Fashion

Bold & Beautiful: 8 Times Princess Diana Broke Royal Protocol With Her Fashion Looks

Abhilasha Tyagi  |  Jul 2, 2020
Bold & Beautiful: 8 Times Princess Diana Broke Royal Protocol With Her Fashion Looks

With an unparalleled charm and humanitarian work that continues to be impactful even today, the ‘People’s Princess’, as Lady Diana was dubbed, had a personality that stood out from the crowd and how.

Needless to say, she remains a style icon with numerous Instagram accounts paying homage to her sartorial style. Speaking of which, she often defied convention, ditching the knee-low skirts and dresses in favour of some of the most glamourous avatars we have received from a royal. From her revenge dress which made waves and remains iconic to this day to her much-preferred ‘cleavage bags’, Princess Di was a trendsetter. 

A day after what would have been her 59th birth anniversary, we decode the royal’s most unconventional and iconic looks. Are you ready to dive in for some devil-may-care fashion takes?

The Revenge Dress

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The ‘revenge dress’ is named so for a reason. Just hours after news of Prince Charles’ relationship with Camilla started doing rounds, Princess Diana stepped out in a striking dress–a last-minute change from what she was supposed to wear. Designed by Christina Stambolian, the bold LBD had been commissioned months ago but was never worn until that day. 

The Scooped Back

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While meeting dancers at the Saddlers Wells theatre for a royal engagement, the princess opted for a full-sleeved burgundy gown complete with a large bow. The surprising element in the monochrome evening look, however, was the low back that certainly defied the norms. 

The New-Age Athleisure

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Oversized sweatshirts and tights may be all the rage in the athleisure circuits these days, but the stylish royal was there first! A street-style look like that in the 90s was not only unconventional for a royal, it was also pathbreaking in terms of redefining Princess Diana’s personal style. The slogan sweatshirt and the tights may as well be from 2020!

The Leopard Print

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While on a tropical vacation, Lady Diana perfected the holiday style with a leopard-print dress that was fit for the beach. Considering how the print is a bold statement in itself, it naturally gave rise to a number of spin-offs when it was photographed. 

The Slip Dress

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A black slip dress incorporating lace details at the neckline and the hem was Lady Diana’s outfit for an evening to celebrate the 50th Anniversary of French fashion house Dior in New York. The monochrome look was accessorised with a pearl choker and earrings, but it was the dress that stole the show. 

The Experimental Take

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Notice the different yet fun tiara, did you? Princess Diana gave her own spin to a necklace given to her as a wedding gift by Queen Elizabeth, and the result is what you see! Matched with her flouncy evening gown, the striking piece of jewellery sure didn’t go unnoticed. 

Sheer Panelling

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Royal protocol dictates conservative dressing, hence shying away from sheer fabrics that may not fit, but for Princess Di, this white gown with a semi-sheer panel was just another bold outing to add to her list of sartorial experiments. 

The Cleavage Bag

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In a bid to avoid getting photographed from varied angles, the royal devised a move in which she would place her clutch or bag in front of her neckline when stepping out of her car. Anya Hindmarch, the name behind many of her accessories, later retold that the princess would refer to these as the ‘cleavage bags’. 

Featured Image: Instagram 

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