How do queens dress? Her Majesty's Coat. Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

Touching upon the topic of royal style in the UK, it is customary to mention the wife of Prince William Kate Middleton, or to remember the bright beauty, the Queen's sister, Princess Margaret. But the style of Elizabeth II herself was not always the way we know it now. In her youth, the queen looked no worse than the beauties of the "golden age of Hollywood"! We invite you to evaluate the outfits of young Elizabeth on your own.

Restrained shades

Young Elizabeth never chased trends. While her little sister was simply obsessed with fashion and the desire to attract attention, the future queen preferred the proven classics. Perhaps this was not dictated by personal taste: Elizabeth was preparing for the role of queen, so she strictly adhered to the protocol and tried her best to comply. For balls, the girl chose light flowing fabrics, for official visits - discreet tweed suits.

The favorite shades of the future queen were violet and pale pink, but in her youth she rarely allowed herself to wear colors so bright for a royal person. But now, as we know, Elizabeth has fulfilled her need for bright colors!

wedding dress

The wedding dress of Elizabeth II is a real work of art! Delicate, but incredibly luxurious dress in the spirit of Botticelli has become one of the most beautiful wedding dresses in history. And this is taking into account the fact that the wedding of the future queen came at a rather difficult time for Great Britain: the country, weakened by the war, experienced a shortage, which also affected the royal family.

The wedding dress, in a rare peach shade, was made from Chinese silk by designer Norman Hartnell. The fabric was generously embroidered with pearls, and the four-meter veil was decorated with spring flower buds. The fashion designer kept the design of the dress a secret for a long time, repeating to Elizabeth that it would be his best work.

Formal Dresses

Norman Hartnell was a court tailor for a long time. The best formal dresses of Elizabeth II were created by his hands.

Coronation dress.

Luxurious beige dress for the coronation of the couturier was decorated with symbolic embroidery: rose of England, thistle of Scotland, shamrock of Northern Ireland and Welsh daffodil.

Coronation dress, 1952

Dress for an official visit to the USA.

In 1957, United States President David Eisenhower invited the Queen to visit the White House. For the visit, the court tailor made a pale green gown with a crinoline. An outfit made of lace, silk and chiffon was decorated with many rhinestones, pearls, beads and even diamonds. The Queen wore it with a fur cape.

Elizabeth II style now

The modern wardrobe of the queen is not distinguished by a variety of styles. The woman strictly adheres to the formed personal style: conservative dresses, classic coats, tweed suits, intricate matching hats, white gloves, laconic shoes. The only thing that compensates for the monotony of the cut is the unexpectedly bright shades of things from the royal wardrobe.

Elizabeth II is personally involved in the development of sketches of her outfits. Royal tailors note that the woman is very fastidious, but her remarks are always well-aimed and accurate.

Queen regnant of Great Britain Elizabeth Alexandra Mary, or Elizabeth II, - a person who has attracted attention over the past 60 years. 86-year-old Lilibet, as the royal person is called exclusively by family members, demonstrates to the whole world an amazing love of life, fortitude, a sense of humor and, of course, a reverent attitude and utmost attention to the changing fashion industry. Throughout her reign, fashion critics have never accused Elizabeth of bad taste, accompanying her every appearance with rave reviews. So what's the secret to this 86-year-old fashionista's style? website prepared a review of the Queen's best outfits - from the moment of her coronation to the last Olympic Games in London in 2012.

Princess Lilibet. 40s

Surprisingly, almost all her life, Elizabeth was haunted by the assertion that she was allegedly completely uninterested in fashion. The governess of the young Lilibet and her sister Margaret contributed to the spread of this myth. A woman named Marion Crawford in his book "Little Princesses" notes - the future queen never cared about her wardrobe and resignedly put on what she was told to wear. “Without any argument, without objection, Beth wore everything. Except, perhaps, a long gray mackintosh raincoat, she hated it, ”says Ms. Crawford.

However, fashion designers did not agree with the writer-governess. “The queen is not interested in high fashion,” said one of the most influential couturiers of the 60s. “But she is very interested in her own wardrobe.” Indeed, young Elizabeth was never a so-called victim of fashion, but she was not afraid to choose colors and styles on her own, she participated in the development of silhouettes for her future outfits, not being guided by the dictates of the catwalks.

Before her coronation in 1953, Elizabeth relied on light colors and flying textures for balls and discreet tweed suits for business trips and travels. Despite her innate love for bright colors and rich fabrics, the young heir to the throne was obliged to keep her face. White satin, dark swamp crepe, gray tweed were only occasionally replaced by light ones.

