Penny Goldstone
Chic & Classic: Princess Diana
Lady Diana Spencer was one half of the highest-profile courtship the British royal family had seen in decades. The constant media coverage propelled her into a new sphere of notoriety, one that any royal before or after would ever experience. Diana's status as Charles's bride would have earned her a place on the front page regardless. But her clothing kept her there, day after day. It is impossible to ignore Diana, Princess of Wales’s impact on the world of fashion. She became one of the world’s most enduring style icons, and her looks were and still are so famous they come with stories of their own. Her evening gowns defined a generation and influenced others. Princess Diana remains an inspiration to millions for her powerful image and incredible chic and classic elegance.
Dressing Like Diana
Diana, Princess of Wales once admitted that when she married Prince Charles at age 20, her wardrobe consisted of only one long dress, one silk shirt, and one pair of smart shoes. A few days before The Royal Wedding in 1980, she dashed out to buy "six of everything".The evening gowns chosen by the princess defined a generation as she moved through the bold-shouldered '80s with growing confidence.In the 90s, after she had separated from Prince Charles, Diana began to write her own rules of fashion; donning the latest trends from Jimmy Choos to Dior bags, Versace evening gowns and Chanel suits. No one had ever done it like Di, and no one has since. While Princess Diana's legacy extends far beyond fashion, she is perhaps the most influential fashion icon of the 20th century. Her clothes were not just choices but statements. Every look she gave reflected where she was at that particular time.
Diana: Life in Fashion
Lady Diana Spencer was one half of the highest-profile courtship the British royal family had seen in decades. The wonder of Diana, and her style, stemmed partially from how noticeable she was from the very beginning. As she was culled from relative but distinguished - albeit aristocratic - obscurity and introduced as a princess-to-be, the cameras were consistently there. The paparazzi hounded her in London following the rumours of her involvement with the heir apparent. When she joined the family, Diana was the glamorous and alluring new member of the royal press pack. The constant media coverage propelled her into a new sphere of notoriety, one that any royal before or after would ever experience. It wasn't only individuals she shook hands with who felt near her; anyone drinking their tea and enjoying their morning paper could as well. Diana's status as Charles's bride would have earned her a place on the front page regardless. But her clothing kept her there, day after day. At 5 feet 10 inches tall, Diana was model-like in her stature, at turn dazzling and demure. When in public, Dianna would always reach into a crowd, embracing strangers with enthusiasm. She was emotional, expressive, and most of all, available - all qualities that up to this point, the royal family had not been.
Princess Diana: Life After the Palace
Throughout the 80s and 90s, there was one name and one face you couldn’t avoid. Diana, Princess of Wales. When her whirlwind marriage and subsequent divorce from Prince Charles thrust her into the public spotlight, she took it in her stride and grew into her new role as a global celebrity. When freed from the shackles of royal restrictions, Diana’s life after the palace allowed her to connect with millions of people worldwide as a mother, humanitarian and fashion icon. Her unrivalled capacity for moving the dial and changing the narrative on causes and issues she cared about became the catalyst that legitimised her posthumous sobriquet, the People’s Princess. And even today, 25 years on, Diana’s legacy continues to influence people worldwide, and she remains one of the most popular members of the royal family.
Fergie & Di
Fergie and Di seemed promising additions to the royal household. Both characters, a unique fit, ready to be moulded into their new roles and the public eye. Diana with her youth and innocence was just 20 years old when she married, a shy young woman with a strong eagerness to please seemingly ready to one day become Queen and mother to an heir and spare. Sarah, in some ways, was the opposite, which was no bad thing. She had a strong head on her, a working career and a no-nonsense attitude. However, in 1992 the monarchy came burning down, in every sense of the phrase. It was a year that three royal marriages collapsed, a fire destroyed more than a hundred rooms in Windsor Castle, and Sarah’s extremely heated scandal spooked Britain and the monarchy. A huge shift in the monarchy was triggered by two young and seemingly harmless outsiders.