Elle Fanning gets her sense of style from her mother.

The 'Maleficent' is already a bona fide fashion icon at the tender age of 16 and says her love of reinventing her look and trying new trends was passed down from her mum, who always encouraged her to express herself through her clothes.

She explained in an interview with The Daily Beast: ''I think my fashion sense comes from my mum, mostly. She's very stylish and always told us, 'The way you dress is how you want to portray yourself, because it's what people see the first time they meet you, so what do you want to look like, and what do you want to be?'

''Fashion is also something fun to experiment with, which I've really taken to heart. I love trying on different things and making new discoveries. You can reinvent yourself every morning.''

Elle, whose older sister is fellow actress Dakota Fanning, has been prepping her wardrobe for the summer months and stocking up on sun dresses and skirts, as well as eye-catching accessories.

She said: ''It's tough. Summer's coming up and I know it's going to be so hot here in L.A., so you have to make sure you have very many little dresses and skirts, because you can't sport jackets or layers.

''But I prefer to layer with a cute jacket because the more accents and layers you put into an outfit, the more of a sense of self it gives it. The accessories - necklaces, rings, and sandals - will also definitely come into play.''