"That Dress" other appearance

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

https://i.pinimg.com/736x/37/79/8c/37798c602e41254f4b54d3b985e90275--lady-diana-spencer-british-royals.jpg

Here's a rare pic of Diana wearing one of her most famous dresses again, from the hair & jewels id estimate 86/89 period minus the period her hair was longer like in 88. I'd always thought that dress was banished to the darkest corner of her closet.

You can see the massive weightloss though from its first wearing, just makes me so sad for her  :no: but was nice to see it got another wearing after all the flak the first time.

[TLLK]

I have to admit that I'm surprised that it had another public wearing after the initial response, but it was a beautiful dress  so why not wear it again.

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

Me too, I always thought she looked so lovely in taffeta, I think had it been intended for more wearings, she might have had it taken in. I wonder if it was worn again, almost as an act of defiance after the rumored reaction she got from HM after its first wearing.

I noticed this time she has a brooch or pin this time on the front, I wonder if it was to ensure it stayed up and in place, considering she almost fell out of it the first time she wore it LOL.

Funny thing is, even with its low cut, she was still the only woman in the world who never had to say "my eyes are up here"  :brightside:

[TLLK]

Well recalling 80's fashion trends there could have been another reason.  TBH Diana might have also realized that taffeta evening wear was on its way out and decided to get another wearing out of it before she started to look dated.

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

That could be the case as well, she was up on all the fashion trends, thats for sure.

[sandy]

It looks like it was adjusted so it was not so low cut. Since she lost a lot of weight it had to be altered. But could it have also been a copy of the gown made in  new dress size.

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

I think the bulk of it being not so low cut was due to the amount of weight she had lost, also im thinking that pearl doodad is also holding it together to avoid any "wardrobe malfunctions". With the heat she got for wearing it the first time, I doubt shed have a copy made, she could have had the Emmanuel's over for a quick nip and tuck, idk if shed have trusted one of her dressing staff to do something like that.

[sandy]

I read that the Emmanuel's did several copies of the wedding gown. So I don't think it implausible that a copy of the black gown could have been made. Diana did like the gown from what I read. It was Charles who disapproved of it.

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

There was a copy that was in pink, im reaching way back in the memory banks here, but I think it was either not the right size or she didnt want that color for the event. The one she wore, ive heard both that it wasnt quite the right size for her, or that her weight loss had caused it to be a bit loose up top, could be some of both.

It was something they already had made up, it wasnt a bespoke dress for her, so there could always be another copy around. She did like the dress, she did look smart in it, if it wasnt for the stuffy royal convention about wearing black, and the angles of both the exit from the car, and the going up and down the stairs at the guildhall afforded everyone an eyeful they wernt soon to forget, it would have been an ok dress.

Yes, Charles disliked it, daft fuddy-duddy, Diana wanted to make a splash on her first big engagement, and I think the critique over her Harrod's outfit on the day it was announced stung her a bit and wanted to show them up.

[sandy]

Caroline Bartholomew told Morton that Diana kept losing weight and that wedding dress had to be taken in quite a few times. I imagine that black dress had to be.

Diana told Morton the camera angles made her look "plump" in that blue Harrod's suit and it did not help matters that Charles said she was "chubby."

Diana wore something like that blue suit later on. I will look for the photo.

https://www.google.com/search?biw=1536&bih=759&tbm=isch&sa=1&ei=S25uWqLyDsbvzgLn442wCw&q=diana+blue+suit+appearance&oq=diana+blue+suit+appearance&gs_l=psy-ab.3...144230.147301.0.148111.11.11.0.0.0.0.72.663.11.11.0....0...1c.1.64.psy-ab..0.1.67...0i5i30k1.0.t5buegLcv2c#imgrc=GWY_aWIT_Ba5CM:

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

As i recall it was a rush job for the work on that dress compared to the wedding dress due to the short time from when she went in to see it and the event.

