Thrifty Prince Charles is the king of wardrobe recycling.
He may still be waiting to take the British throne, but Prince Charles appears to have earned another honourable title — king of the penny pinchers!
As he stepped out last week in patched-up, 40-year-old shoes, the frugal royal proved that he’s an expert in making his clothes last… and last.
Charles was 20 years old when he bought his beloved Oxford lace-ups from legendary cobblers Lobb of St James’s Street, London. And after shelling out the princely sum of $5000, he has made a point of getting his money’s worth.
While his taste in fashion isn’t exactly cheap, the 60-year-old royal is a firm believer in cost per wear. He has worn many of his clothes for several decades, and it’s believed one of his tweed coats belonged to his grandfather, George VI.
And he’s not afraid to show off his threads. When Italian designer Donatella Versace joked to Charles in 2001 that she hoped his suit was Versace made, he proudly told her it was made by Savile Row tailors Anderson & Sheppard, and was at least 20 years old.
Regardless, Charles still earns top marks from leading style mavens.
“Charles is the ultimate town-and-country man,” says British GQ editor Dylan Jones. “Look at his ties. Charles was doing skinny neckties years before Pete Doherty caught on. And no-one puts their hands in their pockets with quite the same casual insouciance as our future King does.”
For the full story, see this week’s Woman’s Day — on sale June 1, 2009.
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