Queen Elizabeth II’s iconic fashion sense shows how it stole our hearts
In this article, we’ll be taking a look at Queen Elizabeth II’s iconic fashion sense and show how it stole our hearts. Queen Elizabeth II had many titles and did many things – monarch, matriarch and leader, animal lover, and a symbol of Britain. Along the way, there was one major factor that we couldn’t ignore: style.
Queen Elizabeth has been dressing in timeless pieces, often of highlighter-bright block colors and delicate florals. She has always been ahead of the game, which is why she continues to be an influence on modern fashion.
The blue dress she wore to meet the Kennedys – no celebrities today would get praised if they dared to wear it too. The Duke of Edinburgh, who himself was not short of a few ideas in his lifetime, once described Angela’s contribution to the Queen’s wardrobe as “outstanding”.
Her relationship with the Queen made her responsible for designing, selecting, and styling the Queen’s clothing while also serving as a confidante and sounding board for creating her spectacular wardrobe.
Angela and the Queen have maintained a strong relationship for over two decades. Angela started as a housekeeper at the British embassy in Germany and joined the royal household in 1992.
She grew up sewing clothes for her dolls and now creates outfits for top fashion magazines.
The Queen met Angela by chance and was quick to become a fan. Fast forward one year and she was offered a job at Royal Ascot because of the impression she made on the Queen.
“I suppose the Queen must have liked me,’ Angela said, to deflect questions about her role and tenure as chief reporter.
Three years later, Angela became a Senior Dresser for the Queen. Then, she also started making decisions about what the Queen should wear.
During her time working with the Queen, she personally designed some iconic outfits, such as the pale yellow dress suit that Queen Elizabeth wore to Prince William and Kate Middleton’s wedding, or many of the clothes worn on Zoom during its Commercials.
Angela remained a discreet and trustworthy friend to the Queen, but she did share some interesting insights about Her Majesty’s style quirks.
When the Queen’s sense of humor came through, it revealed a side to her personality that’s often not found on formal occasions.
One of the facts about Queen Elizabeth II’s style that we love is the fact that she loves a bargain – so much so, in fact, that Angela often had to go into discount sections just to see the Queen’s joy over finding some good deals.
Angela told one story about almost missing a flight home just to slash costs. She bought some fabric in Singapore, saving so much by claiming tax back knowing that the Queen would be ecstatic about the thrifty hack.
The Queen was also passionate about fashion and made it a point to decide her daily outfit on the spot.
‘It has not been a question of the Queen teaching me. In truth, it has been the other way around.’
Angela was always there to offer support, even when she wore the Queen’s shoes to do so. It was a relief that the two shared a similar foot size and fortunately, Angela had just enough time to put on her new shoes before the event began (the public loved her).
When it comes to dressing the Queen, there are some key considerations.
For one thing, the Queen’s outfits needed to be easy to spot so people would know that the Queen had arrived. You might have noticed that any time it would rain while they were on a royal appearance, the Queen would hold the clear umbrella with a handle and trim to match her outfit.
Her clothing needed to be specifically tailored for changes in the forest, as well as for her international travels.
I think the bright colors the Queen became known for were not just a matter of pragmatism, it was her own personal style as well (she needed to be visible after all).
Elizabeth, a fond fan of nearly-neon shades, once joked “If I wore beige no one would know who I am.”
The Queen often said that she liked her clothes to be timeless so that she would not have to worry if they were “in fashion” or not. She preferred skirts, dresses, and high heels. She really liked items that have a zip, as it makes them very quick and easy to put on, and she didn’t like anything made of fabric because it would crease when she traveled.
Queen wants her own pocket but also doesn’t want to be photographed with her hands stuffed in it.
Angela helped to make that dream come true, arranging for formal photographs of the Queen with her hands in her pockets, which were finally released in 2019.
Timeless and stylish, but always with a sense of fun and quiet rebellion, Queen Elizabeth’s style was entirely her own.
