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Trying to ape the look of someone known for their personal style could easily be seen as folly. And it sort of is – the brilliance of the late Diane Keaton’s wardrobe was, as Jess Cartner-Morley said in her recent tribute, “that it was exactly her”. But that doesn’t mean we can’t all learn a thing or two from this pro of screwball comedy, pro of screwball style.
This is not necessarily about cosplaying Keaton’s look – as Cartner-Morley says, “shirts and ties, snappy waistcoats and baggy trousers, an idiosyncratic version of menswear that was somehow both elegant and goofy” – but rather combining a few specific items with her spirit and styling.
From a turtleneck worn under, well, anything to a statement belt, here are 10 styling tips to help you give your look a do-over, Keaton style, without losing yourself in the process. And perhaps you could channel the same energy as the woman who used to tell herself: “Oh, screw it, just go out there and do it.”
How to channel Diane Keaton’s style
A hat with main character energy
Keaton wore hats that I couldn’t in good faith recommend anyone else wear.” If bowlers really aren’t your thing, let her at least inspire you to think again about hats.
This black wool-blend bucket hat is understated but will still make a Keaton-coded statement if you’re not normally a hat person. Or this chunky cable knit and characterful bucket shape trumpets the kind of goofy spirit that Keaton was known for. It’s definitely not for everyone, but then a hat like this isn’t about dressing safe.
Wool-alpaca-blend hat
Menswear, but make it yours
Keaton was queen of menswear. She was known to commit – just look at this look from the 2004 Oscars. But there are ways to bring a dash of menswear to even the most quote unquote girly wardrobe. Playing around with shirts over skirts might be one option. The most recent Chanel show is a good place to look for inspiration (see here and here). Or you could try a more directional, less identikit blazer or waistcoat, such as this one from Aligne.
Long-waisted blazer
Embrace ties
Ties have been doing the rounds in style circles for a while. If, like me, you don’t already own one, the best can be bought vintage – Rokit is a trove of vintage Christian Dior and Lanvin. Old Ralph Lauren is a great bet – and very Keaton; it was a Ralph Lauren tie that she wore in Annie Hall. And museum giftshops are an unexpectedly rich source. Thinner is good and, crucially, less Trumpy.
Blue marble tie
White on white on white
Keaton loved to team white with white, perhaps most memorably in the First Wives Club. In Something’s Gotta Give, she ditched the more formal white skirt suit and channelled a more laid-back, creamy Hamptons vibe. If you’re feeling brave – and don’t have young children – then this is a Keaton look that is also very much a thing this autumn. Team these jeans with a relaxed off-white T-shirt, such as this organic cotton jersey in chalk from Toast, or this men’s ivory flannel shirt from Colorful Standard. Or, as Keaton would have wanted, all three.
Wide-leg jean
A crisp shirt
A crisp with a capital C shirt with a blue and white stripe is timeless, and it’s very, very Keaton – in fact she wore exactly that to the Oscars in 1976. But this menswear-inspired poplin white shirt with a dressy bib feels like a very contemporary – and easy to wear – take on a Keaton classic. Failing that, car boots and secondhand sites such as Depop are full of shirts – vintage Ralph Lauren! – that can help you channel Keaton while bringing your own style, too.
Dress shirt curved bib
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An offbeat accessory, or three
If Coco Chanel’s famous style advice was to look in the mirror and take one thing off, Keaton’s own mantra must surely have been to put one more on – she loved to pile on corsages, scarves, pocket squares, rings and strings of pearls.
While her more-is-more approach won’t work for everyone, the inclusion of an offbeat accessory can add humour and interest. This LK Bennett corsage feels like an easy win for the right person, and eBay is full of costume brooches to suit most if not all tastes. Or maybe a patterned cotton scarf – an on-the-nose Keatonism – feels more foldable into your look; this one from Arket is a deft take.
Rosie red corsage
Clash with abandon
Keaton was a pattern clasher – she often stuck to different prints in black and white. For instance, think polka dots with stripes, as Keaton did regularly. Or one kind of check with another. Vary the scale of pattern and, if you’re starting to feel motion sick, anchor with a neutral. If you need to borrow some bravery, just repeat these wise Keaton words: “So you make a mistake here and there; you do too much or you do too little. Just have fun. Smile. And keep putting on lipstick.”
A belt over outerwear
This was a woman who absolutely loved to put a fettuccine-thick belt over a blazer or a coat (see above), or a blazer and a coat; a suit, a skirt; anything. So dig out an old belt and try uncoupling yourself from the idea that a belt needs loops. Instead, try it over a blazer, or a longer coat – the Me+Em website has some good styling inspiration (here and here). Go for something slimmer, such as this Baukjen belt, if such a sizable belt as Keaton’s isn’t your bag.
Slim belt
A turtleneck under … anything
Another styling trick that feels as 2025 as it does era-less and Keaton-esque is wearing a turtleneck under just about anything. Hers tended to be black – such as the silky Micromodal one from ethically minded brand Ninety Percent below – or white, but maybe this is your chance to add some pattern, such as this blue plaid merino wool one from Cos. M&S predictably also has several functional cotton funnel necks perfect for layering.
For more inspiration, look to the most recent Celine catwalk – where turtlenecks underpinned almost every look.
Long-sleeved roll neck
A pair of tailored trousers
Of course the star of Annie Hall spent a lifetime wearing the kind of high-waisted trousers that are now two-a-penny – this loose yet tailored wool-blend pair from & Other Stories is just one of a gazillion. Style as you would any other pair of high-waisted trousers in your wardrobe, although some kind of menswear-esque top half would be the most Keaton – and thank her for her part in championing high waistlines time and time again.
Tailored wool trousers
For more, read the best coats for autumn and winter and how to master transitional dressing
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Ellie Violet Bramley is a writer who has been delving into style and what it means for nearly a decade – mostly for the Guardian’s fashion desk
