I’m deep into The Crown on Netflix, and through all the drama of season five’s goings-on (wiretapped phones! infidelity! tabloid tell-alls!) I can’t help but be ensorcelled by the costumes. Princess Diana’s wardrobe specifically—though the show depicts scenes circa 1991 to 1997—could be right at home in our closets today. In fact, the series’ Emmy-winning costume designer Amy Roberts told Vanity Fair “So many of the young group working on the film just loved the clothes.” Overall, Diana’s style is modest, classic and sophisticated, with a few wild prints and casual athleisure moments mixed in (note to self: baseball caps can be used to frustrate paparazzi). Here are our favorite elements of Diana’s style, as worn in The Crown by Elizabeth Debicki—and where to shop the look for yourself.
How to Copy ‘The Crown’s’ Retro Fashion to a T—Because I’m Absolutely Obsessed With It
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1. The Cropped Puffer Coat
Diana’s coat is slightly cropped and tossed on over high-waisted jeans. In the series, she’s being followed by someone unknown while sporting the look, but we’re seeing it as the throw-on-and-go outfit for cold mornings at the school drop-off.
Shop the Style: Banana Republic Factory short Hooded Puffer Jacket ($160; $80); Athleta Summit Down Jacket ($199; $136); Lacoste Puffer ($350)
2. The Floral Print Dress
A charming dress in a floral print for spring? Groundbreaking! But seriously, the happy print that Diana wears is so elegant without being boring. The graphic quality of the florals was a hallmark of the early ‘90s, and the vintage material that the costume designer sourced to make this dress had a special connection to Diana (get a hanky ready to listen to the touching story about the design told on the show’s Instagram).
Shop the Style: JS Collections Cecilia Sheath Dress ($288) ; TADASHI SHOJI Floral Sheath Dress ($328); Chiara Boni La Petite Robe Charisse Floral Cocktail Dress ($750)
3. The Colorful Blazer
Diana understood how telegenic a good jacket can be—especially when paired with a simple blouse or T-shirt underneath. In The Crown, she wears a bright blue blazer to see William off to Eton College, and it makes an outfit that’s classic but still feminine. Fast-forward to today: Colorful blazers and suits for women are having a moment, in the saturated shades of decades past.
Shop the Style: Niubia Open Front Blazer ($46); Bardot x Revolve Sandie Blazer ($139); Argent Single Button Stretch Wool Blazer ($395)
4. The Animal Print Shift Dress
Diana’s vacay fashion was a bit more relaxed and wild—for instance this digitized leopard print sundress is a bit slinkier than her daywear (not that Charles would notice, as we saw in this heated scene).
Shop the Style: ASOS Design Scoop Neck Trapeze Dress ($40; $10); Lea Leopard Jersey Tank Dress ($39) Michael Kors Collection Cheetah-Print Sheath ($1,670; $1,002)
5. The Revenge Dress
Much has been made of the off-the-shoulder black cocktail dress that Diana wore to a public event in London just after Charles admitted he’d been unfaithful…in an interview televised to all of Britain. Dubbed “the Revenge Dress,” this now-iconic look has key elements worth imitating: Bare shoulders, a body-hugging silhouette and a just-at-the-knee length. The key here is to look sexy without being vulgar, and fancy without seeming uncomfortable.
Shop the Style: Lulu’s Off-the-Shoulder Dress ($68); Dress the Population Baily Off the Shoulder Dress ($178; $133); Norma Kamali Walter Dress with Winglet Sleeves ($205)
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