For years, the late Princess Diana and her daughters-in-law, the former Catherine Middleton and Meghan Markle, have been compared to each other. Why? Because their fashion choices are “similar”. Umm. There is no comparison between the three as they come from different periods. It would be like comparing Lady Gaga to Audrey Hepburn.
Diana was a fashion icon in the 80s and 90s. Her style was unlike anything seen before. She found ways to use jewelry in different ways without having to disassemble them. An iconic example is how she used an emerald choker as a headband.
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[Credit: Pinterest] Choker as a necklace -
[Credit: Showbiz Cheat Sheet] As a headband
As she grew into her role as the future queen consort she never became, Diana became more comfortable. In addition, she developed a style that women loved. Fast forward to the end of April 2011, when Catherine Middleton married Prince William. After stepping out of the car outside Westminster Abbey, the soon-to-be Duchess of Cambridge captivated the adoring crowds with her Alexander McQueen wedding dress, complete with Cartier Halo Tiara borrowed from Her Majesty the Queen.
Meghan Markle, on the other hand, claims that she loves fashion, but her clothing choices are not great. The recent trip to New York with the unkempt pantsuits that cost more than most people do in a year is an example. In addition, the Duchess of Sussex does not understand the term ‘fashion’ as her sister-in-law and their deceased mother-in-law do. She believes she is the ‘IT factor’ of fashion when almost everything she wears hangs out of her frame rather than sitting on her body. Moreover, it is not us who make the body ashamed. It’s an observation many people have had.
Diana: Fashion The Queen would have avoided
As she grew into her role as the wife of the future King of England, Diana’s fashion choices changed and changed into two categories; on guard as a royal and as an ordinary person in daily society. You wouldn’t see her in a ball gown while you dropped off her sons at school, would you?
Kinsey Schofield, the founder of ToDiForDaily.com, told us that Diana’s fashion choices were not always something Her Majesty the Queen would have worn. For example, when she was not at the gala for humanitarian reasons, she would be seen wearing clothes associated with American culture. Examples would be jumpers with the names of Northwestern University – which was the school Meghan would go to a few years after Diana’s passing – and Ivy League University, Havard.
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[Credit: Daily Express] -
[Credit: People Magazine]
Many of the choices Diana carried would not have suited Her Majesty the Queen. The Princess of Wales was not afraid to go out in what her gym shorts in public. You would never have captured her majesty when she was the same age.
Kinsey tells us that in the later years of Diana’s life, the former Princess of Wales would spend much of her time at lavish galas and banquets for her chosen charitable causes. In the end, this was met with spending large amounts of time in glamorous dresses.
Meghan: New Kid On The Fashion Block
When Meghan first joined the royal fold as Harry’s girlfriend, she was wearing a boyfriend shirt and skinny jeans. However, this is different from how Diana entered the scene almost forty years earlier. Kinsey says the former actress’ attire at the time was seen as “nice and relatable”. In recent times, however, her appearance in New York was to be perceived as “chic”, but instead it became “bossy”.
As Kinsey has rightly pointed out, Meghan’s love of Jackie O-style trousers and sunglasses sends a mood that she’s a woman who wants to be in politics. She also expresses the desire to be a serious decision maker.
However, Meghan’s time as royalty, Kinsey notes, was uncomfortable for the former actress. She did not seem to fit the fascinating cape hats and dresses she wore. In other words, she looked like an actress who played the role of royalty rather than being one. The Duchess of Sussex also seemed more confident in the already mentioned trouser suits and turtleneck jumpers.
Kinsey admits that Meghan’s Californian girl style with the need to “chase red carpets and develop relationships with fashion designers” could be considered “trendy”.
Catherine: The Duchess of the class
We left our beloved Catherine to last because she is simply a class act. Like her late mother-in-law, the Duchess of Cambridge basically grew up around the royal family. Kinsey notes that the upcoming Queen Consort is not dressing the way Diana did. She prefers a more casual look if the tabloid press turns her outfit choice as something that goes behind the scenes. In essence, if she were to go out in black, the media would find out that there are problems in paradise.
Catherine is also very aware of her situation as the wife and mother of future kings. She knows that her wardrobe choice reflects the reception it gives the royal family. Moreover, she and William are the future of the monarchy, and she is aware of this. She does not have to send a message to her bitter sister-in-law via an incredible gold dress at the recent premiere Ribbon movie.
That’s not Catherine’s style. What’s more, she is understanding what her role is. Again, this is not about casting a shadow over Meghan. It’s about determining someone’s place in a hierarchy judging by their clothes. Again, this is not about embarrassing anyone. When it comes to the royal family, there is a pick order and one duchess knows their place while the other does not.
Expensive wardrobes vs. cheap wardrobes
To conclude this post, we would explore the wardrobes of the three royal ladies. However, we are not going to discuss what is inside their wardrobes. We will talk about the prices of their garments.
So let’s start with Catherine.
The Duchess of Cambridge is known for shopping in Zara and Topshop, according to Talia Lakritz from Insider. But when the occasion demands it, she will buy designer clothes. Alexander McQueen is one of her go-to designers, and so is Jenny Packham. Despite being royal, Catherine is a smart customer and does not have to dress in expensive clothes just to make a statement. She does not have to spend a quarter of a million pounds on an outfit.
By moving to Diana and L’Officiel, it is said that the late Princess of Wales was also a wise customer. She was a fan of luxury brands, Dior and Versace, but also wore everyday brands like Levi’s.
Finally we reach Meghan. From the moment she walked out of Saint George’s Chapel in Windsor as the Duchess of Sussex, her spending habits became quite strange, the prices of some of her clothes were conspicuous. One of the maternity dresses she wore in the later stages of her pregnancy with Archie cost over a hundred thousand pounds. What’s more, Francesca Wallace reported to Marie Claire Australia before Archie’s birth that the former actress spent $ 898,000 (in Australian dollars) on her wardrobe.
Not to mention, Meghan has occasionally worn cheap clothes, but her lack of it shows that she has an expensive taste.