Elizabeth had a special love for silk and satin skirts with floral prints and flirty shirts with ¾ sleeves - in such sets as Dior New Look Beth attended dance balls and events for royal youth.

royal wedding

In 1947, Elizabeth married her chosen one, a 26-year-old British Navy officer. Philip Mountbatten. The bride's wedding dress is rightfully included in the list of the most famous and beautiful wedding dresses of the 20th century. Its creator Norman Hartnell became a tailor to the royal court - and a close friend of Elizabeth - in 1938. Hartnell began to work on the wedding dress, inspired by the canvases of Renaissance artists. Despite post-war shortages, more than ten thousand river pearls and ivory Scottish silk were delivered to England. Embroidery went all over the hem and bodice, and with every movement of Elizabeth, the dress came to life, shimmered and sparkled. The richness of the decor was combined with a rather modest and simple A-line cut; long sleeves, discreet neckline, crinoline - the classic and at the same time very modern dress of Elizabeth II still travels to museums around the world like.

Queen Elizabeth. 50s

27-year-old Elizabeth ascended the throne in 1953 - and nothing and no one prevented her from showing not only managerial talents, but great taste. The young queen continued her fashion collaboration with Norman Hartnell; The designer created his second famous creation for the coronation ceremony of Elizabeth. , sewn from heavy satin, differed from the wedding dress in a less restrained neckline and rich decor. Gold and emerald embroidery went all over the hem and bodice, the set was completed by long snow-white gloves and a diamond tiara. The magnificent ceremony was televised - the precedent provoked a wave of popularity to TV.

Immediately after the coronation, Elizabeth and her husband Philip went on a 6-month journey through the countries of the Commonwealth of the British nation. The newlyweds visited more than 20 countries, while Beth changed 100 suits (sewn for her by her favorite tailor Hartnell). During this period, the foundations of the Queen's unique style were formed - colored monochrome, elongated jackets and coats, various matching hats, discreet black low-heeled shoes with a blunt cape.

In the early years of Elizabeth's reign, she begins to collaborate with a designer Hardy Amis, which would dress the British royal family until his death in 2003. Amis designs unique coats, jackets and dresses for the young queen. “I think Hardy always saw in Liz the very beautiful young woman he started dressing in 1952.”, - said a colleague of the designer.

His signature style, which is still visible in Beth's outfits, is a restrained but sophisticated cut, sophistication and royal elegance.

In the 50s, Elizabeth's style was perfectly suited to her position - the position of a beautiful young queen. Balanced and elegant suits, evening sets, tight bodices and wide skirts, miniature hats and handbags. In Elizabeth's wardrobe - satin, tulle, fine white wool, a lot of embroidery, tiaras and brooches.

Queen Mother. 60s-70s

By the beginning of the new decade, Elizabeth already had three children - the eldest, Charles, her only daughter, Princess Anne, and Prince Andrew. Naturally, the number of tours and official receptions has decreased, and the style of the queen has also changed. The cinched waist gave way to a straight cut, Beth began to appear in sheath dresses and square coats, jacket sleeves were shortened, skirts were lengthened. , developed Simone Mirman, assistant Elsa Schiaparelli, were sewn without borders and resembled minimalistic turbans.

By the end of the 60s, the images of Elizabeth changed again. The change of landmarks is connected with the new fashion favorite Beth - he became the successor Norman Hartnell, designer Jan Thomas. Thomas closely followed the changes in the global fashion industry and caught the general trend towards more relaxed, soft, slightly casual looks. Since Elizabeth could not afford negligence, she relied on femininity, smooth cut lines, soft fabrics and textures.

At this time, pleated skirts, silk trousers, dresses with flared sleeves began to appear in Elizabeth's wardrobe. Love for dynamic colors manifested itself in full force: for official receptions, the queen chose bright yellow, coral, green sets.

Continuing to collect hats, in the 70s Beth chose wide-brimmed models that could completely hide the face of the royal person. Then the queen fell in love with pearl jewelry.

The era of change. 80s

It was during this decade that Queen Elizabeth honed her unique style and became the very “grandmother of the nation”, as the British now call her. Beth still enjoys showing off her gloved hands in short-sleeved dresses, likes to appear in front of photographers in trouser suits, is not afraid to look un-royal, in headscarves, glasses, without makeup.

More and more ladies' colors appear in the queen's wardrobe - scarlet,. Elizabeth wears jewelry with pleasure, and her milliner Freddie Fox persuades her to wear exquisite flowered hats.

