I never know what is going to inspire me fashion wise these days and sometimes I am surprised.
I just finished watching every episode of The Crown and the Queen does not. I think her rule for fashion has always been “never offend”, unlike her sister Margaret who wore the most expensive and fashionable designs of the day. Not having the scrutiny that her older sister had to tolerate, combined with a need to get out of the shadow of her sister, the Queen, she sought out the best and finest designs to make her stand out. Her beehive hairdo’s with gorgeous feathery hats and mod sunglasses captured a nation. I always thought that Princess Diana was the one who brought fashion to the Royals but I was wrong. She was not the first.
Hair and makeup final touches on the set of The Crown
Princess Diana brought an entirely new and fresh look to the palace.
Princess Diana captured the hearts of fashion designers everywhere. Every girl wanted the Lady Di haircut. Her sense of style and glamour was apparent in everything she did. She was tall and thin and each outfit became an instant headline.
It is sad to read later, that Diana literally starved herself so that she could look amazing in all those gowns. She was young and insecure and was desperate to make a good impression. Well… she did… but she would have anyway because of her determination to live an authentic life amongst an empire steeped in rules and traditions.
A beautiful soul and mum who seemed to be finally making her own way in the spotlight beyond the palace when her life was tragically cut short. Who knows how much more she would have accomplished.
Kate Middleton, her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge, is not shy when it comes to colour and fashion and has developed her own style.
I love love love this Gucci dress! It is perfect in my opinion. The flattering capped sleeves with the illusion of being off the shoulder in a soft pink and burgundy .
Not easy to pull off; the huge hat or royal fascinator, but I think Kate nails it with this whimsical blue polka dot dress and matching blue hat. It is a vintage look that I would not be surprised to see at the Kentucky Derby.
It takes confidence to wear this vibrant purple coat and Kate definitely has it. She also must have an amazing tailor or the coat was made for her. I don’t think I have ever had a coat fit as perfectly as this one does her.
I would say the fitted coat is her signature look. How many times have I lunged for my glass of wine in a fitted jacket or waist coat and exploded the arm pit? Too many. I bet she’s never done that.
If I were a member of the Royal family the paparazzi would have a field day with me running out in some crappy sweats and a ball cap probably in search of ice cream… I guess I’d just have to order someone to “GO GET ME A CONE!!! IMMEDIATELY!”
Finally, her Royal Highness; the Queen. Growing up as part of the Commonwealth I remember singing “God Save The Queen” at the start of every school day. Her portrait was always there in the school hallways and classrooms. I wasn’t sure exactly what she did but I did know that she was important and loved and part of my life as a Canadian. My grandparents were from the U.K. and most of my Aunts and Uncles were born there. My father and mother were both born in Canada. My father talked about the Queens’ address on Christmas day and how he wished we were able to see it. This was before computers and live streaming. I think I’ve learned a lot about the Royals just from watching the TV Series The Crown because I never actually took the time to read about the monarchy. My entire knowledge has come from the BBC. I wonder if the Queen watches the series and what she thinks of it. I have a suspicion that she wouldn’t be able to avoid the temptation. After all it is beautifully shot and the locations and sets are probably historically accurate and it makes a good waste of a night. I don’t think the Queens’ sense of fashion is horrible; she has also worn some spectacular gowns but she has a seriousness about her. Maybe the difference is that she just lets the gown wear her and she doesn’t “wear” the gown. All the others I’ve spoken about knew how to make the outfit work for them. Maybe it’s just that they want or wanted to be noticed and the Queen doesn’t need to do that to be noticed; after all, she is the Queen.
It must take a certain type of person to live off of the people in such opulence, and to do that for centuries, without feeling guilty, when the rest of the country struggles to make ends meet. There have been many opinions regarding this. “No future… no future for you”. The Sex Pistols But whether you are a royalist, and defend the monarchy through all things, or if you despise the archaic class difference and think they no longer serve a purpose; you have to admit the Queen is badass. She is over 90 years of age and still making appearances and doing charity work. That impresses me to no end. She is also still the boss and I love that.
We have our own Royal drama to contend with now that Harry has chosen to leave the Monarchy and become just a normal guy and … for the time being.. has moved to Canada with Megan and their child. I wish him the best. I also wonder if The Crown will continue in future seasons. How far will they go … maybe Megan can end up playing herself. She’s an actress.
God save the Queen.
Until next time….
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