The Queen's bold fashion: redefining the face of the monarchy
Bethany Hutchison uncovers the impact of the Queen's colourful and bold fashion throughout her reign.
Sadly, her majesty the Queen passed away, aged 96, on the 8th of September 2022. Her reign spanned for a period of 70 years and she is credited as being the longest reigning British monarch. When referring to the Queen many people call her charismatic, a great leader who was kind and caring. But what seems to be lost on many people is the Queen’s sense of fashion. The ability to stand out from the crowd whilst also maintaining a smart and professional air.
The Queen’s wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell who was a leading fashion designer renowned for his work with the royal family. In 1957 Hartnell gained the Royal Warrant as dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth II. Hartnell submitted a number of designs for the Queen’s dress but was alerted only three months before the wedding that one of his designs had been chosen! The dress consisted of pearl embroidery in a floral design; Hartnell obtained this style from Botticelli’s painting of Primavera. Fashion critics have often claimed that the Queen’s outfits often reflected the state of the nation. For example, this dress in particular was made using satin purchased from Winterthur by using ration vouchers (which was typically what brides had to do during the 1940s). Hartnell states that the motifs within the embroidered silk of the dress ‘had to be assembled in a design proportioned like a florist’s bouquet’. As expected the public were so interested in what her majesty was going to wear on her big day that Hartnell was forced to whitewash and curtain the windows of his workroom to ensure that the Queen’s gown had the big reveal it deserved.
Although the Queen’s wedding dress was a traditional white the monarch liked to make a statement when it came to pieces worn at public engagements. The Queen decided to opt for brighter colours as she believed that ‘[she could] never wear beige because nobody [would] know who [she was]’. One of the most colourfully outlandish pieces that Queen Elizabeth II wore was a multicoloured, sequin, diamond harlequin patchwork top tucked into a striped golden skirt designed by Karl-Ludwig. This was paired alongside crisp white gloves, gold accessories, gold shoes and a gold handbag. She sported this outfit in November 1999 when the Queen attended the Royal Variety performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome. This outfit was a true statement. It was incredibly unconventional and subverted our preconceived ideas about what a monarch should wear - more traditional royalists expressed a dislike for this choice of styling. For example, The Court Jeweller described the dress and jewellery as ‘shocking’. Perhaps if the Queen had styled the elements in a different way, her look could have been more understated. However, I think that it is incredibly fun and interesting that an individual of such high status was able to fully express herself via her clothing.
Away from the public eye, the Queen opted for a more mundane look. On the 2nd of April 2021 a photograph of Her Majesty and her eldest son (the Prince of Wales) was captured on an Easter stroll in the Frogmore Estate. In this photograph the Queen can be seen wearing a green overcoat and practical walking shoes. However, we were able to catch a glimpse of the Queen's fun and experimental side as, in order to tie the look together, the Queen accessorised her outfit with a printed silk headscarf.
In one of the Queen's last public engagements, the (Platinum Jubillie celebrating 70 years on the throne), the Queen stepped out onto the Buckingham Palace balcony wearing a bright green wool-crêpe dress alongside a matching hat by Miller Rachel Trevor-Morgan. Standing next to her immediate family the Queen really stood out in her bright ensemble and was most certainly the forefront of this royal appearance.
Not only were the Queen’s outfits iconic but they were also used as a matter of security. According to the historian Hugo Vickers, the Queen uses her handbag in order to pass messages to her security guards. For example, it is believed that if the Queen moves her handbag from one hand to the next it indicates that she wants to leave or that she will soon end her meeting. If her bag is placed on the table, it is believed that she wishes to end the event and return in the next five minutes and, if the bag is placed on the floor, it suggests that she wants to be immediately removed from the situation. It is also reported that, alongside her bag, the Queen has also been known to turn her ring when she wants to send a subtle message to her designated security guard.
Overall, the Queen redefined the royalist status-quo when it came to fashion. She was daring, adventurous, exuberant and expressive. This was also reflected in her personality- not only was the Queen interested in clothing but she was also, evidently, eager to express her own personality and values via her clothing. The Queen will be sorely missed both nationwide and internationally but her memory will live on forever in the hearts of many people.
