Queen Elizabeth II…. 90 Years Fashioning a Reign

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This year Queen Elizabeth II (aka Gan-Gan to Prince George), celebrated her 90th birthday on April 21 but, she also has an official birthday in June and… it’s this weekend! We’re predicting a blowout as we celebrate the life of THE most famous monarch in the world but, before we prepare to get tipsy, let’s take a look at how she celebrated and her amazing style file.

Queen Elizabeth II : A Fashion Lesson

Much of HRH’s public life has been bound up in careful consideration of her sartorial choices. Her decision over the years have always been focused on her widely known stance that the public should be able to see her, without being distracted by her chosen form of attire. We’ve seen uproar that Catherine Middleton causes (with even the simplest of outfits) so her obligating herself to wearing eyebrow-raising proof outfits seems like a sensible idea.

A fan of the rouge.

So how exactly has Queen Elizabeth II harnessed her style over the years? Well, at the heart of her attitude is a distinct lack of vanity. One would expect that a lady as attractive and well-heeled as HRH would have developed an acute level of vanity but she is never spotted admiring herself. We also get the impression that she sports all those drool worthy jewels out of duty rather than any desire to show off.  Her love of red lipstick is noteworthy however, and she’s always been partial to a bit of rouge – throughout her life.

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Making her way.

Once into her reign, an autarchic sense of spirit has also been reflected in her choice of dress and it’s always spot on with the mood of the generation at the time. Both Queen Elizabeth II and her mother were dressed by the same couturier and allowing for this fact, we’d have expected to see the young monarch using the same formula of floaty dresses merged with the theatrical elements her mother was known for. Her dressmaker’s biographer confirmed however, that Elizabeth was quick to mark her ground, opting for softer hues and steering away from the garish colours her mother was associated with.

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the sleek lines of the young Queen’s wardrobe differed from her mother’s established look.

A focus on diplomacy.

Diplomacy and boo-boo proof attire is etched into the royal wardrobe – it’s all in the finer details and we can pinpoint many occasions where embroidery has been used to draw attention to the relationship between the sovereign and other nations. Detail is key and embroidery in particular has been consistently used. At her coronation, for example, her robe featured the British and Commonwealth emblems and when she visited Ireland in 2011, her dress for the state banquet boasted more than 2,000 hand-sewn shamrocks. More recently, we witnessed her wearing a stunning rose-pink gown for her entrance at the 2012 Olympics. Many think that this was a carefully choice of colour as pink was not strongly associated with any of the participating countries. queen-elizabeth-90-brithday-21
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Back to basics.

Looking at a sweep of HRH’s fashion choices, it’s her current phase that tells the most. Although she’s yet to be seen with a walking stick (or abdicate), it’s clear she’s easing into her later years with a style that’s more relaxed and suited to country life – cue the headscarf, wellies and seeing more of her smile. queen-elizabeth-90-birthday-101
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Image credits: theguardian.com/pinterest.com

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