The great Tom Ford once said that “dressing well is a form of good manners” and over the years, the Royal Family have made this into an art form and it’s this strict sartorial etiquette which has reinforced their reputation for impeccable dressing.
Although the rules are relaxing a touch, here is a list of the absolute no-gos when it comes to fashion.
Daytime Diamonds
Diamonds may be forever but the bigger rocks are kept strictly for the evenings.
Deemed too flashy for daytime duties, the Windsor Wives favour more modest pearls, sapphires and metallics, saving the sparkles for glittering evening events.
Logos
Kate et al may be partial to a favourite designer or two, but sporting anything other than the most discrete of logos is considered unseemly.
Just like the late Queen Elizabeth, no matter one’s allegiances in politics or fashion, one must appear impartial, the ladies channelling a quiet luxury aesthetic, leaving the models and musicians to mop up the brand deals.
Too much black
A touch of noir is fine, but too much is considered a fashion faux pas. Synonymous with mourning, black ensembles are reserved for more sombre times and ever since Queen Elizabeth was famously caught out in Africa upon the passing of her father, one always travels with the correct mourning attire, just in case.
Nothing too revealing
The Firm is living proof that looking fabulous does not depend on flashing the flesh and knowing how to bring the glamour without revealing too much to the media eye.
Dressers in the Royal Wardrobes meticulously double-check hemlines and knee-length is as racy as it gets which, with the family’s close ties to the Church of England, keeps proceedings suitably demure.
When the odd sartorial mishap occurs – such as Kate’s dramatic leg moment, arriving in caped red to welcome South Korea last year – causes quite the stir.
Fur
Despite indulging in the odd spot of hunting whilst holidaying in Balmoral, these days the Royals are careful to avoid wearing fur to sensibly avoid being the subjects of an animal activist’s tirade.
Neither do they wear leather from an animal specifically slaughtered for fashion for the same purpose, staying safely neutral on such sensitive topics.
And the rest…
You will never see a Windsor wife tripping about in flip flops, nor will they wear anything other than a small clutch or top handle bag whilst on Royal duties – the shoulder-on tote varieties deemed far too casual for such auspicious events.
Coloured nail polish and wedge shoes were apparently disliked by the Queen, but in more recent years the odd berry fingernail and platform sandal has slipped through the net, proving that even with the strictest of protocol, there’s always room to break a few rules where fashion is concerned.
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