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By Emily Mackin '23
With “Edge of Seventeen” roaring in the backdrop of a scene in the new season of Netflix’s The Crown, viewers immediately become captivated by the image of a young, newly engaged Diana (portrayed by Emma Corrin) hanging out the window of a taxi cab, with a dreamy look in her eyes. In the months leading up to the season’s release, the conversation was buzzing around the inevitable introduction of the woman in recent royal history that has left a remarkable legacy: Princess Diana. Of the many notable things, Diana is remembered as one of the best-dressed women in history. Fashion critics particularly raved about costume designer Amy Roberts’s attention to not only her looks themselves, but their historical accuracy. Some of the recreations of Diana’s iconic looks took center stage, and I’m going to break down how they proved to be utterly timeless in this season:
Layers of Patterns
(Right: Emma Corrin as Diana; Left: Princess Diana)
The Crown introduces Princess Diana and Prince Charles at a fair, and if the atmosphere wasn’t already sweet and lively enough, the playful ensemble she wore made it so. She wore the long-sleeved button-up and is filled with a colorful pattern of fruits in a real-life polo match, while the series’ version features a yellow cardigan adorned with flowers. With a frilly collar making the whole outfit look light and airy, it comes together quite nicely. Trend alert: we can definitely see frilly collars coming back into style, so get your hands on them now.
2. The Blue Engagement Moment
In 1981, Diana and Princess Charles made their engagement official. Posing for the press, Diana adorned a white, blue detailed blouse with a noticeable long necktie and a matching bold sapphire blue blazer and skirt (to match her new ring, of course!). Personally, I love that the blue perfectly balances with the dominance of blue present; both bringing out Diana’s piercing blue eyes. The pieces are both sophisticated and playful, which is something that can make any outfit stand out as timeless. Not a lot of people wear a deep sapphire blue in this way, but it’s a look for Diana.
3. Wedding Rehearsal
This outfit features another subtle blue moment for Diana, The Crown presents a beautiful recreation of young Diana on the day of her wedding rehearsal at St. Paul’s Cathedral. It’s a modest button-up, but flowered dress with a pair of minimalistic off-white flats. The look is simple yet so elegant, and this season was able to show how Diana's early fashion was modest, but gradually bold and bright.
4. A Fairytale Wedding
Diana’s wedding to Prince Charles was a huge deal in both royal history and Diana’s fashion legacy. All eyes were on Diana on this day, and her wedding dress is an everlasting idea of the “stuff of which fairytales are made of.” With sequins, frill, and lace, and over 10,000 pearls, the stunning gown represented a turn of the century for royal customs in a large way. The simplistic yet elegant appearance of it was intentional; the designers knew to stick with the tradition of “something old, new, borrowed, and blue.”
5. Red and Bold
In 1980, Diana wore this red ensemble to a Bond film premiere. This gorgeous polka dot dress absolutely highlights Diana’s features as well as how she began to push the boundaries for royal fashion. Not only is it a vibrant color choice for royalty, but it compliments Diana well and dazzles in the show’s recreation of it.
6. Oh, Pretty in Blue
On their 1983 Australia tour, the recently wed royal couple made the press turn their heads for their moments together. Although the press captured both, Diana alone became a global sensation on this tour, charming Australia with her kindness and relatability. This glittering ensemble she wore when dancing with Prince Philip leaves any everyday citizen with a speechless moment. To me, the dress is similar to that of a shimmering mermaid or something majestic, plus the color is enchanting to marvel over. Who wouldn’t want to wear a dress like this?
7. Glittery Debut
This had to be one of my favorite direct homages of the season. On her solo tour to New York in 1989, Diana wore this beautiful, glittering dream of a dress, paired with a bolero. There is so much to say about this outfit. It is shaped like her wedding dress but uses a total refresh. The “refresh” of the outfit seems to parallel the frame of mind Diana was in at this point in evaluating her marriage and public, global image. This darling, almost Cinderella-like dress, designed by Victor Edestein, absolutely embodies the elegance of Diana’s life and legacy. She is an icon, and she is the moment (cue TikTok audio), and with this dress, she made everyone know it.
Next season, when Elizabeth Debicki takes over the role of portraying Diana, there will surely be another few recreations of her iconic fashion moments, and I don’t know about you, but with seeing the success in the costume department in this season, I can’t wait. (Crossing my fingers for a good amount of screentime for the “revenge dress”!)