The Queen embodies everything I believe in: her strength as a woman, her power, her leadership and her impeccable fashion. My mother, a lover of anything royal, was the first woman to introduce and share with me her love for the Queen.
At a young age my Mother and I would watch the Queen on television programmes. I remember seeing her majesty for the first time thinking “Wow, the Queen is wearing bright colours, makeup and pearls. She looks amazing.” My Grandmother and other older people around me always said they were too old to wear brightly coloured clothes and makeup, something I never understood why. So seeing the Queen, it was like she broke all the rules. A breath of fresh air and a sense of I want to look like that when I reach that age! The Queen just oozes pure fabulousness and fierceness, breaking the traditional stereotype of you can’t wear or look a certain way when your older. When you do mature you don’t have to fall into the lifeless boring world of dull fashion.
Over the years the Queen hasn’t shown any signs of her fashion slowing down. Instead she has shown more consistency, carrying on with the bright colours. After all, who wants to blend into the background? Just because you’re older why should you wear more natural neutral colours?!
The Queen influences my style in many ways, from her younger self, to the present day. When the Queen was younger, her feminine dresses provided a silhouette girly and pretty. The present day Queen inspires me through her simpler, clean cut and structured outfits. I am not a bag person at all, but seeing the Queen hold her bag makes me want to run out and buy one! The Queen will forever and always be my favourite Fashion icon. – Harveen
The Queen: A leader, A ruler, A role model and A fashion icon.
Just how does Her Majesty carry out all these roles whilst serving us fierce chic and elegant timeless fashion? Her fashion appeals to anyone at any age, whether it be at the age of 18 with her pearls, or her younger self in feminine dresses, or being a young adult in her structured coats — a consistent fashion trend during winter. Even at a more mature age her trademark brightly coloured outfits, hats and Launer bag may provide you with major inspiration. If you’re finding it difficult to find similar pieces or want a more modern look, Dolce and Gabanna created an entire collection in 2008 inspired by the Queen from the tartan prints to silk scarves.
The Queen has proven how consistency is key with fashion and at the age of 90, being on the throne for 63 years never has Her Majesty stepped a foot out of place in the fashion world. Her trademark staples: the pearls, structure simple cut coats and outfits, white gloves and hats. All just embody her strength, her power and her leadership. Clothes are not only used as a form of fashion appeal but also expression and to portray an image, and this began with the coronation dress.
At the age of just 26 the Queen ascended to the throne, with designer Norman Hartnell assigned to design and create her coronation dress. After several months and eight draft designs later, a beautiful dress was created with the Queen’s vision of jewels from the all the common wealth countries. The simplicity of the cut and structure worked well with the heavy embroidery. Instead of relying on Hartnell to design a beautiful dress, the Queen got involved in the vision, and this was the start and the first time we can understand just how fashionable the Queen really is.
Normal Hartnell designed many other gowns for the Queen, from her wedding dress to evening dressings. For daytime attire Hardy Amies took care of the Queen, setting the foundations of what are now the Queen’s staples: structured clean cuts and bright colours. However, he never agreed with the paring of another staple item, the Launer black bag (which is actually custom made specially with a longer handle for hand shaking). This just screams how chic and fabulous her majesty really is. Royale, a preferred style, can set you back around £1,680.00. John Anderson and Ludwig Rehse also designed most of the Queens clothes.
The Queen’s style is truly fabulous and anyone at any age can take inspiration, not only serving as the ultimate work wardrobe but the most fashionable evening attire. The Queen is living proof that you can be fabulous, chic and elegant at any age. A real role model and a real style icon who makes conservative and age appropriate clothes appealing.
The Queen’s most fashionable moments.
1949- The Queen with her mother and sister looking chic in baby pink, a colour which is never outdated, a white/pale pink frilly blouse again a classic piece paired with a pink waist coat and pink A line skirt.
A skirt and top co-ord flattering the Queens figure and showing a silhouette through a tie waist. The simplicity of the cut and design makes the outfit beautiful and work well with the added accessories.
1956- The Queen wearing a long structured brown coat. This outfit is my favourite, as the queen is wearing a longline structure coat which is a big staple item during the winter months, with over more recent years becoming more popular.
1959- Wearing a lace dress in lemon with a matching tailored jacket. Lace is a big trend this year, and the structured jacket works well with the floaty dress. The sunglasses and hat just add to the outfit providing us with elegance and chic look.
1975- My favourite look from the Queen. The rich yellow colour works well against her skin and really stand out. A belt to outline her waist and create a silhouette and the pairing of the white accessories work well to bring out the white. The turban just ties the outfit together. The turban has recently been a style trend and a trend the queen had done back in 1975. In my opinion she got it so right with this outfit.
2016- The Queen’s 90th birthday wearing fuchsia which works well with her skin tone, her trademark black Launer bag, pearls and matching hat. At the age of 90 she looks fabulous showing us no matter the age it is not a barrier to fashion.