We knew Princess Diana was a style icon, but we underestimated exactly what she could make look fashionable. While 2022 may be the year of coastal grandmother and Barbiecore, in 1991, Diana was pioneering the “nurse chic” look. Behold:
news
Listen, Princess Diana Basically Invented the Nurse Chic Look Back in 1991
In October 1991, the Princess of Wales was photographed with sons William and Harry (who were about 9 and 7 years old at the time) leaving a church service at St. James Cathedral in Toronto, Canada. She wore a tailored white suit jacket with a matching knee-length skirt. The jacket was accentuated with thick red piping, and Lady Di wore patent red pumps to match.
Of course, the outfit itself wouldn’t draw so much attention if it weren’t for that bold hat, which is giving equal parts nurse’s cap and sailor chic.
But it wasn’t the only time she wore this outfit. Diana was seen in a royal outfit repeat later that year, wearing the same white-and-red power suit while in Brussels, Belgium, in December. The only difference? She lost the cap.
We can’t say “nurse chic” caught on quite like Diana’s other iconic outfits (hello, sheep sweater and bike shorts), but it’s probably for the best. Though she pulled it off, we would look ridiculous it that hat.
Why You Should Trust Us
PureWow's editors and writers have spent more than a decade shopping online, digging through sales and putting our home goods, beauty finds, wellness picks and more through the wringer—all to help you determine which are actually worth your hard-earned cash. From our PureWow100 series (where we rank items on a 100-point scale) to our painstakingly curated lists of fashion, beauty, cooking, home and family picks, you can trust that our recommendations have been thoroughly vetted for function, aesthetics and innovation. Whether you're looking for travel-size hair dryers you can take on-the-go or women’s walking shoes that won’t hurt your feet, we’ve got you covered.