Throughout the last 70 years, she has epitomized what it signifies to appear like a queen and become one of the top photographed ladies in history. It's neither bold or cutting edge, yet it's timeless.
Styled with a distinctive square handbag, a pearl-studded string, and an embellished brooch, her brilliantly coloured gowns and coats have made her an overnight fashion icon. It may sound basic, but the Queen's approach has proven to be a potent formula over the decades.
For seven decades, she's worked closely with designers and stylists who have helped her improve her signature style. Historian Michael Pick claims that the Queen has seemed to have a very specific vision of her physical appearance. No one has ever believed her when they said she had no sense of style when it comes to clothing. Pick describes her as "extremely observant about what suits her."
Norman Hartnell, a designer who worked with the Queen Mother while she was in her 20s, was an important part of Princess Elizabeth's life. French couture-inspired full-skirted dresses with nipped waists were worn with white fur scarves and diamond tiaras.
After becoming Queen Elizabeth II, Hartnell assisted her in donning an array of elaborately beaded, seed pearl, and crystal-encrusted tutus for official state banquets as well as official royal travels around the country. Hartnell also designed her wedding gown and the gown she wore to her coronation, which were both monumental events in her life. He refers to it as a team effort. Her coronation gown was a combination of eight different Hartnell designs that she incorporated into her own design. In addition to confidence, operating with the same people for the Queen was a must. Hartnell possessed the largest fashion house in London and the largest embroidered workroom, which meant he had the resources to create and produce exactly what the Queen required.
In spite of this, she had to enlist the help of designer Hardy Amies, starting with a closet of outfits for a 1951 Canadian tour. Amies steered the Queen toward a more fitted day appearance and a more refined evening style. In the 1970s and 1980s, Ian Thomas brought her into the world of vivid chiffon, flowery designs, and bows.
Angela Kelly, her personal dresser, has been leading a small team of roughly 10 people for the past 24 years, designing and producing her costumes in-house. Before the pandemic, the Queen attended more than 300 engagements a year, wearing custom-made clothing. 'It's a lot of work,' Pick admits. Your king or queen should never be seen in an outfit from another person's closet." The public has a different idea of what they want.
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