Princess Diana loved to play up her striking blue eyes with makeup and for the longest time was hardly ever seen without her signature blue eyeliner. But it then gave way to a different set of hues – beiges and browns, while the princess took more risks with her fashion choices.
With a storied penchant for tailored designs, unexpected shapes, and bold, often contrasting prints, the people’s princess made her mark on the industry, championing young designers in Britain
Though her legacy extends far beyond fashion, Princess Diana is arguably the greatest fashion icon of the 20th century. In celebration of the fourth season of The Crown, we visit her most memorable something blue looks to make a tribute to her signature blue eyeliner and highlight her impeccable style.
February 24, 1981
In a royal blue skirt suit with a white pussy-bow blouse holding a black clutch at Buckingham Palace the day her engagement to Prince Charles was announced.
While it’s one of the late royal’s most memorable outfits now, it had been hurriedly bought off-the-rack at Harrods ahead of announcement.
The 19-year-old had found herself in the London department store after having a Pretty Woman moment in a fancy boutique favoured by the royals.
June 23, 1981
Shortly before their wedding, the couple attended the Royal Academy’s midsummer party. Lady Diana wore a blue sequin dress. ‘Each time she or Prince Charles leant forward to examine a Ruskin Spear, the crowd leant forward too’, Bystander reported at the time. Such was the force of Lady Diana’s polite upstaging of literally everyone else there.
November 4, 1981
It was a genuinely princess moment! The newly crowned Diana Princess of Wales slipped into her new fairytale digs, including the full-skirted, iridescent Bellville Sassoon and matching choker to attend the “Splendours of the Gonzaga” exhibition at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.
Princess Diana fell asleep during this event, which gave her the nickname “Sleeping Beauty”. It was later revealed that her tiredness was due to pregnancy and illness.
November 5, 1981
In a fringe detailed coat, a mini royal-blue bowler hat with a veil and matching shoes while visting the Guildhall in London after announcing her pregnancy with Prince William.
November 9, 1982
The princess showed off her sartorial prowess in this artsy frock by Bruce Oldfield while arriving to the Guildhall in London to see a fashion show. Between its off-the-shoulder neckline, head-turning print, and floor-skimming silhouette, it was plenty avant-garde, unlocking a new level in Diana’s style journey.
December 15, 1982
Diana wore a suit by Caroline Charles and a John Boyd hat with a veil and statement plume to visit the University College Hospital in London.
June 18, 1983
Attending a dinner in New Brunswick, Canada. Princess Diana paired the family jewels – the Diamond Spencer Tiara with a ruffled Bruce Oldfield frock that came complete with a tiered bottom and ruffled sleeves, a metallic belt, and clutch.
February 15, 1984
Days before Buckingham Palace confirmed that the Princess of Wales was expecting her second child, she embarked on her first solo tour, to Norway.
The day after the Wales’ happy news was announced, Diana visited the Jaguar car factory in Coventry. She covered any hint of a burgeoning bump with posies of flowers, choosing a coat by Catherine Walker and a a cornflower-blue John Boyd hat with vibrant plume detailing.
June 11, 1984
Pregnant with Prince Harry and wearing a baby blue satin Catherine Walker gown at the premiere of Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom at Leicester Square.
April 9, 1985
The Prince and Princess of Wales visit Hereford to attend the launch of the cathedral’s £1 million restoration appeal. Then the streets were lined with wellwishers, creating a carnival atmosphere for the Prince and Princess of Wales, then at the height of their popularity as a glamorous royal couple. Diana was wearing an electric blue wool three quarter length coat suit by Bellville Sassoon with matching hat and a patent-leather clutch. They were presented with a baby rabbit at the end of their visit as an Easter present for Prince Harry.
April 23, 1985
Princess Diana in her blue-and-black dance dress by Jacques Azagury worn for a dinner given by the Mayor of Florence, during the Royal Tour of Italy.
November 11, 1985
In a blue dress and hat with a poppy designed by Bruce Oldfield at Arlington National Cemetery on Armistice Day in Washington, D.C.
May 12, 1986
Princess Diana wore her stunning sapphire blue silk gown by Yuki and a sapphire blue diamond headband for dinner with Emperor Hirohito in Japan.
Yuki Torimaru may not be as familiar as Zandra Rhodes or John Galliano, but since he settled in London in 1959 he has made a discreet and powerful influence on high-end couture – even having a retrospective at the V&A in 1973. And Diana asked him to do a few sketches for her upcoming trip to Japan.
The royal blue silk with uncrushable fortuny pleats made a bold statement as she stepped out of the car that evening. And her sapphir headband at the time created a fashion stir in the media and fashion world.
August 1, 1986
In a blue dress and white jacket while visiting Tildworth, Hampshire to present new colours to the Royal Hampshire Regiment of which she is Colonel-in-Chief .
