Unfortunately, Queen Elizabeth II died last night at the age of 96. Both Britain and the world mourn the loss of one of the most beloved rulers in all of history. Only Louis XIV reigned longer than Elizabeth II – 72 years. Aside from her politics and demeanor, the Queen of the United Kingdom was also known for her iconic style and clothes. We will always associate the hats and costumes in strong colors with the Queen’s styling. In the following article you can find out why exactly Queen Elizabeth II wore clothes in such colors and what meaning did her bag actually have.
The Queen was known and loved for her brightly colored costumes
Queen Elizabeth II Style: Outstanding and Unique
The Queen’s wardrobe is anything but monotonous or boring. Elizabeth II wore suits and coats in colors such as pink, lilac, violet, sky blue or lemon yellow to every occasion and meeting. And of course that is not without reason. According to royal expert Daisy McAndrew, the Queen once said “One has to be seen to believe”. That’s why she chose clothes and colors that make her stand out. Elizabeth II has never been very tall (around 160cm), so bright colors such as yellow, fuchsia, violet and periwinkle purple make her easier to spot in large crowds.
The brooch and pearl necklace were always there, too
There is a real art to dressing one of the most photographed women in history. During her 70-year reign, the Queen has garnered a legion of staff, but few have been given the task of royal tailor. Norman Hartnell was the fashion designer hired in 1947 to design the princess’s wedding dress. It is beaded with pearls and crystals and has a 4 meter long train. Five years later, in 1953, Hartnell also cut Elizabeth II’s coronation gown.
Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip at their wedding in 1947
An interesting detail: the choice of model and color of the costumes was always adapted to the occasion. The weather forecast has always played an important role. To avoid the “Marilyn Monroe” effect, fine lead strips were sewn into the hems of the dress or skirt.
Elizabeth II at her coronation ceremony on June 2, 1953
All clothes, coats and costumes are organized and planned with special attention and care by the dressers. Designer and Queen Elizabeth’s fashion adviser Angela Kelly has also previously revealed that she’s always “taking the demeanor” of the lightweight, soft fabrics. Sometimes she also turned on a fan to see how they behave in a breeze. Each look is usually completed with a three strand pearl necklace and glamorous brooch.
The pearl necklace she often wears was a gift from her father, George VI.
#The details of the Queen’s wardrobe: the gloves and the hats
When talking about Her Majesty’s fashion and attire, gloves must also be considered. They too were more than an accessory. In her lifetime, the queen has met thousands of people and shaken many slopes. She almost always wore gloves for safety reasons. She hasn’t experimented that much with the colors here. They were mostly black or white and made to order from cotton or nylon. In addition, they should not be shorter than 15 cm long.
She wore the gloves – white or black – more for safety reasons
As for the hats, it’s quite a large collection. The Queen has reportedly worn more than 5,000 hats in her lifetime! On unofficial occasions such as horseback riding or in her free time, she preferred a knotted silk headscarf.
Clothing in black is only worn in the castle for mourning
#Without blisters and foot pain: what little trick did Queen Elizabeth have to deal with it?
Everyone knows the agony of blisters when you put on new shoes for the first time. To avoid the uncomfortable feeling, the new shoe models were first broken in by a “dresser” with the same shoe size. As for the model itself, Her Majesty most often preferred comfortable black pumps with a heel no higher than 5 cm and small silver or gold details. Of course, each pair was also made to order, mostly in the London shoe workshop “Anello & Davide”. This guaranteed shoe comfort throughout the long day.
Queen Elizabeth II preferred simple models with rather low heels
#The handbag: An accessory with an unexpected purpose
As for her handbags, the Queen has not liked to experiment with the model, color or size. She had never worn hobo bags or clutches. Instead, she preferred a small, very simple model with handles that are relatively long but have no special details or design elements. A brand trusted you for this too: Launer London.
Even their umbrellas were matched with the colors of the costumes
But what is more interesting and exciting here is that the Queen used your bag to “communicate” with her staff. As the Queen casually drapes the bag over her left arm, she declares “Everything is fine”. However, if Elizabeth II dangles her handbag over her right arm or places it on the floor or table, it may be a sign that she is in an awkward situation or conversation from which she needs to be extricated.
Exactly what she was carrying in her purse no one knows for sure
What did the queen carry in her bag? To this day, no one knows for sure. Years ago, however, her chef revealed that the Queen liked to carry small biscuits in her pocket as emergency supplies.
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The Queen Elizabeth II and Kate Middleton at an event