Increasingly, Elizabeth appears in the world in plain tweed suits with a skirt; the canonical image of the queen - monochrome sets, a matching hat, neat clutch bags, a veil, shoes with steady heels.

Elizabeth's evening sets - floor-length dresses decorated with sparkling embroidery, fur coats and boas, tiaras and diamond necklaces.

Closer to the people. 90s

While the Western fashion world celebrates glitz and consumer culture, and glamor and glitz come to the fore, Elizabeth remembers her roots and increasingly appears in front of cameras of photographers dressed as a commoner. The Queen's anti-consumer lifestyle has fueled her rise in popularity, even though the 90s is recognized as an era dominated by Beth's sister-in-law, Lady Di.

Comfortable trouser suits, tweed skirts and vests, rough shoes and rubber boots, a scarf tied in the manner of the heroines of Russian folk tales. Nevertheless, numerous receptions, secular evenings and official exits dictate their own rules: Elizabeth appears in floor-length dresses made of heavy satin, silk and velvet. Almost all models are cut in a square U-silhouette, but especially the 60-year-old queen, who has not lost her harmony, and the corsets that she still wears.

Hats remain Beth's favorite accessory - fashion critics admire the Queen's milliners.

Canonical image. 2000s

For the past 20 years, Queen Elizabeth II has been exploiting the win-win image of an elegant and slightly eccentric lady. Its designers are Stuart Parvin And Angella Kelly, which neatly and at the same time boldly modify the style of the aging Elizabeth.

The main fashion tool is an uncompromising color - the Queen of Great Britain is not afraid to dress up in bright turquoise dresses, coats with gold and raspberry prints, she actively uses, and pale lilac. It seems that the older Beth, the less classic shades and tones in her wardrobe; over the past 10 years, fashion critics have not been able to remember a single black or gray appearance of Elizabeth.

Especially memorable were several appearances of the queen in public. In 2004, at the parade in honor of the armed forces of Great Britain, Elizabeth appeared before her subjects in a monochrome suit, the set was made in fabrics of different textures. The image was complemented by an obvious hat with a bow and a triple string of pearls.

In 2007, at the ceremony of commemoration of the fallen in the war, Elizabeth II appeared in, set off the image of a scarf to match. But, perhaps, the loudest was the exit of Elizabeth on the day of the wedding of her grandson. Prince William And Kate Middleton. For the wedding celebration, the queen chose a deaf sheath dress in soft canary color with an elegant matching hat, decorated with a floral arrangement.

Now the style of Elizabeth II is unambiguous and conservative - these are plain (but always bright) sets, complemented by discreet shoes and a neutral handbag, elegant short gloves and discreet jewelry. It is amazing how, acting within such narrow limits, the 86-year-old queen manages to surprise the public and critics with exceptional outfits, which, by the way, are copied by many royal persons around the world. Among the admirers of Elizabeth II and her unique images are the Queen of Thailand and the Duchess Cambridge Kate Middleton(who is already called Beth's granddaughter).

Over the past 20 years, Elizabeth has mastered the difficult art of combining shades to perfection. The details of her monochrome sets echo at the midtone level, always creating perfect color combinations. And speaking of the uniqueness of the Queen's style, this would be the first and most significant element in a long list.

fashion tips. Style lessons from Elizabeth II

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It is only in fairy tales and cartoons that princesses always walk in puffy dresses with crinolines and a crown on their heads. Modern princesses wear jeans, sweaters and blazers, follow fashion, have impeccable taste and know how to stylishly combine things with each other. All of the above translates them into the category of style icons, and modern monarchs, of course, have a lot to learn.

website talks about the 10 most stylish crowned ladies in the world and their fashion lessons.

Queen Letizia of Spain

Queen Leticia wears both designer outfits and budget brands with the same chic. She also likes to break the rules and sometimes chooses heels a couple of centimeters higher than court etiquette prescribes, and skirts, on the contrary, are shorter. But this does not prevent her from being the favorite of her subjects and an example to follow.

• What can be learned? Dress from head to toe in red and look very impressive and at the same time not vulgar and dilute strict images with stylish accessories.

Princess Dina al-Juhani Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia

Dina is a frequenter of world fashion weeks and sits at the shows in the honorary front rows. She is one of the 500 people shaping the global fashion industry by The Business of Fashion. She was the editor-in-chief of Vogue Arabia magazine. By the standards of the East, Dina dresses quite frankly - she is characterized by bizarre silhouettes, a short haircut and bright makeup. At the same time, Dina, of course, will never be seen in mini or dresses with a neckline.

