roles—and her legacy as a four-time Oscar-winning actress is certainly more notable than that as fashion trendsetter—required the woman LIFE called a “lanky, coltish thoroughbred” to adhere to more feminine standards. For her 1939 Broadway turn in one of her most famous roles, socialite Tracy Lord in _The Philadelphia Story_, Hepburn hung up the pants and went all in on frilliness. LIFE described the process of designing her wardrobe: --- > “” --- Those creations featured silk-crepe and mousseline, flowing gowns and girdles. The extra effort, from wardrobe to performances, paid off. After a string of Hollywood flops earned her the unwanted label “box office poison,” Hepburn acquired the rights to the play, sold them to MGM, starred in the 1940 movie adaptation and revived her onscreen career. _Liz Ronk, who edited this gallery, is the Photo Editor for LIFE.com. Follow her on Twitter at_ [_@LizabethRonk_](https://twitter.com/LizabethRonk)_._  Caption from LIFE. This white silk-crepe gown has full, deep pleats over the bosom and Gothic drapery which accentuates Miss Hepburn's incredibly small 24-inch waist. This fashion triumph, 28 yd. wide at hem costs $225. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Katharine Hepburn as Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story on Broadway, 1938. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Katharine Hepburn as Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story on Broadway, 1938. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Country-luncheon dress of blue-and-white check costs $125, has pleated ruching at front, neck and sleeves to soften straight lines. Notice the high, tight girdle here to mold waist. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Katharine Hepburn as Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story on Broadway, 1938. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. A man's suit of covert cloth made by a man's tailor is her favorite off-stage outfit. The horse brooch at her neck is a good-luck pin she wears on and off the stage. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Katharine Hepburn as Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story on Broadway, 1938. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Katharine Hepburn in her favorite off-stage outfit. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. Pink and mauve mousseline are intricately draped together to form this soft, flowing $195 bridal gown. Katharine Hepburn hates all hats, carries this one. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Caption from LIFE. In this play suit Miss Hepburn feels most at home. In out-of-town tryouts, Miss Hepburn appeared in shirt and shorts. On the New York stage she wears a skirt. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images  Katharine Hepburn as Tracy Lord in The Philadelphia Story on Broadway, 1938. Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images Katharine Hepburn's Wardrobe in 'The Philadelphia Story' on Broadway ```json [{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","@id":"https://time.com/3842230/katharine-hepburn/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https://time.com/3842230/katharine-hepburn/"},"headline":"What Katharine Hepburn Wore When She Wasn’t Wearing Pants","datePublished":"2015-05-12T14:00:46.000Z","dateModified":"2026-05-11T04:42:35.533Z","description":"The actress, who was born on May 12, 1907, had to play up the frills from time to time","url":"https://time.com/3842230/katharine-hepburn/","keywords":["Living","Hollywood","photography","alfred eisenstaedt","LIFE Magazine","Icons","1938"],"thumbnailUrl":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltceb3eaa0f352378f/6987edc206f2c1dc0633804d/150430-katharine-hepburn-06.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"Eliza Berman","jobTitle":"Berman is a senior editor at TIME.","url":"https://time.com/author/eliza-berman/"}],"articleSection":"","image":[{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://static.time.com/v3/assets/bltea6093859af6183b/bltceb3eaa0f352378f/6987edc206f2c1dc0633804d/150430-katharine-hepburn-06.jpg?branch=production&width=1200&quality=75&auto=webp&crop=1200:675&height=675","width":1200,"height":675,"headline":"Katharine Hepburn 1938","caption":"Katherine Hepburn as Tracy Lord in Philadelphia Story, 1938.","creditText":"Alfred Eisenstaedt—The LIFE Picture Collection/Getty Images","representativeOfPage":true}],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"Time","url":"https://time.com/","logo":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https://time.com/images/logo.png","width":528,"height":156},"foundingDate":"March 3, 1923","sameAs":["https://www.facebook.com/time","https://www.instagram.com/time/?hl=en","https://twitter.com/time","https://www.pinterest.com/timemagazine"]}},{"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"BreadcrumbList","itemListElement":[{"@type":"ListItem","position":1,"item":{"@id":"https://time.com/3842230/katharine-hepburn/","name":"What Katharine Hepburn Wore When She Wasn’t Wearing Pants"}}]}] ```