Queen Elizabeth II has just turned 95. She has been a witness not only to some of the most important events in history, but also numerous changes in fashion. Her personal style experiments, however, are always limited by a strict protocol. What is the secret to her style, which remains elegant and timeless in the face of changing fashion, norms and customs?
For Queen Elizabeth, age truly is just a number. Despite being close to reaching the age of a 100 and wearing seemingly identical looks for the past 30 years, she still follows the latest trends. She has never committed a fashion faux pas in all her years on the throne.
Her looks have always been very well-thought-out, even in her childhood, and her wedding dress – like Kate Middleton’s gown from 2011 – became an inspiration for brides around the world. How has her wardrobe changed?
Queen Elizabeth – a century of impeccable style
As a teenager and young princess, she followed fashion trends, which is not a given among people of her stature, because more than anything her looks had to be appropriate and conform to the protocol. In the 30s and 40s, Elizabeth wore floral dresses, which she then exchanged for skirt suits due to the passing of time and the positions she held.
After hours, she wore flared tulle cocktail dresses and off-the-shoulder ball gowns of the ‘40s and ‘50s with an accentuated waist. They were paired with matching shawls, block heels and T-bar shoes, as well as hats and jewellery, including brooches and her beloved pearls, which she even wore for her wedding to Prince Phillip.
In spite of superstitions about pearls, their marriage lasted for 75 years. You can find out more about wearing pearls in our article about them. What did the young queen Elisabeth look like while changing her marital status?
The Queen’s wedding dress
Elisabeth and the recently departed Prince Phillip met when she was only 13 years old. This means that they knew each other for 82 years (!). Many people don’t know that they got engaged in secret, in defiance of the Queen Mother Elisabeth I and king George VI. The young couple tied the knot on 20th November 1947.
The Princess’s dress was designed by British fashion designer Norman Hartnell, who later became one of the Queen’s Tailors. The gown was inspired by Botticelli’s painting, Primavera, and was embellished with thousands of pearls and crystals. The dress was paired with a tiara that held the 4-metre veil in place and belonged to Elisabeth’s grandmother, Queen Mary. The whole ceremony can be watched here:
In later years, Hartnell designed the elegant evening gowns she wore for special occasions. The Queen is known for sticking with things that work for her for years. She has her favourite, iconic elements of wardrobe that she’s never seen without. What are they?
Conservative with a modern touch
Perhaps the most notable feature of Queen Elisabeth’s looks is their monochromatic colour scheme. These total looks are usually in bright, vibrant colours. The colour palette – lime yellow, saturated reds, cobalt blue and pastel pinks – can be surprising for those not used to seeing older people in colours, especially in head-to-toe looks. However, the Queen is a prime example of how a skilfully chosen colour can rejuvenate and brighten the face.
The Queen rarely chooses subdued colours like beige, brown and grey, but when she does, they’re reserved for leisure time. While staying at Sandringham and Balmoral, the Queen often wears wellington boots, tweed and wool together with Burberry and Hermès headscarves.
Since the 90s, she has refined her formal style and built its foundation, which remains largely unchanged with slight tweaks. Until 1990, the Queens everyday looks were designed by Hardy Amies, followed by Stewart Parvin and Angela Kelly. Her wardrobe is full of skirt suits, tailored according to the latest trends (there’s no question of copying silhouettes from the ‘80s or ‘90s).
The Queen has been pairing the suits (for the past 50 years!) with Anello & Davide moccasins and trapeze bags from Launer London. The only extravagant pieces of clothing she allows herself to be seen in are the hats she wears at Royal Ascot.
The style of Elizabeth II could be described as conservative according to today’s standards, but it’s important to remember that her imaginativeness is limited by her position and the dress codes and rules that go with it. Nevertheless, whenever she could, she has accentuated her individual character and created one of the most iconic and unique styles in modern times.
