Diana's Fashion, Jewelry and accessories- All Years

LouisFerdinand · December 14, 2015, 10:21:50 PM

A thread for Diana's fashion. Please post all articles and discussion about her fashion, jewelry and accessories here. Please avoid making new threads for fashion. Thank you.

Diana's sister, Lady Jane Fellowes, had worked at Vogue as an editorial assistant.
Lady Jane metamorphosed her sister into the dashing young lady who captured the fashion world.
When Lady Jane approached the London editors of Vogue and suggested they help her sister, they agreed.
Editor-in-chief Beatrix Miller, fashion editor Anna Harvey, and beauty editor Felicity Clark were some ladies that helped to create Diana's new image.
:Jen: :Jen: :Jen: :Jen: :Jen: :Jen: :Jen: :Jen: :Jen: :Jen:

edweena · December 15, 2015, 09:28:44 AM

Not sure, Vogue had and has not idea about royal fashion, style and requirements and Diana's style was frumpy one, influenced by Queen and Queen Mother, before she reached 25, some experiences and self confidence thanks to relationship with jerk Ginger

DaFluffs · December 15, 2015, 12:51:05 PM

@LouisFerdinand
I did not know that about her sister. I am not so quick to give credit to Vogue and her sister as I am to the designers of the clothing she wore.

But you are right - she had someone assisting her in developing the glamourous persona she became. Whomever her personal stylist was was one of the best stylists ever. Good heavens the world watched everytime Diana stepped out into the world. (or, if anyone feels as if I'm being overly dramatic, at least I stopped to see what she wore every time she stepped outside......)

Trudie · December 15, 2015, 01:15:52 PM

Vogue introduced Diana to designers it was Diana's good taste that she looked fabulous.

missbliss · December 15, 2015, 01:54:05 PM

I may be in the minority (I think I am!) but I loved Diana's early look - all romance and sweeping long skirts and soft colors and florals and ruffles. I think that having been a teenager in the 1970s (think harsh colors, polyester :ahhh: , short short skirts with no twirl :no:) this sudden opportunity to wear pretty clothes was just a moment of pure happiness! I had looked at my mother and the clothing she wore in the 1940s and 1950s and cursed that my youth had coincided with the dregs of fashion. Now I could dress up in ladylike clothing too! :hehe: Thank you Diana! :lol:

TLLK · December 15, 2015, 03:09:43 PM

^^^Oh you weren't the only teen from that era who loved the change! Laura Ashley was a godsend. Diana showcased so many pretty colors and luxurious fabrics.

missbliss · December 15, 2015, 03:34:22 PM

Laura Ashley -- :vday2: :happy: I went to London in my early twenties and although I am not a shopper normally, I ran to the Laura Ashley store and stocked up on white floaty blouses and long full skirts in so many pretty colors. I just was in paradise! I must say that when I look at pictures of myself from that era -- I looked pretty good! Especially compared with the horrors of a few years before. I used to love to go to bookstores and page through Majesty magazine just to see what Diana was wearing :D

Curryong · December 15, 2015, 04:11:38 PM

^ I don't know that in any photos I've seen of Jane Fellowes I've been struck by her elegance and fashion sense. I certainly think that Diana was helped by several leaders in the world of fashion, including editors of Vogue.

I do agree about Laura Ashley patterns and the floaty romantic fabrics of that era. Diana, tall, slender, very pretty, could of course have worn a potato sack and looked fantastic, but she certainly did justice to the fashions of the 1980's.

TLLK · December 15, 2015, 05:07:55 PM

Quote from: missbliss on December 15, 2015, 03:34:22 PM
Laura Ashley -- :vday2: :happy: I went to London in my early twenties and although I am not a shopper normally, I ran to the Laura Ashley store and stocked up on white floaty blouses and long full skirts in so many pretty colors. I just was in paradise! I must say that when I look at pictures of myself from that era -- I looked pretty good! Especially compared with the horrors of a few years before. I used to love to go to bookstores and page through Majesty magazine just to see what Diana was wearing :D

I did the same thing at the bookstores. In Southern California you could find Majesty and Royalty at the larger ones. I loved the pretty, feminine looks that Diana wore during her engagement and the early years of her marriage.

