Princess Anne Throws It Back To The 1970s In Dress From Her Younger Years
From Taylor Swift's nostalgic "Midnights" wardrobe to the flared blue jeans and fur-lined jackets worn by the fictional "Daisy Jones and the Six," '70s-inspired fashion is amid a resurgence. Princess Anne is also doing her part to honor the decade, although her style leans less rockstar glam and more conservative — we're guessing sparkling blue eyeshadow is frowned upon at royal events.
In June 2023, Anne, Princess Royal, joined over 300,000 stylish spectators in watching the annual horse races at Royal Ascot. The five-day event, which has been going strong for the past 100 years, is the perfect opportunity for royals to show off their best summertime fashion and enjoy some fast-paced competition. Princess Anne did not disappoint this year, wearing a blue collared dress over 5 years older than Prince Harry (what's more, it's still in perfect condition). According to InStyle, the princess first debuted the pleated midi in 1978 to meet President Khama of Botswana, and she brought it back again in 2021 when she visited the NHS Blood and Transplant Blood Centre. This time around, she styled the classy light blue number with a white button-down cardigan, a string of pearls, and clean white gloves.
Princess Anne is famous for recycling outfits
As British Vogue editor Edward Enniful told Vanity Fair, "Princess Anne is a true style icon and was all about sustainable fashion before the rest of us really knew what that meant," adding, "She is timeless in her style, and she wears a tailored suit better than anyone else I can think of." Thrifted and vintage finds may be trending on TikTok, but Princess Anne was doing it first.
According to the princess, she does her best to support U.K.-based clothing brands."We mustn't forget we've got those skills, and there are still places that do a fantastic job," she shared. For her, Harris Tweed reigns supreme. Another one of the princess' favorite pieces to re-wear is her green Sue Palmer dress, which she styled for Royal Ascot years ago and again for her 70th birthday portraits in 2020. She also appeared to bring back the stylish green fit again for Royal Ascot 2023, too. She may not be the actual queen, but she is the reigning queen of recycling.
Princess Anne isn't the only royal that makes use of the same staple pieces. Kate Middleton brings back her best looks too, sometimes even within the same year like her white Zimmermann-designed dress. Considering the stacks of fast fashion clogging our landfills, it never hurts to repeat a favorite fashion moment.