Princess Diana’s Style Hacks Continue To Have Value Today

Apr 30, 2021 by apost team

Princess Diana was one of the most prominent figures of the royal family due to her class, glamour and kind heart. She was known for her impeccable sense of fashion, her charitable ways and her overall friendliness and charming personality with everyone around her. Loved by many, Diana was easily a topic of conversation and the center of attention wherever she went. Known as the "People's Princess," she was adored all over the world.

With her signature coiffed hair, appreciation of bright patterns, admiration for creative necklaces and ability to make any dress look classy, everyone can admit that Princess Diana was a fashion icon. Many publications, such as Harper's Bazaar, Vanity Fair, Elle and similar magazines covered the People's Princess' often daring fashion choices in detail while she was still alive. And even decades later, she is still regarded as one of the big fashion icons and style legends of the 20th century. Diana's simple yet elegant style has inspired countless people. Princess Diana is still considered a true style icon, not just to women around the world but to those in the royal family as well. Other prominent, younger members of the royal family are still regularly compared to her, such as Catherine, Princess of Wales, Meghan Markle and even Diana's own niece Kitty Spencer.

So by revisiting her impeccable fits from the 1980s and '90s, we might all learn a thing or two from the late princess. In the following, we'll outline six of Princess Diana's more daring, clever and slightly unconventional style tricks that remain in the minds of people even today. Read on to be inspired and maybe find a fashion statement for yourself.

While it might seem avant-garde — or even a bit too over-the-top — Princess Diana has shown that wearing a necklace backward, provided it's long and pearly, doesn’t have to look like a mistake. Tied into what looks like a mini knot, Princess Diana transformed her long pearl necklace, making it almost seem like it was meant to be worn that way. The look not only was unique but drew the perfect amount of attention to her toned and slim back. The Princess was often seen wearing stunning necklaces, but this outing was one that could be described as one of her most unique and gorgeous looks. 

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Some of us are allergic to loud patterns — and it shows. Even as the sun comes out and the seasons finally change, many of us are afraid to put on a polka dot blouse or a striped dress. But we shouldn’t be. As Princess Diana so gracefully demonstrated, bold patterns do not have to look ridiculous. If you wear them with confidence and poise and know how to accessorize with a cute hat, matching shoes and appropriate makeup, loud patterns will make you stand out among the summer crowd. The "People's Princess," often wore bold patterns that were more than eye-catching but also helped her stand out as a royal member. Whether it be floral, houndstooth or bright patterns, Princess Diana never failed to make a statement. 

To make your eyes pop and to match them with all the colorful, bold outfits you’re about to put together after reading this article, opt for a matching bright-colored eyeliner. Princess Diana was an expert at this, often wearing blue eyeliner to match an elegant dress of the same color. According to Vogue, Princess Diana once said, “I like to be a free spirit. ... Some don’t like that, but that’s the way I am," she added. Vogue also reported, "For a woman of her stature, to me it always seemed kind of punk, a means of subtly railing against the royal system." The publication added that Princess Diana could get away with wearing blue eyeliner in the '80s because of her age. “In the ’80s, a lot of people were wearing blue eyeliner, and she was so young! She could get away with doing whatever she wanted,” they reported. 

While attending then-fiance King Charles III’s polo match in the summer of 1981, Princess Diana made another unusual if not innovative fashion statement by wearing two watches. But according to Glamour, Diana’s bold move to double up on timepieces has a romantic story behind it. During Charles’ match, she wore his watch as a tribute to him and to wish the prince luck in the match. But just because you aren’t married to a prince doesn’t mean you can’t do something similar. If someone happens to ask why you’ll have a good story to tell. Just say that it's your prince’s watch and he’s playing polo. 

While stockings may not be in vogue for the young generation, Princess Diana showed that they don’t have to be associated with stuffy old ladies. Part of the key to Diana’s success in making colored stockings timelessly chic was that the princess would often wear them to match her dresses. Again, you may see a pattern here. Don’t be afraid to be adventurous — go with a little color and a little whimsy, even if it seems like it might be out of your comfort zone. Just make sure your colors don’t clash. More recently, women in the royal family wear strictly nude or skin-colored stockings under their dresses or skirts. It is not known if Princess Diana is to thank for that unsaid rule amongst the royals.

After Charles had confessed to having an affair in a 1994 interview, Princess Diana reportedly wore an elegant, off-the-shoulder black dress and tights paired with a tasteful albeit heavy necklace to a Vanity Fair party, as reported by Reader’s Digest. According to Marie Claire, Diana had the dress three years prior to wearing it but found it "too daring" to wear. That night, she had even planned on wearing a Valentino dress but changed her mind at the last minute according to the magazine. Her former stylist, Anne Harvey, said that Princess Diana wanted to "look like a million dollars," in that dress. "Suffice it to say that Princess Diana looked simply amazing — and not as if she just learned that her husband had cheated on her. Fittingly, this memorable 1990s fit earned the name “the revenge dress” given the context and Diana’s decision to pull out all the stops. In other words, the next time you’ve been wronged by your significant other, you may be able to send a subtle signal just by upping your style game. And remember, don’t forget a dazzling necklace. 

What do you think of these Princess Diana-approved style tips? We need to follow them! If you loved learning about the late princess' sense of fashion, don't forget to pass this on to your style-conscious friends and family members.