DaFluffs · December 15, 2015, 09:12:46 PM

I didn't stop buying the mags and looking at what she wore in the 80's. I kept up in the 90's too.

Remember the black velvet "Up Yours, Charles" dress? She rocked it! And she didn't need the timing of when she wore the dress in order to make a statement.... at least that's what I've always thought.....

And the jewelry... ahhhhhhh the jewelry........

LouisFerdinand · December 17, 2015, 12:58:41 AM

Vogue's task force gave Diana hints on how to avoid embarrassment and stay elegant in the toughest conditions. Diana was told not to drop her head or look sheepish.

amabel · December 17, 2015, 11:25:04 PM

Quote from: missbliss on December 15, 2015, 01:54:05 PM
I may be in the minority (I think I am!) but I loved Diana's early look - all romance and sweeping long skirts and soft colors and florals and ruffles. I think that having been a teenager in the 1970s (think harsh colors, polyester :ahhh: , short short skirts with no

I think they were very pretty, she looked sweet and innocent and ladylike. But of course she grew older and wanted to look smarter and sleeker... I think that her later clothes, when she took to smart suits and little shift dresses was also excellent.

LouisFerdinand · December 21, 2015, 03:09:33 AM

Vogue's task force advised Diana to sip some water when feeling bashful and to realize that everyone speaking to her was far more embarrassed then she was.

LouisFerdinand · December 31, 2015, 08:05:03 PM

In Diana: Story of a Princess, Tim Clayton and Phil Craig wrote:
Within a week of Prince Charles's proposal on February 6, Lady Diana was in session with Vogue fashion editor Anna Harvey choosing clothes.

TLLK · February 16, 2016, 05:31:35 PM

The Royal Order of Sartorial Splendor

Then Lady Diana in the Collingwood diamonds for a Vogue photoshoot.

Duch_Luver_4ever · May 15, 2016, 09:19:53 PM

Nice thread both about Diana and Jane, sounds so much like her :flower: my two fav Spencer girls working together. While im sure the advice and exposure Vogue offered was helpful, its probably more a case of they were the ones who got the option as opposed to without their help, she wouldnt have been as popular.

While its true that at the very beginning, say July 1980 to say September 1980, one could argue that the bulk of attention was due to her being the next one of "Charlie's Angels" so to speak. But once people got a good look at her, id say the Young England photocall, is when it started to shift and Di-mania took off.

She had that intrinsic ability to draw you in with her eyes, smile and demure looks that made people want to see more and more of her, and made them feel connected to her and want to protect and nurture her whenever the press was too much, or she had a look of concern or sadness, and a big bright smile would brighten our day (and sell papers!).

That alone would have made her famous. Dont get me wrong im not being critical of Vogue, just saying that a lot of the credit also goes to the spirit and beauty of Miss D. Spencer herself :crazylove:

Kritter · January 21, 2018, 01:57:37 PM

What happened to Princess Diana's jewellery? Where are the Princess of Wales? royal gems? | Style | Life & Style | Express.co.uk

QuotePRINCESS DIANA was a given a great amount of jewellery before her untimely death aged 36. During her marriage to Prince Charles and after she was given lavish gems by dignitaries and the Royal Family. Where is that jewellery now?

Curryong · January 21, 2018, 05:21:27 PM

Quote from: Kritter on January 21, 2018, 01:57:37 PM
What happened to Princess Diana's jewellery? Where are the Princess of Wales? royal gems? | Style | Life & Style | Express.co.uk

Kate seems to have got quite a bit of Diana's jewellery, including the most important ring in Diana's collection. She also seems to have snaffled earrings and a bracelet.

