Millions of Stories: Katharine Hepburn, Style of Personality 

Among the 20th century dresses and lace housed at the Connecticut Museum of Culture and History, the Katharine Hepburn collection stands in stark contrast. Tailored trousers, contoured jackets, straw hats, and casual fashions from Hepburn’s closet remain a testament to her unabashed personality both on and off the big screen. During her lifetime, her unconventional style made her an icon of the “modern woman” of the 20th century.  

The Hollywood silver screen is where Katharine Hepburn became a household name, but her story can be traced all the way back to the east coast and into the heart of Connecticut, where the foundations of her independent spirit were laid.  

Building a Character 

Golf clubs, gold bag, and gold balls, originally owned by Katharine Hepburn. Connecticut Museum collection 2004.45.7.

Born in Hartford in 1907, Hepburn’s parents had significant influence in developing the Hollywood starlet’s strength of character. As she puts it, “I’ve had a pretty remarkable life myself, but compared to my Mother and Father, I’m dull.”  

Her father, Thomas Norval Hepburn (1879–1962), was an accomplished surgeon at Hartford Hospital who encouraged her to expand her intellectual horizons. Her mother, Katharine Martha Houghton Hepburn (1878–1951), was an influential leader in the first wave of feminism, serving as the President of the Connecticut Woman Suffrage Association. Many of Houghton Hepburn’s items remain in the collection today. Their daughter was part of the post-suffrage generation of women who embodied a free spirit that was made possible by the women who preceded them. 

The Hepburns raised Katharine to be free-thinking, confident, and curious. In her childhood she was a girl with boundless energy, and took pride in the fact she could run faster and jump higher than anyone. Her father encouraged these athletic pursuits, building zip lines and diving boards, and often organizing track races for his children.  

Hepburn maintained this love for sports throughout her life. Throughout her movie career, she often demonstrated her athleticism in her acting roles and frequently insisted on performing her own stunts. Her golf clubs and tennis racquets, well-worn from frequent use, are part of the Museum’s collection today. 

Katharine Hepburn standing on the beach at Fenwick. Connecticut Museum collection 2009.62.5.

Strength in Style 

Katharine Hepburn stayed true to this identity as she took Hollywood, even after her first film, A Bill of Divorcement, made her a star nearly overnight, and then in her next film, Morning Glory, she earned her an Academy Award at age 25. Hepburn gravitated towards roles that portrayed strong, self-assured women, which quickly became a hallmark of her career. Her bold personality gained praise from her fans and harsh criticism from her detractors, but ultimately led to her becoming one of the most revered award-winning actresses in Hollywood.   

Throughout her 66-year career on both stage and screen, Hepburn knew the importance of costume in defining character and drawing the audience into the story. She understood how her personal style could be used to best interpret a role. During the Golden Age of Hollywood, her fashion was especially important. “One does not design for Miss Hepburn, one designs with her…She has very definite feelings about what things are right for her, whether it has to do with costumes, scripts, or her entire lifestyle,” said designer Edith Head, in the Spring 1976 issue of Liberty. 

The Connecticut Museum celebrates Katharine Hepburn as a Connecticut trailblazer during its 200th anniversary year. “I was a success because of the times I lived in,” she said. “My style of personality became the style.”  

Many of her styles remain in the Museum collection today, including the trousers that helped to set the trend for modern women’s fashion. An eye-grabbing red coat is a testament her affinity for bold looks, and the various blouses and jackets exemplify the casual, sporty style she popularized.

Her story raises the question: how will your personal style and the ways we all choose to visually express ourselves define who we are as individuals in years to come? Will something as simple as your favorite t-shirt or pair of jeans become iconic of your personality, or a symbol of your values?   

We invite you to share with us your personal style on social media with the hashtag #MyCTStory and become a part of our reflective journey through 200 years! Don’t forget to tag us @thectmuseum. 

Clothing images left to right, originally owned by Katharine Hepburn: Woman’s jacket, Connecticut Museum Collection 2004.45.1. Woman’s tennis outfit, Connecticut Museum Collection 2004.45.6. Woman’s jacket, Connecticut Museum Collection 2004..45.2. Woman’s pants, Connecticut Museum Collection 2004. 45.5.