By Tania Phillips
When the fresh-faced and beautiful Lady Diana Spencer became the Princess of Wales back in the 1980s she almost instantly became a style icon to a whole generation.
Her influence spread around the world – there were very few young women in the UK and even here in Australia who didn’t boast something in their wardrobe that could be traced back to Diana, from short-fringed hair to striking colours, fabrics and the designs she wore.
We wanted to be like her, to look like her – the fairytale princess.
As the 25th anniversary of Princess Diana’s death approached, Lyndall McCormack of Stephanies Underwear Boutique in Grafton Street, Stanthorpe started wondering just how much the local women had touched by the young Princess’ style.
She put a call out among friends, family and customers asking for women to bring in their wedding, formal and favourite special occasion dresses from that era, unearthed more than a dozen for a window display.
“I knew it was the 25th anniversary since Diana passed away, there was a bit of coverage around that,” she said.
“I was coming of age in the 80s and I remember seeing Diana as an icon – she was 19 and getting married to a prince. I remember that story and thinking – how does that happen? How does a girl meet a prince and marry him? Then of course there was all fashion, we all followed that – I was the same age as her. When you’re young you don’t really absorb it, but looking back, you think gee didn’t she have an influence on us?
“When I knew that (the anniversary) was happening I asked all my friends who got married about that time in the 80s or had been to formals or had special occasion dresses.
“Blow me down if they didn’t all have the same styles – drop waists, big sleeves, block colours, shiny, frills, as much embellishment as you could possibly have. Then I looked at all the Diana pictures and I said – well that’s what she was doing. It struck me because here we were in a little country town in Australia all copying the princess on the other side of the world.”
Lyndall said her shop was an underwear boutique so she wasn’t really in ladies dress fashion but she had always been “interested in trends and how the colours come to us every year.”
“Diana blew away the floral and fringed 1970s. Her influence brought striking colour and glamour to our wardrobes”, Lyndall noted.
“Wedding dresses of the era were greatly influenced by the fairytale gown worn by Diana at her wedding to the heir to the throne in 1981. Details such as frills, big petticoats, puffed sleeves, scalloped edges, appliqué, ribbons and pearls then became essential in wedding dresses of the day.”
Susan Shaw was married in 1984 and exhibited the dress she sewed herself with the assistance of her grandmother.
“Looking back”, Susan said, “it was a very special time.
“My grandmother showed me the pin tucking and lining techniques, and the gown was so elaborate – every trim imaginable”.
The window display culminated in a party, which was planned week’s earlier for 9 September the day of Princess Diana’s funeral a quarter of a century ago, but which then became the day Queen Elizabeth died, making the event even more poignant.
The event, held at Stephanie’s, was themed “A Toast to England’s Rose”, and featured lots of Pim’s, dresses, pictures of 80s weddings and reminiscing. Singer Deborah O’Farrell entertained guests with an emotional rendition of Candle in the Wind, as sung by Elton John at Diana’s funeral.
“It was so poignant, that on that very day, as the death of Queen Elizabeth was announced, Diana might have become Queen”, Lyndall said.
