The Makeover Years
The 90s saw a shift from the bold, brash loo ks of 80s power dre ssing and glitz to a par red down, understated aes sthetic. Designers suc ch as Armani took a min nimal approach, fav vouring a neutral col our palette and leaner silh houette, softly tai lored, fuss-free and ab bly modelled by “SSupers” Cindy, Naomi, Lin nda and Christy with th eir tall, athletic fra ames. Even showy ce elebrities went lo w-key, and by the end of f the decade, the mood m for dressed-down au uthenticity had found u ltimate expression in th he lived-in looks of grunge g and so-called “heroin chic”.
Such fashion trends were w appropriate for a t ime of recession, civil unrest u and war. The Queen Q faced personal challenges: her annus a horribilis in 1992 with marriage breakdowns for Anne, Andrew and Charles, and a devastating fire at Windsor Castle. C In 1997, while the Spice Girls waved a patriotic flag, the Queen saw her nation divide as Wales and Scotland chose devolution and her own popularity plummet following Diana’s death.
Small wonder if her wardrobe was the least of the Queen’s concerns at this time. However, while anyone can become stuck in a fashion rut, the Queen’s position demands highoctane style. New Dresser Angela Kelly (appointed in 1993) identified a need for a more glamorous image with a bolder style and more flattering cuts. “I could not help thinking that the Queen’s style needed to change quickly, before she was made to look older than she was,” she explained.
Kelly’s approach has included bringing in new designers such as Stewart Par vin while remaining respectful to the traditions of Hartnell and Amies. Notable triumphs included a glamorous Hardy Amies lilac gown with matching feathered headpiece by Frederick Fox worn to Edward and Sophie’s wedding ceremony in 1999, and a striking gold dress with sequinned, multi-coloured diamond patterned harlequin bodice worn the same year – pure theatre, and how her public loved it!
“I could not help thinking that the Queen’s style needed to change quickly”