Women in Hollywood today seem to earn the status of a "fashion icon" every time they wear a lengthy gown or sport a pair of red-leather flats.

But a true style icon is a woman who isn't afraid to defy contemporary standards. A real icon has a fashion sense so unique that she inspires the designers. She is able to endure the end of her spotlight and live on as a cultural fixture.

The actresses and models of our day will have to stand the test of time if they want to take a place in the fashion pantheon established by their predecessors.

The legendary fashion icons highlighted below didn't fit the expectations of their time, they created them.

Marilyn Monroe (1950s)

"I have too many fantasies to be a housewife ... I guess I am a fantasy."

Marilyn Monroe is perhaps the most famous actress of all time. The definition of old-Hollywood glamour, Monroe and her iconic blonde hair became the standard for Hollywood bombshells. As her character in Some Like It Hot was described, her curvaceous body was "Jell-O on springs." Even Monroe's gorgeous gowns, silk gloves, stilettos and pearls couldn't compare to her larger-than-life personality that still inspires the fashion world today.

Get Her Look: Luxurious dresses, full piece bathing suits, towering stilettos and sparkling jewelry are essential for such a glamorous look.

Audrey Hepburn (1950s)

"Some people dream of having a big swimming pool. With me, it's closets."

When Hepburn emerged in the world of Hollywood, she didn't resemble the rest of the curvy, blond actresses in the business. She was a tall, skinny woman with a long neck and brunette hair. But her style has become one of the most emulated of our time. Her look is simple and timeless, with a sophistication that is reemerging all over the runways, evident by her posthumous appearance in a GAP "skinny jean" commercial in 2006.

Get Her Look: Audrey dressed in thin shapes and ageless styles. Try pieces like skinny black pants, simple flats, polos and the Breakfast at Tiffany's-inspired little black dress.

Twiggy (1960s)

"You can't be a clothes hanger your entire life."

Twiggy was one of the first teenage supermodels, and the first to bring the "waif" look into popularity. Her extremely skinny physique, short pixie-cut hair and huge eyes transformed the look of the "swingin' '60s." The English model was a pioneer of the mod-look, sporting mini-dresses, long fake eyelashes on the bottom of her eyes and bold patterns. Models like Kate Moss would not have the popularity they do now if not for Twiggy's charisma.

Get Her Look: Bold, modern styles are the basis of Twiggy's style. Try "micro-mini" dresses, funky sunglasses and bags, and white flats.

Brigitte Bardot (1960s)

"I never do anything by chance."

The picture of the 1950s and '60s "sex kitten," the French actress and model brought thick, waterfall curls into popularity. She combined New York's sophisticated fashion with French-inspired accents like ankle boots and ballerina flats. She has been an icon for designers like Karl Lagerfeld, and is currently an activist for animal rights.

Get Her Look: Brigitte used her full lips and voluminous hair to define her style, but she complemented her sexy image with tight dresses, wide headbands, high-waist jeans, and striped, form-fitting tees. Her staple was the bandeau bikini.

Madonna (1980s)

"I am my own experiment. I am my own work of art."

The self-titled "material girl" is a fashion chameleon who has reinvented herself over and over, and leaves followers out of breath as they try to copy her style. Her famous gap-toothed smile and dancer's body are about the only things that have stayed the same on the singer. Whether she dons a cone-topped corset, a hot pink leotard, a white trench coat or a stunning black gown, she has a style that no one can quite grasp.

Get Her Look: Anything goes, but Madonna is famous for her sparkling, hot colored wardrobe and tight, curve-hugging pieces.