Considering that some at least of his mother's jewellery, ie the Saudi suite, probably went back into the Royal vaults and others are inappropriate such as the push present necklace with 'William' etched on it in Charles's writing, it will be interesting to see what scraps have been left for Harry's wife, considering the jewellery was SUPPOSED to have been shared between her two sons not just given to the one who married first. Very little in my estimation.

wannable · January 21, 2018, 09:42:24 PM

Time will tell who stayed with what. I am sure the brothers will split Diana's jewelry pieces 50/50 fairly, they have transformed or made new jewelry out of an old piece, Kate with sapphire earrings, Harry with the engagement ring; pieces taken from an original set. For example the diamonds from the necklace mentioned in the article, there are plenty diamonds left from that piece.

The brothers seem to love each other loads, no soap drama here.

TLLK · January 21, 2018, 09:56:06 PM

I agree @wannable as there should be plenty from Diana's private collection to be used intact or refashioned into new pieces by both of her daughters-in-law. Diana or her estate might have been willed some jewelry from both of her parents upon their deaths. IMO there also were likely other pieces from her own personal collection that were never seen by the public. :)

@Curryong is correct though that pieces that were loaned to Diana or were gifts from foreign rulers ie: Saudi Arabia would be the property of the BRF and would have been returned upon her death.

wannable · January 21, 2018, 09:56:48 PM

But the brothers are the inheritors. Only through the brothers, anyone may receive what was Diana's jewelry. No one else can decide but William and Harry!

wannable · January 21, 2018, 10:02:30 PM

Kate is not the daughter or inheritor of Diana. The only people who can trash whatever Diana had is William and Harry for that matter.

Kate likes to wear a lot her own Kiki McDonough jewelry during daytime royal duty outings. She uses the more fanciful jewelry that were Diana's or Crown Jewels during evening wear.

Duch_Luver_4ever · January 21, 2018, 10:18:48 PM

Quote from: TLLK on January 21, 2018, 09:56:06 PM
I agree @wannable as there should be plenty from Diana's private collection to be used intact or refashioned into new pieces by both of her daughters-in-law. Diana or her estate might have been willed some jewelry from both of her parents upon their deaths. IMO there also were likely other pieces from her own personal collection that were never seen by the public. :)

@Curryong is correct though that pieces that were loaned to Diana or were gifts from foreign rulers ie: Saudi Arabia would be the property of the BRF and would have been returned upon her death.

We dont know how much is still set aside for both boys, with William being first to marry, Kate has shown off the most of them so far, maybe Harry is waiting till he gets married to Meghan to start bring them out. I'd say after a year or two of them being married we'll know more about it. Sadly, a lot of the iconic jewels she wore were on loan from either the RF or the Spencers in the case of her family tiara.

Am curious @TLLK if the Saudi set was a wedding present to her, how would it be the RF property? (other than the old possession is 9/10th of the law after her death)? Theres a lovely sapphire bracelet that she rarely wore that I wish shed have done more, same with the larger single sapphire earrings, she seemed to like the double ones more.

TLLK · January 21, 2018, 10:24:30 PM

QuoteAm curious @TLLK if the Saudi set was a wedding present to her, how would it be the RF property? (other than the old possession is 9/10th of the law after her death)? Theres a lovely sapphire bracelet that she rarely wore that I wish shed have done more, same with the larger single sapphire earrings, she seemed to like the double ones more.

This is the best answer that I've found regarding the BRF and gifts of jewelry from foreign rulers.

How a routine royal visit spelt trouble for the Countess of Wessex - Telegraph

QuoteBuckingham Palace said that official gifts, such as the jewels, are not the personal property of the royal family. Although the Countess can now wear the jewels at functions they remain the property of the Royal Collection.

Duch_Luver_4ever · January 21, 2018, 10:33:14 PM

Thanks for the info @TLLK guess its one of those many differences between normal ppl and royals in terms of customs. Its a shame they didnt go directly to the boys, while im sure they will have some access to them, its not the same as having them in ones own estate/possession and relying on the good grace of the family to loan them out.

Also once HM goes, one wonders if Charles will want these visual reminders of his first wife out on display?