Why Helen Mirren is still a style icon at 75

At Lily Ella, one of our core beliefs is that women of all age groups should have the freedom to express their style in any way they want. All too often, older women are subjected to judgement for wearing clothes they feel gorgeous in and are instead expected to stick to the status quo of old cardigans and unflattering trousers.

One woman that has never limited herself to fit these notions of what older women should wear is the incomparable Dame Helen Mirren. Over the years, we’ve seen fashion icons rise and fall, but Helen Mirren has remained a constant for wowing fashion fans with her classy, bold and glamorous looks.

In this post, we’re looking back at some of our favourite classic Helen Mirren dresses and outfits and giving you some style inspiration from our own collection of Lily Ella designs.

Classic Polka Dot Print

A lover of classic patterns and styles, the first of our favourite classic Helen Mirren dresses is a beautiful cream and black polka dot dress. Worn back in 2018 to the Epsom Derby, Mirren’s polka dot outfit consisted of the dress, a matching coat, a statement hat and a simple leather black handbag.

An iconic print that has never lost favour, polka dots are simple, cute and can be easily styled in a range of classy colourways. At Lily Ella, the Sabrina skirt is our well-loved polka dot staple. A carefree skirt made from 100% cotton, our polka dot midi skirt is simple yet sophisticated. With the comfortable elasticated waist and beautiful blue and white colourway, the navy polka dot skirt is one of our new season summer staples.

While the wearing of a statement hat such as the black piece Mirren wore is reserved for royal weddings and lady’s days at races, we love Mirren’s simple black leather bag. An essential accessory of many women, our Avon Bag is easily styled alongside our polka dot skirt, as well as almost everything else!

Elegant Grey Dresses

An elegant colourway that we have always adored, seeing Dame Helen Mirren in her beautiful grey off-the-shoulder dress back in 2018 for a premier only solidified our judgement - a soft tone grey colourway is always a winner.

In our designs, we have replicated the beautiful grey tone in our Cameron Dress which is offset by a complementary white weave. Different to the fit and flare of Helen Mirren’s beautiful grey dress, the bias cut of our maxi dress helps to lend a flattering, draped fit to the wearer. Finished off with a bespoke chevron print, the Cameron ladies grey dress is a perfect year round piece that can be worn for a wide range of occasions.

Smart Plaid Trousers

Going slightly further back to October 2017, we couldn’t talk about Helen Mirren’s style without mentioning her appearance for L'Oreal in the 2017 Paris Fashion Week. Appearing in a workwear style outfit of oversized plaid trousers, white shirt and longline black coat, the Dame proved once more that age cannot stop fashion.

At Lily Ella, our own pair of plaid trousers for women, the Evette Trousers, are the perfect way to imitate the trendy, smart look worn by Mirren. Featuring a comfortable fit with an elasticated waist, convenient side pockets and an on-trend mid leg length, these ladies plaid trousers are an easy way to achieve the workwear style.

Want to complete the look? Pair our ladies plaid trousers with our stunning Lily Ella lace panel blouse. Featuring a scoop notch neck intricate lace panels and stylish 3/4 length sleeves, the Sia top balances smart and casual styles effortlessly, making it wearable to almost any occasion.

Ladies Block Colour Maxi Dress

As popular as her extravagant dresses were on so many occasions, we can’t help but love the simple elegance of Mirren’s gown in July 2013. Plain, understated and embellished only by a subtle wrap at the waist and a keyhole neckline, Mirren’s deep green maxi dress is one of our absolute favourites.

Mirror Mirren’s elegant look with the powder blue maxi dress from Lily Ella - the Brenkley Dress. Featuring the same block colour design, limited embellishments and flattering shape as Mirren’s green dress, our pale blue maxi dress differs with it’s short sleeves and round neck. Plain enough for everyday wear and easily upstyled with one of our statement necklaces, the Brenkley is as adaptable as Helen Mirren.

Emulate the Helen Mirren style at Lily Ella

Looking to include some elements of the classic Helen Mirren style in your own wardrobe? At Lily Ella, we have a wide range of fashionable ladies clothing featuring prints, colours and styles that the Dame has worn over the years, as well as unique styles that are designed to flatter.

Browse our latest flattering womenswear collection in our digital summer 2021 lookbook to find a style you’ll love.