Shy Di
Is it just me or has anyone else always been a bit flummoxed by the appeal of Princess Diana and her supposed style icon status? I mean, jumpers with sheep on and novelty tights…what’s so stylish about that, pray tell? But I’m sensing a bit of a Kensington Sloane micro-trend bubbling under. It started last summer with Peter York’s book, Cooler, Faster, More Expensive: The Return of the Sloane Rangers, a sequel to The Official Sloane Rangers Handbook and now the autumn/winter collection previews are with us, what are we seeing? Tafetta blouses, boxy blazers, high-neck ruffles, pleated knee-length skirts and sensible sweaters. The focus seems to be more Shy Di in the early years rather than the Bruce Oldfield power gowns and peplum suits and mixed in with a modern-day French trench and some quirky accessories I can see it working on a twenty-something fashionista with a bit of attitude. What do you say to Shy Di style, yay or nay?
7 May, 2008 @ 6:04 pm
She was young and pretty , and it was a change of image for the royals, so anything she wore seemed stylish. Besides, people liked a preppy look back then.
7 May, 2008 @ 6:52 pm
Takes a special girl to pull it off, IMO.
7 May, 2008 @ 8:32 pm
I think with most recycled trends the rule often is if you are old enough to wear it first time round you are too old to wear it second time around. Most people tend to stick within that range of styles and colours that suit their body shape (I’ve always worn slim/skinny trou for example) but going back can make you look like you have been in aspic since 1985 as opposed to on-trend. A bit like plastic jewellery doesn’t work with wrinkles. I can see this look being well worked by 20 somethings in Brick Lane and doubtless I’d be tempted to try it, however I can remember shy Di whilst she was still wearing this stuff, and although too young to wear myself spent much of the 90s deriding it. That said, most trends have a grain that can be adapted so I might play with placket ruffles, sans the lizard-neck-ruffle and plaid, but best I look for other key looks altogether!
7 May, 2008 @ 10:50 pm
Full disclosure: when I was 18 I bought one of those “black sheep” sweaters that Diana was wearing at the time. I still have it, tucked far away in my closet, as a reminder of the day my grandmother and I got up sooo early to watch the royal wedding. And I have some close-up Polaroids I took of the new princess when she visited the east coast of Canada.
But would I wear the youthful Diana style now? Never. It worked in the moment, but that’s long gone.
8 May, 2008 @ 12:29 am
Well, i quite like blazers and ruffles, and shirt/sweater combos….but then they have always been staples in my wardrobe.
Im not too sure that everyone can wear novelty jumpers and tights that well though…(i know i can’t!)
8 May, 2008 @ 4:24 am
Maybe it’s just that she was trying to move with the times?
Di seemed modern to me, with shorter skirts and fresh shapes.
I wouldn’t have called her a “style icon” in general terms, regarding all women, but I’d call her a “style icon” among royals.
8 May, 2008 @ 10:46 am
I think it was the Princess thing that propelled her style icon status…. she was no Wallis Simpson though…
8 May, 2008 @ 10:26 pm
I agree with you – mixed up with some younger and fresher pieces, this look would work however I have the feeling that if I was to try this it would look to literal on me. Peter York is based in the same building as me so I am sure he would love to take my piccie in such an outfit for any follow up to his sloany book he might have planned, – thats how literal I think it would be!
8 May, 2008 @ 10:30 pm
I say nay!
She was attractive, but her style…meh.
Had she not been married into the royal family, I don’t think anyone would have given clothes a second look.
11 May, 2008 @ 5:00 pm
Hm – the rule thing – no rules but the style icon thing in the shy phase Nay. V.sweet, tres innocent and what a shame all round but it was hardly fashion forward then!
11 May, 2008 @ 5:00 pm
Hm – the rule thing – no rules but the style icon thing in the shy phase Nay. V.sweet, tres innocent and what a shame all round but it was hardly fashion forward then!
11 May, 2008 @ 5:00 pm
Hm – the rule thing – no rules but the style icon thing in the shy phase Nay. V.sweet, tres innocent and what a shame all round but it was hardly fashion forward then!
11 May, 2008 @ 5:00 pm
Hm – the rule thing – no rules but the style icon thing in the shy phase Nay. V.sweet, tres innocent and what a shame all round but it was hardly fashion forward then!