14 Royal family fashion rules you've never heard of
The British Royal family is widely-loved and meticulously followed by almost everyone in the world in an attempt to mimic their classic sense of style.
Ever since Kate Middleton’s marriage to Prince William in 2011, the Duchess has been the centre of attention for all things Royal fashion.
However, now that Meghan Markle is due to become an official member of the royal family, along with the “Duchess of Sussex” title, she will also receive global attention for every outfit she wears.
The Royals have 14, somewhat, specific guidelines they have to follow when it comes to getting dressed in the morning and being in the public eye for the rest of their lives. Discover all the quirky details here…
1: Wedding dresses need approval by the Queen
As per tradition, wedding dresses need to be approved by the Queen herself in order to ensure they are good enough for the occasion. She had to approve Kate Middleton’s 2011 Alexander McQueen gown and is apparently set to approve Meghan Markle’s (supposed) Ralph and Russo gown for May 19th.
2: Colourful nail-polish is a straight no-no
You may be wondering why in every photo of Kate Middleton her nails seem to appear colourless, or you may not have noticed. Either way, her nail is in fact just painted in a neutral shade. However, this isn’t all the time, don’t fret! Natural-looking nails are only required on official business and royal events.
3: Tiaras aren’t passed around haphazardly
Tiara’s are reserved for the fanciest of events and can only be worn by married women. This is why brides wear tiaras for the first time on their wedding day. Kate Middleton has worn Queen Elizabeth’s halo Cartier tiara and Diana’s tiara on numerous occasions. Geoffrey Munn (author of Tiaras – A History of Splendour), says “It signals the crowning of love and the loss of innocence to marriage… The family tiara was worn by the bride, and from that moment onwards it was the groom’s jewellery she was expected to wear. It was a subliminal message that she had moved from her own family to another” in an interview with Forbes.
4: Queen Elizabeth’s handbag position has hidden meanings
The Queen uses her handbag to send signals. For example, if her handbag is put on the table it means she wants to leave. If her handbag is switched hands in a conversation, it means she would like to politely wrap it up. Who knew!
5: Clutches are also tactfully used
Princess Diana often carried clutches, but what is not known is that her clutches were actually to cover her cleavage! Her handbag designer Anya Hindmarch comments, “We used to laugh when we designed what she called her 'cleavage bags,' little satin clutches which she would cover her cleavage with when she stepped out of cars.”
6: Clutches are a saviour for awkward handshakes
Kate Middleton often holds her clutch with both hands in front of her when the situation might be a little bit awkward for shaking hands. It’s a clever trick that saves the trouble of enduring an awkward situation.
7: Spot the Queen easily in bright colours
The Queen is often spotted wearing bright colours in public, but not out of preference to the brighter side of fashion. From the documentary The Queen at 90 Sophie Countess of Wessex said, "she needs to stand out for people to be able to say 'I saw the Queen.’”. Her bright outfits serve as a way of spotting her in a crowd of people she was quoted by her personal biographer saying, “I can never wear beige because nobody will know who I am.”
8: Hats for days!
The Queen always wears hats because of a longstanding tradition that women should keep their hair covered. In olden days it was rare for a lady to step outside the house without a hat on, but of course times have changed and that tradition no longer stands with the majority of women today. If the Queen isn’t wearing a hat she can be seen wearing a crown or headscarf instead.
9: Royals need to be prepared for anything, even a surprise funeral
Royals are expected to travel with a spare black ensemble in the unfortunate event that a member of the family suddenly passes away. That way, when they get back to the UK they can disembark the airplane in the appropriate attire for such an event.
10: Only children can wear shorts
Prince George is only ever seen wearing adorable little shorts, the reason for this is that there is an old royal and aristocratic custom in England where boys only wear shorts as trousers are for men and older boys only. Boys start wearing pants at the age of 8. British etiquette expert William Hanson discusses that “shorts on young boys is one of those silent class markers that we have in England.”
11: The Queen isn’t a fan of wedge heels
Once, Kate Middleton was photographed playing volleyball in cork wedges and the Queen was not a fan of the look. A source told Vanity Fair: “she really doesn't like them, and it's well-known among the women in the family,” Kate only wears her wedges when the Queen isn’t around.
12: The Queen is not one to break in her own shoes
The Queen attends so many events that she does not have the time to break in her shoes or else she’ll be suffering from the pain of blisters we all know too well. Apparently, the Queen hires someone to wear her shoes around on carpet to make them comfortable enough to wear immediately.
13: Weighted hems are a thing
Wearing dresses in the great outdoors almost always results in some sort of hem catching the breeze and lifting itself up, the Queen is always wearing dresses and has never had this happen to her. Her couturier told the Daily Mail that he sews small weights, called penny weights, into the hemlines and it does the trick!
14: Pantyhose is a 10/10 from the Queen
Although not a must, it is definitely a recommendation that the Queen lives by. When Meghan Markle and Prince Harry’s engagement was announced, Meghan was reportedly not wearing pantyhose. It is not a royal rule but it is something that both Kate Middleton and the Queen both wear in order to achieve the flawless outfits they’re known for.
All image credits: Pinterest
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