Bethany Hutchison, Y13
Sadly, her majesty the Queen passed away, aged 96, on the 8th of September 2022. Her reign spanned for a period of 70 years and she is credited as being the longest reigning British monarch. When referring to the Queen many people call her charismatic, a great leader who was kind and caring. But what seems to be lost on many people is the Queen’s sense of fashion. The ability to stand out from the crowd whilst also maintaining a smart and professional air.
The Queen’s wedding dress was designed by Norman Hartnell who was a leading fashion designer renowned for his work with the royal family. In 1957 Hartnell gained the Royal Warrant as dressmaker to Queen Elizabeth II. Hartnell submitted a number of designs for the Queen’s dress but was alerted only three months before the wedding that one of his designs had been chosen! The dress consisted of pearl embroidery in a floral design; Hartnell obtained this style from Botticelli’s painting of Primavera. Fashion critics have often claimed that the Queen’s outfits often reflected the state of the nation. For example, this dress in particular was made using satin purchased from Winterthur by using ration vouchers (which was typically what brides had to do during the 1940s). Hartnell states that the motifs within the embroidered silk of the dress ‘had to be assembled in a design proportioned like a florist’s bouquet’. As expected the public were so interested in what her majesty was going to wear on her big day that Hartnell was forced to whitewash and curtain the windows of his workroom to ensure that the Queen’s gown had the big reveal it deserved.
Although the Queen’s wedding dress was a traditional white the monarch liked to make a statement when it came to pieces worn at public engagements. The Queen decided to opt for brighter colours as she believed that ‘[she could] never wear beige because nobody [would] know who [she was]’. One of the most colourfully outlandish pieces that Queen Elizabeth II wore was a multicoloured, sequin, diamond harlequin patchwork top tucked into a striped golden skirt designed by Karl-Ludwig. This was paired alongside crisp white gloves, gold accessories, gold shoes and a gold handbag. She sported this outfit in November 1999 when the Queen attended the Royal Variety performance at the Birmingham Hippodrome. This outfit was a true statement. It was incredibly unconventional and subverted our preconceived ideas about what a monarch should wear - more traditional royalists expressed a dislike for this choice of styling. For example, The Court Jeweller described the dress and jewellery as ‘shocking’. Perhaps if the Queen had styled the elements in a different way, her look could have been more understated. However, I think that it is incredibly fun and interesting that an individual of such high status was able to fully express herself via her clothing.
Away from the public eye, the Queen opted for a more mundane look. On the 2nd of April 2021 a photograph of Her Majesty and her eldest son (the Prince of Wales) was captured on an Easter stroll in the Frogmore Estate. In this photograph the Queen can be seen wearing a green overcoat and practical walking shoes. However, we were able to catch a glimpse of the Queen's fun and experimental side as, in order to tie the look together, the Queen accessorised her outfit with a printed silk headscarf.
In one of the Queen's last public engagements, the (Platinum Jubillie celebrating 70 years on the throne), the Queen stepped out onto the Buckingham Palace balcony wearing a bright green wool-crêpe dress alongside a matching hat by Miller Rachel Trevor-Morgan. Standing next to her immediate family the Queen really stood out in her bright ensemble and was most certainly the forefront of this royal appearance.
Not only were the Queen’s outfits iconic but they were also used as a matter of security. According to the historian Hugo Vickers, the Queen uses her handbag in order to pass messages to her security guards. For example, it is believed that if the Queen moves her handbag from one hand to the next it indicates that she wants to leave or that she will soon end her meeting. If her bag is placed on the table, it is believed that she wishes to end the event and return in the next five minutes and, if the bag is placed on the floor, it suggests that she wants to be immediately removed from the situation. It is also reported that, alongside her bag, the Queen has also been known to turn her ring when she wants to send a subtle message to her designated security guard.
Overall, the Queen redefined the royalist status-quo when it came to fashion. She was daring, adventurous, exuberant and expressive. This was also reflected in her personality- not only was the Queen interested in clothing but she was also, evidently, eager to express her own personality and values via her clothing. The Queen will be sorely missed both nationwide and internationally but her memory will live on forever in the hearts of many people.
Bethany Hutchison, Y13