• What can be learned? Feel free to combine things of several bright colors in one image, fit current trends and things of complex silhouettes into your wardrobe.

Charlene, Princess of Monaco

Princess Charlene, a former professional swimmer, dresses in a modern and tasteful way, often opting for laconic straight-cut outfits. This silhouette helps her hide her “sporty shoulders” and always look incredibly feminine.

• What can be learned? Wear stylish monochrome trouser suits and feminine sheath dresses.

Meghan, Duchess of Sussex

Since the announcement of her engagement to Prince Harry, Meghan hasn't gone unnoticed. She is a role model for millions of girls, it is no coincidence that the coat of the Canadian brand, in which the future duchess appeared at the engagement, was sold out in a matter of hours. We will watch with interest the evolution of Meghan's style, which has just entered the royal family, on which protocol specialists and stylists are working.

• What can be learned? Wear simple cut basic colors: white, black, shades of beige and brown. And skillfully combine them with each other.

Rania Al Abdullah, Queen of Jordan

Queen Rania became one of the first wives of Eastern rulers who refused to wear the hijab. In her style, she manages to harmoniously combine Muslim traditions and European fashion trends. The basis of Rania's wardrobe is skirts, trousers, blouses and blazers, and in everyday life, the Queen of Jordan wears jeans with pleasure. And her every look is invariably complemented by high-heeled shoes.

• What can be learned? Dilute the classics with current trends and look spectacular in such seemingly boring “office” things as blouses with skirts.

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands

Emphasized femininity is, perhaps, the main strong point of a native of sultry Argentina, Queen Maxima. In addition, she complements almost all her looks, even the most strict and official ones, with catchy and large jewelry and accessories.

• What can be learned? Use bright and noticeable details and decorations in your images.

Charlotte Casiraghi

Charlotte is the granddaughter of the legendary Grace Kelly and is 11th in line to the throne of Monaco. The girl is educated, good-looking and has a distinctive style. Charlotte cannot be called a fashionista - she does not so much follow fashion trends as she creates them. Her photos often adorn fashion magazines, and she has repeatedly become the face of various designer brands.

• What can be learned? Create your own style and skillfully weave current trends into it.

Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge

On the birthday of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain, we consider how she dresses

Perfect fit

The outfits of Elizabeth II are traditionally taken care of by a personal tailor. In the 1940s and 1950s, Norman Hartnell sewed the princess's wardrobe - at that time she appeared in public in dresses with puffy skirts made of duchess satin or silk. The design of her ivory wedding dress with silver threads, as well as the design of the coronation dress, is also by Hartnell. For the next decade, Hardy Amis sews for the Queen. It was he who brought a sense of lightness to the queen's outfits - they appeared a lot of lace, flowing fabrics and complex cuts.

Since the 1970s Ian Thomas, Maureen Rose, John Anderson, Carl Ludwig Rese and Stuart Parvin have been sewing for the Queen. In 2002, Angela Kelly, Her Majesty's current dressmaker, became the latter's assistant.

For each dress, Angela creates four sketches, of which Elizabeth approves one. Then a team of 12 people begins to work on the future costume. Designers pay special attention to details: when choosing fabrics and finishes, they take into account, for example, whether the queen will sit in this dress for a long time, with whom she will communicate, in what conditions, etc.

The ideal outfit for a queen is a sheath dress just below the knee with a jacket, three-quarter sleeves and no deep cuts.

Color

Royal clothes, of course, differ from ordinary ones, primarily in color. For example, in black, the British monarch can only appear during mourning. This tradition began during the Second World War, when the Queen Mother chose colored outfits to add joy and optimism to the British.

When choosing a color for a dress, the Queen's dresser takes into account how it suits Elizabeth II herself, how much it makes her visible and in harmony with the event at which Her Majesty will appear. Most often for special occasions, she chooses red, white and gold.

In addition, the Queen's personal cloakroom attendants maintain a detailed catalog of the looks used. Repetitions in colors and materials in the outfits of Elizabeth II are avoided for several months.

Shoes

According to the protocol, shoes should be inconspicuous, classic with a closed toe. There are no high stilettos in the Queen's wardrobe - only Kate Middleton sometimes allows herself such liberties. Elizabeth II, meanwhile, prefers classic pumps with thick heels five centimeters high or brogues without heels.

