Exactly why Princess Diana's style was so iconic

We know her, we love her, we admire her, and she's just about the only royal we'll cover when it comes to the archaic and tired system that is the British monarchy. Princess Diana's style, immortalised on the internet, is not to be ignored. And as for the person behind it, she was the real deal, this much we know for certain. Her simply faultless style is no exception to the fact.

As we she would have celebrated her birthday this week, it seems only fitting that we take a look back at some of the People's Princess's most iconic moments from over the years – from her bike-short-and-oversized-sweatshirt combos, to the iconic Christina Stambolian 'revenge dress' she wore to an arts dinner at London's Serpentine Gallery.

Below, we round up some of Lady Di's most iconic fashion moments.

With the revival and appreciation of 90s style in the past years, there is no one that did it as well as Lady Di, and Instagram won't argue with us when we reference the countless imagery that Gen-Z has conjured up in reference to 90's British fashion and the way Diana executed it so well.

Marrying a unique balance between relaxed but elevated leisurewear and potentially the most well-worn suiting of all time, Lady Di's style sits in the kind of luxurious-but-paired-back realm that appeals to so many of us in 2022, especially those consistently re-posted shots of her running about in gym attire that the internet seems to love so much (us included) that they were lampooned as references for a Vogue Paris shoot with Hailey Beiber.

Her ability to elevate jeans and a sweatshirt beyond the mundane was an art, and perhaps the way her attitude to dressing contrasted so heavily with the right and proper way of the royal family was what made it feel revolutionary. Nevertheless, we're here for the headbands, the oversized socks, the blue jeans, and all of the revenge dresses. With season five of The Crown on the horizon, we round up some of Princess Diana's most iconic looks, below.

Probably the most notorious of Diana's fashion moments is that of the Revenge Dress. Designed a a one-off by Christina Stambolian, the low-cut black number was donned by the Princess in June of 1994 – she wore it the same evening of the televised admission of adultery from her husband, Prince Charles. The daring dress choice seemed symbolic of her confident resolve.

At the Met Gala in 1996 wearing a Dior slip dress.

When she fell asleep at an event in 1981 due to her first trimester of pregnancy.

In 1988, Princess Diana attended a dinner dance in Melbourne wearing a blue chintz taffeta ball gown by Catherine Walker.

The iconic wedding dress.

She was also a big fan of the colour pink.

Partaking in the mother's race at her son's sports day in 1988.

During her tour of Melbourne in 1983.

Princess Diana dons a neon one-piece swimsuit on vacation at the K Club in Barbuda, 1997.

At the 1985 premiere of the James Bond movie A View to a Kill.

The Princess visits St Tropez in what was to become her last summer, July of 1997.

Diana was a close friend and fan of Gianni Versace, often donning his creations for outings during her time as a royal.

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Fashion / Style

Exactly why Princess Diana’s style was so iconic

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