1948: SISTER ACT
Over the years we’ve seen both Elizabeth and her sister Princess Margaret showcase their contrasting approach to fashion; Margaret the more ‘fashion-forward’ of the two, and Elizabeth stylish, yet conservative in comparison to her younger sister. Looking like a film still for Mildred Pierce, the sisters opt for coats, gloves and hats in Grosvenor Square, London, after the unveiling of the memorial to American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt.
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1953: IT’S OFFICIAL
For her coronation to the throne, Elizabeth wore a gown designed by Norman Hartnell that took eight months of research, design and workmanship. The gown included floral emblems of the countries of the United Kingdom and the Commonwealth, including the New Zealand silver fern.
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1966: HATTITUDE
We’re seeing a more confident Elizabeth emerge during the 1960s, and her wardrobe of hats continues to turn heads, particularly this layered white hat worn during a royal visit to Clifford Park, Nassau, Bahamas.
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1973: KEY LIME
The Queen’s penchant for bright green is no secret, and this silk coat and matching dress is topped off with a flowery hat designed by milliner Simone Mirman, as Her Majesty arrives at the polo. The white accents and accessories give this outfit a fresh look.
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1976: SIMPLE CHIC
While some of her looks have polarised opinions over the years with their fastidiousness, there are several moments where she manages to look thoroughly modern. Attending Royal in Windsor, Her Majesty selects a cream double-breasted dress with red trim.
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1982: PLEATS PLEASE
Whatever they’re looking at, there is no denying the royal couple look elegant and easy in loose fitted separates while visiting the Solomon Islands. There’s something very fresh about this tone of blue matched with crisp white accessories, perfect for a hot day in the Pacific.
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1988: POP ART
This vivid paint print evokes some of the design schools popularised during the 80s, particularly Memphis Design. It’s one of the Queen’s more daring looks, worn here to the wedding of James Ogilvy and Julia Rawlinson in Saffron Walden.
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1989: RED ALERT
The Queen makes a visit to St Anne's Church in Kew, wearing all red, this time relying on her trusty sidekick, a patent black Launer top handle clutch purse, to inform her other black accessories.
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1993: CANDY CRUSH
This skirt suit and matching hat offers plenty to smile about. The suit is by Ian Thomas and hat by Marie O’regan, worn on official duty in Budapest, Hungary.
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1993: PURPLE REIGN
This purple gown by John Anderson is a dazzling option for the Royal Variety Performance that year.
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1994: SCOTS LANDING
It’s a tartan blow-out as the Queen and Prince Philip attend the Braemar Games in Scotland, suitably wearing tartan prints.
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1996: MIXED MEDIA
This structured boucle skirt suit by John Anderson has various colours of wool embedded into the fabric, and is both eye-catching and warm during a cold February day while visiting Almshouses, a charitable Homes for the elderly, in Westminster. She tops it off with a matching hat by milliner Philip Somerville.
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1999: TECHNICOLOR DREAM
Showcasing her theatrical approach to fashion, this patchwork sequin number was a bold statement at the Royal Variety Showcase that year, and a nod to the ensuing bling generation that dominated the wider fashion scene at the start of the 2000s.
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2001: MELLOW YELLOW
Another bright hue favoured by the Queen is a saturated, canary yellow, this time worn on her Royal Tour of the Channel Islands. The placket detail of buttons at the front of the coat has a retro vibe to it.
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2010: TRIPPING OUT
The Queen's looks during the mid to late 2000s were appropriately more sombre, so we skip to the start of 2010s for some optimism. There’s something psychedelic about Her Majesty’s floral prints here and I like how it makes a major statement. Worn during an official visit to Canada.
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2011: DEVIL IN THE DETAILS
This look, worn during a visit to the Government buildings in Dublin, Ireland, highlights why the Queen’s looks have managed to capture people’s imaginations over the years, with a focus on detail. The contrasting buttons of this boucle jacket is complemented by a matching hat and signature pearls.
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2016: RADIOACTIVE
Proving that no one can steal her thunder on any given day, this fluro green suit by Stewart Parvin and matching hat by Rachel Trevor-Morgan stood out at the Trooping the Colour marking the Queen’s 90th birthday, launching the trending Twitter and Instagram hashtag #NeonAt90 and, reportedly, triggering a 137 per cent rise in sales of neon clothing and accessories in the UK. She accessorises this with the Brigade of Guards badge.
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2018: SHADY LADY
Welcoming Donald Trump to Windsor castle, Her Majesty wore a blue silk paisley print coat and floral dress for the occasion. In the perfect example of how the Queen uses her clothing to signal a message, she selected a brooch given to her by the former US President and First Lady, Barrack and Michelle Obama.
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2019: SKY’S THE LIMIT
Visiting the British Airways headquarters at Heathrow Airport to mark their centenary year, Her Majesty keeps it fresh in a powder blue ensemble with white gloves.
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2020: HOUNDS OF LOVE
Attending church in Sandringham earlier this year, this houndstooth print look is rounded off with matching black accessories.
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