By Grace Johnson
As decades pass, fashion trends come and go. However, what has always been consistent is the influence royal women have on fashion. Fashion sends a message, and as leaders and role models for people across the world, royals make choices with their clothing that directly influence trends, indirectly support certain brands or causes, and make powerful statements.
Queen Elizabeth’s fashion choices reflected her understanding of her role as Queen of England. Upon her coronation, she always dressed with class, wearing a selection of clean, professional looks befitting post-war England. Later in her life, she began to show more of her own personality in her clothing, often donning a statement hat or monochrome outfit.
Princess Diana’s fashion evolution throughout her life is something to marvel at and is still deeply admired today. Princess Diana entered the Royal family at a time when tabloid journalism was more present than ever before. Everything she was doing, everything she was wearing, was watched and dissected. During her time in the royal family, she defied the norm and often broke unwritten rules. She was the first royal female ever to wear trousers at an evening event. She incorporated black into a lot of her outfits, which was not usual for the royal family unless they were in mourning. Diana also sent messages with her clothing. Four months after her engagement to Prince Charles, she donned a sweater featuring a single black sheep among many other white sheep. This sweater was a symbolic choice for Diana, as she later referred to herself as the “black sheep” of the royal family. One of her most notable outfits is known as “The Revenge dress,” a black, off-the-shoulder evening gown Diana wore to a Vanity Fair party the same night Prince Charles announced on television that he had committed adultery in their marriage. She dressed with more freedom upon leaving the royal family. Just months after her divorce from Prince Charles, she attended the Met Gala in a navy Dior slip dress, described as a shift from royal fashion.
Kate Middleton’s style is described as elegant and accessible, and she often combines high-end, designer brands with more affordable ones. The admiration for her fashion choices has created what is often called “the Kate effect,” in which the pieces she wears sell out instantly. Not only does Kate’s influence create pressure from a fashion perspective, but it also puts pressure on which brands she’s wearing. If you’re Kate, you know that your choices increase profit and the number of buyers. It is estimated that the Princess of Wales’ fashion choices have increased the British fashion industry by about £1 billion each year since her engagement to Prince William in 2010.
Meghan Markle, the previous Duchess of Sussex, was also mindful of this phenomenon. In an interview with the New York Times, she discussed gravitating towards sustainable or small businesses when choosing clothing and accessories. “Times where I know there is a global spotlight, and attention will be given to each detail of what I may or may not be wearing, then I support designers that I have really great friendships with, and smaller, up-and-coming brands that haven’t gotten the attention that they should be getting,” she explained. “That’s one of the most powerful things that I’m able to do, and that’s simply wearing, like, an earring.” Meghan’s style has evolved since leaving the royal family, much as Princess Diana's did. She has transitioned from more tailored, formal pieces to a more casual, minimalist chic.
The Late Queen Elizabeth and Princess Diana continue to influence fashion after their passing, and Kate and Meghan’s influence is evident today.
