Lady Diana: The Assertion of a Woman Through Her Wardrobe

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When a princess’s wardrobe allows the woman behind the title to assert herself and break free from the codes of a monarchy. In just a few years, Lady Diana managed to reveal herself as a woman, and not just the wife of a prince.

The British royal family has always attracted attention. Hidden behind palace gates, between Buckingham and Windsor, all their appearances are scrutinized by the eyes of the world. A look, a gesture, everything is observed and analyzed.

At tea time, the subject of all discussions, after their whirlwind relationships, is the decoding of fabrics, cuts, and buttons.

All royal figures are idolized and envied, especially for their ready-to-wear pieces. Iconic pieces, sometimes marking history, that envelop them in elegance and power.

Magazines cover their pages with them, and now, it’s up to social media to decode them. With accounts blossoming to track down the pieces worn at each appearance of Kate and Meghan.

Although the Duchess of Cambridge and the Duchess of Sussex are in the sights of fashionistas, the one who will always remain the ultimate princess icon is none other than Lady Diana.

Lady Diana, her wardrobe as an outlet

Throughout her life in the spotlight, the Princess of Wales never ceased to fascinate the world. A woman with a tumultuous and exposed life. Between scandals and extramarital affairs. Made of official visits and family vacations under scrutiny. A challenging life with a heartbreaking end.

A young woman who, over the years, revealed herself under the eyes of photographers worldwide. Beyond being a princess, wife, and mother, she managed to assert herself as an independent and confident woman by exploring her femininity and sensuality. The outfits she wore reflected her evolution within the British crown. In just a few years, the princess learned to embrace fashion and play with it. Wearing bold outfits, she transitioned from the “Essex girl” look to dresses hugging her silhouette, with bare shoulders screaming elegance and glamour.

Lady Diana’s versatile wardrobe

The characteristic of Diana’s wardrobe is its division into three parts: evening dresses, outfits for official outings, and a daily look of “the Essex girl.”

The princess’s popularity with the public is due to this mix of glamour and a common wardrobe for any mom taking her kids to school. This identification is also present in her choice to combine royal jewelry with pieces from major brands, costing just a few pounds. Not treating clothes as ephemeral, Lady Di also re-wore her outfits.

Elegant in any situation, her daily looks, balancing style and comfort, inspired women.

Ambassador of a new English fashion

Initially inspired by the fashion of the time and her friends, Diana’s style refined over time as she encountered fashion. Her style education notably came from great designers and couturiers. Like Jacques Azury in the early 80s, Bruce Oldfield, or Catherine Walker, who would be a decisive encounter in her evolution.

Showcasing the work of these designers, their pieces traveled worldwide. Designers who enhanced her, transforming her and elevating her to the status of a woman, no longer just a young woman in her twenties. Her “conservative” and very British look modernized, inspired by designers from around the world, like Moschino in Italy, Chanel in France.

Outfits honoring the countries she visited. Notably with her outfit during her visit to Japan, featuring the flag motif on its fabric. Diana transformed the “norms” of the time by being adventurous with fabrics, cuts, and colors. Her trip to India is marked by her traditionally cut outfit but with striking colors of red, purple, and yellow.

Lady Di’s Fashion Statements

Surrounding herself with designers who understood her desires, the Princess of Wales understood the power of fashion. Thus, Diana created real Fashion Statements through her outfits. After long wearing “classic” pieces like hats, other pieces began to complete her collection, notably the famous Coat dresses designed by Catherine Walker, with a cut similar to a men’s suit. These pieces made a statement to leaders, elevating the role of women, often diminished.

Her wardrobe consisted of pieces increasingly highlighting her body and silhouette. Her short dress worn in Venice left a lasting impression due to its unusual length for a princess. Training daily, especially in swimming, Diana took care of a silhouette that she revealed year by year, shelving her initial looks that concealed any sign of a slender figure.

The cuts of her dresses increasingly revealed her shoulders, arms, and legs, closely hugging her curves.

These body-hugging outfits revealed a more independent woman, feeling sexy and in tune with her body and femininity. The reflection of a stronger mindset, even in life phases synonymous with couple problems and disagreements with the royal family. Gradually, her wardrobe allowed her to assert herself and take center stage, even leaving Prince Charles in the background.

Knowing how to make an impression

Diana knew how to play with photographers and take advantage of the events she attended. Her outfit choices were meticulously planned. More than once, the princess drew attention with her outfits, in anticipation of a crucial meeting or in connection with current events.

Thus, she made a masterstroke with one of her most memorable dresses, now seen as her revenge dress. Indeed, in 1994, Lady Diana attended the annual Vanity Fair charity gala, wearing a dress that made a strong statement, announcing her freedom. With a more than tumultuous marriage, we are in the midst of the divorce between the Princess of Wales and Prince Charles, following the announcements of the prince’s adultery. A divorce still kept secret outside Buckingham’s doors.

However, at the Vanity Fair evening, Lady Di arrived radiant, dressed in a short black dress revealing her legs. A dress with a stunning neckline, adorned with a large pearl necklace and high heels. A dress that had remained in the shadows for three years, not fitting the codes of the British crown. By wearing this dress at that moment in her life, Lady Diana made her greatest Fashion Statement, declaring her newfound freedom and feeling like a free and independent woman.

A haircut enhancing the outfit

The princess’s growing confidence in her femininity and strength was also visible through her haircut. Initially sporting a short cut, this choice brought both elegance and practicality for daily maintenance during her travels. This cut shortened as she evolved, in correlation with her wardrobe, becoming increasingly feminine and assertive. Indeed, as necklines became more prevalent, her cut became shorter, thus highlighting her neck.

An evolution in appearance that allowed the Princess of Wales to position herself as an icon in the fashion world. But above all, a vision of the wardrobe as a powerful and message-bearing tool. In a highly coded monarchy and a life orchestrated like clockwork, Lady Diana’s wardrobe was an outlet for her, allowing her to assert herself and say through clothing what she could not say out loud.

If you want to rediscover some of the princess’s most iconic outfits, we highly recommend watching the films and series that honor her! The latest season of The Crown revolves around her tumultuous fate alongside Prince Charles. On the film side, critics recently praised Pablo Larraín’s latest film, Spencer, which offers a striking and moving portrait of the Princess.