I disliked how hard she could be on herself with her appearance, she's daft to have been thinking that, but yes, Charles words didnt help.... :thumbsdown: I think her pre engagement body was her at her best, with the last year a close second, she had similar measurements but had more muscle and ate better than back in the day of eating mostly quaker harvest crunch at her flat :lol:

Its not blocked as well here, as they did in the Nat Geo documentary, but I really like this pic of her in that Harrods dress https://imagesvc.timeincuk.net/v3/keystone/image?url=http://ksassets.timeincuk.net/wp/uploads/sites/46/2016/07/Princess-Diana-19.jpg&q=82

IDK if its the expression on her face but it almost hurts to look at her, shes just so lovely and radiant. also they both look so young and full of promise, yes even Charles looks young in it, more poignant I think  knowing what we know now.

[TLLK]

Yes, Charles disliked it, daft fuddy-duddy,

I disagree. IMHO he liked the dress, but  knew that Diana was wearing something that would definitely attract unwanted attention. She selected the dress that she thought was beautiful and sophisticated. In 1981 that would have been black taffeta. :thumbsup:

[sandy]

Charles according to the Morton book and other sources asked Diana to change to another dress. She said this was all she had ready and it was too late. Apparently he did not see the dress until the last minute.

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

 :goodpost: @TLLK  theres more grey here than I first mentioned. Yes youre right, he did know it would attract unwanted attention, and he did tell the press that they wont believe whats coming behind him, possible with a bit of pride. On the other hand, he did try to deflate her sails by saying something like "youre not going in that are you" to which she said "I am" (btw I just LOVE the way she sounds saying that phrase^^) then he mentioned the whole fact that its a black dress, etc. to which she said she wasnt part of his family yet.

She hadnt fully figured that the press and public saw her as de facto royal, and although we didnt know it yet, we wernt going to care about tradition once she knocked everyone out of their socks.

I think one could make the argument, that Charles would have liked the dress had she wore it for him at a private dinner for two, but to wear it in public, he was worried about the attention, both for her, and for the fact that he knew all eyes would be on her and not him, and that he didnt want us all to have a peek and what he hoped would be just visible to him. :partaay:

It was the first of many attempts to clip her wings, and times where she knew just what to do to set of a firestorm of chatter.

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

Meghan attends her first evening event at Diana venue | Daily Mail Online

Interesting timing as this was in the DM today....I wonder if Harry chose the venue so close to the engagement on purpose.

Color me biased but I like Diana's version of it better, sad to think of how little support she got compared to Meghan's visit there, but it all worked out in the end kind of as far as the wedding going through. People loved Diana all the more for being vulnerable and showing how she felt, more protective of her for the protocol missteps than salacious enjoyment of the "view" (besides it was all in the eyes anyway). But im glad future royal brides dont have to sink or swim on their own due to what she went through.

I do think "the fail" has the story wrong about the end result of the dress, as the OP shows, it got at least one more wearing...

[Curryong]

Diana looked lovely in her black dress on that night. She was in her beautiful 'peach' period, just cute and lovely and very very young. I just think the press were being salacious about her bosom. Nothing wrong with her appearance at all, and Charles even commented about it proudly to the reporters/photographers assembled there.

No, Diana went through the crucible. Nobody else will ever have to again.

[TLLK]

I agree @Curryong and @Duch_Luver_4ever that based upon Diana and Sarah's experiences, that none of the people that have married into the BRF since 1999 have had to face the same challenges.

Hadn't considered that this was the same venue that Diana's first gala style event occurred back in 1981.

[sara8150]

Diana wores 1981 engagement dress they again for events but her engagement dress current in display when Diana vows not used that black lows dress for events till prior her death in 1997 but Diana?s final black dress on her birthday July 1,1997 at gallery

[Duch_Luver_4ever]

I agree @Curryong and @Duch_Luver_4ever that based upon Diana and Sarah's experiences, that none of the people that have married into the BRF since 1999 have had to face the same challenges.

Hadn't considered that this was the same venue that Diana's first gala style event occurred back in 1981.

Anytime I hear Goldsmith hall, or guildhall, I think of that engagement and how at the time she was dazzling but now with hindsight we can see how utterly lost in the headlights she was :no: