Oscar-winning actress and undisputed style icon Diane Keaton has died at the age of 79.
Keaton was best known for her roles in Annie Hall, Father of the Bride, First Wives Club and The Godfather.
Her death was confirmed by her producer and close friend, Dori Rath, who spoke to CBS News.
While the cause of Keaton’s death is currently unclear, People reports that the actress’s health had “declined very suddenly” over recent months, leading her to put her home up for sale.
As the world looks back on Keaton’s life, many are remarking on her unique and unchanging style, both personally and professionally.
Writing for the online pages of Huntsman Savile Row, fashion archivist Cyana Madsen put it best. “For day-to-day, it could be argued that no menswear has been better worn by a woman than on Diane Keaton in Annie Hall,” she wrote.
The Guardian, meanwhile, remarked on her “idiosyncratic version of menswear that was somehow both elegant and goofy.”
In a world of microtrends and globalised fashion, Keaton’s consistent, unchanging personal style feels particularly precious. Here, we look back on some of her best looks.
Airport style with Diane Keaton and Warren Beatty in 1979
In the 1970s, Diane Keaton was one of Hollywood’s brightest stars. She started the 70s by appearing in The Godfather, which went on to win an Academy Award for Best Picture in 1973. Keaton later claimed her own Oscar for the role of Annie Hall in 1977.
In the late 70s, she was also romantically involved with another Hollywood heavyweight, Warren Beatty, her screen partner in the historical epic, Reds.
A particularly excellent picture of the two traversing Heathrow Airport together in 1979 shows Keaton dressed in a belted jacket, scarf and black trousers, carrying a briefcase and an auxiliary fur coat — just in case.
Menswear with all the trimmings at the 2004 Oscars
The key ingredients of a great Diane Keaton are as follows: a hat, a blazer, and a cinched waist. Between this and the power of good tailoring, you have yourself a winner. But sometimes Keaton wanted all the trimmings.
At the 2004 Academy Awards, Keaton arrived wearing a trim black suit by Ralph Lauren, paired with a white shirt, polka dot tie, matching pocket square, pinstriped waistcoat, black hat, leather gloves, white rose boutonnière and wingtip shoes. Oh, and tinted glasses. Can’t forget the tinted glasses.
Ivory everything — but never bridal
The year 2004 was quite the year for Diane Keaton’s fashion diary. The public appearances in support of her and Jack Nicholson's romcom Something’s Gotta Give provided a slew of memorable style moments, including this dramatic ivory suit.
It is the closest we’ll ever get to the Diane Keaton version of bridal style. The esteemed actress never married any of her long-term partners (a list which included Woody Allen, Warren Beatty and Al Pacino) and never wanted to. In one now-famous interview, Keaton clearly explained her long-held beliefs on marriage, saying: “I remember one day in high school, this guy came up to me and said, 'One day you're going to make a good wife. And I thought, ‘I don't want to be a wife. No.’”
The coat to end all coats
If you’re looking for outerwear inspiration, may I suggest Diane Keaton’s trip to Berlin Film Festival in 2004. The actress arrived wearing a puff-sleeved gingham coat which was gathered at the waist and descended into tassels at the hem.
Speaking of Keaton’s typically covered-up style, legendary Vogue editor Andre Leon-Talley once told The New York Times: “When you do see her out, she is not overegging the pudding. It's never too rich, the way she looks. It's like Katharine Hepburn in a way, the mystery of being covered up, the simplicity — that's the ultimate American style.”
Suited, belted and swooning in 2014
Keaton became very fond of belting her outfits, making her slimline suits more figure-hugging. One of her best belted looks was a monochrome moment in 2014, during the Toronto International Film Festival premiere of her film Ruth & Alex, in which she starred with Morgan Freeman.
Freeman and Keaton had a very close working relationship while filming together, and she has admitted to Freeman being her favourite on-screen kiss. “You and those lips,” Keaton told Freeman in a joint interview with Today. “You’re my favourite on-screen kiss ever. That was dreamy. I loved every bit of it, and I hope that we can do it one more time. I’m open to the possibility.”
Talk show tailoring with Jimmy Fallon
For an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon in 2014, Keaton cut a classic silhouette: black suit, leather belt, crisp white shirt with oversized cuffs, a hat, and a brilliantly bold diamond-check tie.
Always game for a good time, Keaton played “wine pong” (beer pong with wine) with Kimmel during the show, where she attempted to drink the wine before the game had even begun and took her heeled shoes off for stability. She and Fallon ended the game by pelting the balls at each other instead of in their cups.
An animal print award ceremony look from 2020
As Keaton aged, her personal style never diminished. One of her more adventurous looks came fairly recently, in 2020, during the Writers Guild Awards in Beverly Hills. Keaton wore her classic black hat and leather belt suiting combo.
It was the oversized leopard print blazer and black turtleneck that made Keaton’s look stand out from her back catalogue. Always a fan of a pattern, Keaton typically opted for gingham and checks, but her foray into animal print was a total success.