November 14, 1986
During a official visit to Qatar, during the Royal Tour of the Gulf States, Diana wore an ice-blue chiffon and lace evening dress by Catherine Walker with demi-train and two trailing ties tied at the back, ruching at the hips, a high neck and long sleeves. The dress was elaborately beaded and embroidered. The dress was auctioned for charity in 1997 and raised $36,800.
April 19, 1987
For her appearance at the Easter Sunday service at St George’s Chapel, Diana wore an elegant pale blue coat with white piping and statement buttons by her friend and favorite designer, Catherine Walker. To match her, Diana dressed four-year-old William in a coat of the same color with white piping and a peter pan collar.
May 15, 1987
Diana graced Cannes film festival’s famous La Croisette red carpet. Her choice of dress for the occasion has gone down in the annals of fashion history as one of her greatest: a strapless icy, powder-blue, diaphanous tulle gown by her frequent collaborator, Catherine Walker, featuring a chic scarf that she tied behind her so that it flowed as a train. She accessorised with flat baby blue shoes, aquamarine and diamond chandelier earrings and matching bracelet.
December 16, 1987
In a navy blue dress by Murray Arbeid at the Royal Opera House in London.
Murray Arbeid designed strapless, midnight blue gown. The skirt is made of tulle and lined with purple silk. The entire gown is decorated with daimanté stars.
May 2, 1988
As true true people’s princess, Diana made blue jeans high fashion. With a little help from some mid-calf boots, a smart blazer, and a slouchy sweatshirt, Diana was able to take denim to new heights while hitting up the Guards Polo Club. The Princess is casually dressed in a sweatshirt with the British Lung Foundation logo on the front of her t- shirt.
January 12, 1989
In a gown by Catherine Walker and sparkling jewels while attending Romeo and Juliet at the Royal Opera House in London.
March 17, 1989
In what became another iconic image of the Princess, after pairing a white and blue Catherine Walker suit and a Philip Somerville turban hat, Diana wowed during her official tour of the Gulf States in Dubai, United Arab Emirates.
May 1989
In a sea-green sequinned evening gown by Catherine Walker at a charity event at Osterley House, Middlesex.
Princess Diana trusted her designer so much that on this occasion she didn’t even ask to see provisional sketches but just asked her to select and make the dresses on her behalf.
The sparkling dress was one of the Princess of Wales’ wardrobe staples during the 1980s.
September 18, 1989
In a gingham blazer and navy skirt, pumps, and hat while attending a memorial service at Southwark Cathedral for the victims of the Marchioness disaster.
May 10, 1990
In a white-and-navy dress during an official 4 day visit to Hungary.
After the couple landed at Budapest Airport, they were greeted with a luxurious dinner party at the Parliament. During their four-day visit, Diana and Prince Charles visited the Great Market Hall, the Fisherman’s Bastion, visited Bugac, and even tasted pálinka. Diana and Charles even hopped on Budapest’s most famous tram line 2 and enjoyed the beautiful view of the Hungarian capital while travelling on the iconic yellow vehicle. Two years later, Princess Diana visited Hungary again – this time alone – and accompanied the British Ballet Association.
May 15, 1992
In a blue and white suit designed by Catherine Walker and a matching hat by Philip Somerville while visiting the Heliopolis War Cemetery in Cairo where she looked at the Commonwealth war graves.
January 30, 1995
Diana was a vision in her signature royal blue hue and a slicked-back ‘do while attending the Council of Fashion Designers of America Gala Ball in New York.f
February 8, 1995
Princess Diana at The Red Cross Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan. The Princess was wearing a blue short dress with a matching long jacket with a velvet collar and cuffs.
September 5, 1995
For Prince Williams’s first day at Eton College in Windsor, Princess Diana wore a simple black dress, adding a pop of color with a double-breasted cerulean jacket.
May 2, 1996
Diana wore a floor-length, blue, one shoulder dress paired with matching clutch and heels to the The Victor Chang Research Institute Dinner Dance, during her visit to Sydney, Australia.
Following what would be her last visit to Australia in 1996, Princess Diana raved about the country to her then 14-year old son, William. “I remember my mother telling me what a profound impression this country had made on her,” said the prince during an Antipodes tour in 2010, “and how much she loved Australia.”
February 12, 1997
In a lace blue Catherine Walker dress at the premiere of In Love and War at The Empire in Leicester Square in aid of The British Red Cross anti-personnel mines campaign.
March 9, 1997
In a light blue blazer, skirt and hat with nude pumps at St. George’s Chapel in Windsor, United Kingdom with Prince William.
June 2, 1997
At the Christie’s AIDS Crisis Trust and the Royal Marsden Hospital Cancer Fund event in London, Diana looked charming in a light blue dress by Catherine Walker complete with floral designs.
June 3, 1997
One of Princess Diana’s last public appearances before her tragic death in 1997 was to see Swan Lake at the Royal Albert Hall in June. The necklace she wore for the performance, since nicknamed the ‘Swan Lake Suite Necklace’ and made of 178 diamonds and pearls, became iconic.
She paired the incredible jewelry with a sky-blue sequin cocktail mini with a square neck line holding a metallic purse.
