Prince Philip accidentally flashed his crown jewels in July, Kate’s bikini top fell off in September and Harry’s clothes abandoned him completely in Las Vegas, but Queen Elizabeth has never had a wardrobe malfunction in her 60 years in the spotlight.
Come rain, hail or gusty winds, the 86-year-old monarch never looks anything less than perfect — but perfection doesn’t come easy.
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Angela Kelly — personal dresser to the Queen since 1994 — has revealed the almost military precision that goes into clothing Elizabeth II in her new book Dressing The Queen: The Jubilee Wardrobe.
Angela leads a team of up to 12 people, including three dressmakers, a milliner and four dressers, who staff the Queen’s wardrobe.
Each outfit begins as a piece of fabric, which is thoroughly tested with a number of fans to see how it will move in a breeze.
If the material passes the test, it is presented to the Queen along with sketches of at least four possible designs.
The monarch picks one and the dressmakers produce a rough cotton prototype, which is fitted to a top secret mannequin shaped to match the Queen’s figure.
Once approved, the dress is crafted in the final fabric, and details like buttons, trimmings, collars and cuffs are added.
When four or five new outfits are ready, Angela calls the Queen in for a fitting, which can last half a day.
The finished dresses are then given a name and entered into the Queen’s official wardrobe log.
This detailed handwritten diary keeps track of every outfit, hat and accessory the monarch wears to ensure she doesn’t commit an embarrassing faux pas.
Once a dress has been worn, it won’t come out again for several months. Even colours aren’t repeated — if the Queen wears red to an engagement, that colour will be off-limits for a period afterwards.
Colours are also strategically chosen to match the occasion. If the monarch will be planting trees in a garden, green will be avoided so she stands out, and if she’s visiting a school, bright colours and fun details like feathers and ribbons will be chosen to appeal to children.
The weather is also considered. Winds are countered by clever tailoring, which makes it impossible for dresses to blow up over the Queen’s knees.
Angela and her team also sew weights into the hems of certain coats and dresses to prevent a gust of wind catching Her Majesty unawares.
Rain presents different challenges. Angela and her team provide an umbrella to match every outfit the Queen has and where hats are required, they always ensure a matching headscarf is on hand in case the hat is damaged in the rain.
Hats also come with a range of rules of their own. The brim must never obscure the Queen’s face, and the crown can’t be so tall it presents problems exiting a vehicle.
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Further rules exist governing choice of handkerchiefs, shoes, handbags and gloves.
On the day of an engagement, months of planning come to fruition. The chosen outfit is carefully prepared, along with the matching accessories, and the Queen steps out into the world, looking effortlessly perfect, as always.
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