Gloves, bags and umbrellas

According to the rules of etiquette during the day, short silk, cloth or kid gloves can be worn with a coat or jacket. Gloves made of more refined fabrics are suitable for an evening dress, and the shorter the sleeve of the dress, the longer the gloves, and vice versa. The bag should be small in size so as not to take up both hands - Elizabeth prefers bags of the Diva or Traviata model from the Launer brand. Since 1968, the company has provided the Queen with four new handbags each year, made especially for her. And Her Majesty's umbrellas are always transparent, so that subjects can see the Queen's face, even when she is hiding from the rain.

Hats

If the Queen of Britain shows a certain courage in choosing the color and style of costumes, then with regard to headdresses she is much more conservative: her hats certainly have not too wide brim, crowns of medium height and moderate decor.

Royal wedding dresses somehow become part of history. The dress, in which at that time only the future Queen of Great Britain Elizabeth II walked to the altar, can be safely called one of the most significant outfits in the history of wedding fashion.

Wedding of the heir to the British throne, daughter of King George VI, the future queen, Elizabeth II and the Duke of Edinburgh Prince Philip took place on November 20, 1947. It was a difficult post-war time, and therefore the celebration was as magnificent as the royal family could afford at that time. Let's be honest, the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana, as well as Prince William and Kate Middleton were many times more luxurious. At the celebration of Elizabeth II and Philip, they tried to save on everything they could, and therefore the decor and floral design did not stand out in any way. But the wedding dress… It was truly royal!

1. The designer of the wedding dress of Elizabeth II was Norman Hartnell has been the official couturier of the royal family since 1938. After Hartnell created a collection of 30 dresses for the mother of Elizabeth, at that time still the Queen, the couturier became popular in high society. Dresses from Hartnell were worn by Vivien Leigh, Marlene Dietrich, Elizabeth Taylor, Gertrude Lawrence and many other celebrities. In addition to the wedding dress, the designer also created a coronation dress for Elizabeth II. And these two dresses have become the most outstanding in the history of the designer.

2. Hartnell looked for inspiration in painting. “I went around London museums, inspired by classical painting, and, fortunately, I found what I was looking for - a girl from a Botticelli painting in ivory silk flowing along her body, strewn with jasmine flowers, asparagus and tiny buds of white roses. I thought that all this flora on a modern dress can be recreated with the help of crystal beads and pearls., Hartnell wrote in his autobiography. He told the couturier about Flora's dress in the painting "Spring", which was painted by Botticelli in 1482.

3. In 1947, it was difficult to create a luxurious dress, even though it was a wedding dress for a princess. Since there was a card system in use in the country, Elizabeth was given an additional hundred cards for clothes.

4. To create an outfit exactly as the couturier intended it, it took more than ten thousand pearls. But since such a quantity of pearls could not be found in England, they were ordered from the USA. But because of silk, a scandal erupted in the newspapers: there were rumors that it was created with the help of "enemy silkworms" - Japanese or Italian. But the silkworms turned out to be Chinese, and the fabric itself was brought from Scotland. Elizabeth's grandmother Queen Mary of Teck advised the use of English satin, but the designer considered it too dense and shiny, although due to the hype, most likely, he regretted that he did not listen to the queen.

5. The result was an A-line wedding dress with a round neck, long sleeves and a skirt that created large folds. The ivory satin was embroidered with bouquets of orange blossom, jasmine and white rose of York, which were combined with ears of wheat, which symbolize fertility. Rich embroidery was created from pearls and rhinestones.

6. A 4-meter train of tulle descended from the shoulders of the bride, which was also decorated with embroidery.

7. The work took two months, 25 seamstresses and 10 embroiderers.

8. All employees of Hartnell gave a non-disclosure agreement about the wedding dress. The windows of the atelier were painted over with white paint, and hung from the inside with thick muslin. In the strictest secrecy, the dress of Elizabeth II was sewn. Journalists tried by any means to get at least some information, there were even attempts to bribe the employees of the studio, but no one agreed to this. The maximum that the reporter managed to capture was a huge box that was taken out to be sent to the palace the day before the wedding.

9. For 70 years, the dress has been repeatedly exhibited in museums. Under the weight of the embroidery, the thin silk that Hartnell had so desired became even thinner, and in some places even tore. The sleeves and skirt began to come off the corset, so the specialists had to work hard to keep the outfit. Last year, the wedding dress of Elizabeth II became one of the exhibits of the exhibition. "Modeling Reign: 90 Years of Style from the Royal Wardrobe", which took place at Buckingham Palace.

10. The wedding image of the bride was complemented by a 5-meter transparent tulle veil, satin shoes and mother's tiara, which broke in half in the hands of Elizabeth an hour before the celebration, and had to wait for the jeweler to fix everything.