Princess Diana was a fashion icon in the 80s and 90s, and her legacy lives on today with trends in 2021.
Though Princess Diana tragically died in 1997, her legacy lives on in many ways including her fashion. Besides her humanitarian efforts and fun-loving personality, she was the people’s princess because she was more bold and fun in her outfits than the royal standard. Here are some of her most iconic pieces, and how you can style them today.
Crewnecks and biker shorts
In the mid 90s, Diana’s go-to errand outfit was a crewneck sweatshirt paired with biker shorts, white crew socks and white sneakers. This outfit has become the go-to errand outfit in 2021 as well. Sophomore Shanoree Caldera rocks her version of the iconic look in a green crewneck and black biker shorts.
Ankle Socks
While Diana mostly wore her ankle socks with white sneakers, I can’t leave out this look complete with matching polka dotted skirt and socks. Today ankle socks are often worn with sneakers, but you can also try pairing them with loafers for a classier look.
Oversized blazers
While blazers are usually worn in a professional setting, Diana styled them in casual outfits. Additionally, she opted for a more masculine boxy cut instead of form fitting. In 2021, whether it is jeans, hoodies or t-shirts, oversized is the cut of choice for young people, so an oversized blazer will fit right in.
Puffy sleeves
As a princess, Diana frequently had events to dress up for. Many of her more dressy looks had puffy sleeves, including her wedding dress. Today, it is common to see a toned-down version of puffy sleeves on dresses or tops.
The “LBD” (Little Black Dress)
One of Diana’s most iconic moments was when she wore a little black dress to an event in 1994, two years after she and Charles had separated. The dress was a contrast to the normally conservative attire of the Royal family. It was nicknamed the “revenge dress” because that same day a TV special premiered in which Charles admitted to cheating on Diana by saying he was faithful to her “until it became irretrievably broken down, us both having tried.”
Some fans of Taylor Swift compared a dress she wore on the Seth Meyers show to Diana’s “revenge dress” because of the similar cut and the fact that Swift was after some revenge of her own. Her appearance on the show was to promote her album Red, which she was re-releasing due to a conflict with her music manager over the rights to the original recordings.
Mom Jeans
Diana is the queen of casual, so it’s no surprise that she has a multitude of jeans outfits. She favors the mom jean, which features a high waist and looser leg, making it a more relaxed fit. In 2021, dress mom jeans up with a pair of heels or down with sneakers.
Monochromatic
Many of Diana’s event looks were monochromatic from head to toe, and this is still a statement look today. This season, many stores are selling monochromatic sweat sets, which is a way to stay comfy while looking stylish.
The easiest way to get out of a style rut is to take inspiration from the past. If you love the style of the 80s and 90s, Princess Diana’s outfits are a great place to start. Since these styles have been popular in the last few years there are also a multitude of examples of how to take the same idea but bring it up to date. This can be done with any era—simply pick your favorite decade of fashion and a style icon, and you are set to bring some spice into your wardrobe.
