Blue Eyeliner, Sentimental Jewelry, and Statement Stockings: The Diana Style Secrets You Never Noticed

(Image credit: Getty Images)

published 5 July 2017

It's a well-established fact that Princess Diana is a style icon, known for her love of puffy sleeves, chic skirt suits, and coiffed hair. But some of her best style moments are the ones no one pays attention to—the tiny details that get lost in the sartorial shuffle, but are definitely worth a second glance. From her love for blue eyeliner to her sentimental jewelry, here are the hidden Diana style moments you never noticed.

Topics

Princess Catherine Diana

1/12

Her Initial Necklace

Carrie Bradshaw was most certainly *not* the first person to popularize name necklaces. Diana was first seen with this simple initial necklace before her marriage to Prince Charles—while on her parents' Northamptonshire estate in 1980. After being dubbed a royal she tended to favor, ya know, diamonds, but the "D" necklace appeared in the rotation during a polo match in 1985.

2/12

Her Penchant for Colored Stockings

Diana didn't just theme her outfits and shoes. She also occasionally wore colored stockings—presumably matched to her outfit thanks to hand-dying, a sartorial luxury taken advantage of to this day by Kate Middleton, whose hats are designed to perfectly match her outfits thanks to expert milliners like Jane Taylor.

3/12

That Time She Wore Two Watches on One Wrist

Before she was an official Princess, Lady Diana's fashion was just as cutting edge—if a little more subtle. Take her "blink and you'll miss it" decision to wear two watches on one wrist. The story behind this fashion moment is actually pretty romantic: lore has it that Diana offered to wear Prince Charles' watch for him while he played a Polo match, as well as a gold watch he'd previously given her.

4/12

When She Took Her Stocking Game Up a Notch

Diana excelled at toeing the line between conservative and full on fashion, and her seamed tights are a perfect example of this. She wore the tights on multiple occasions—and while always paired with a modest skirt, they definitely give off pin-up vibes.

5/12

Her Sentimental Charm Bracelet

Diana's sentimentality often seeped into her love for fashion—especially when it came to jewelry. She was sometimes seen sporting this charm bracelet, which was said to have had an "H" and "W" for Harry and William, as well as an "X" to celebrate her 10-year anniversary to Prince Charles.

6/12

That Time She Made Pinky Rings Happen

Leave it up to Princess Diana to make pinky rings cool. During the early years of her marriage, the royal was often seen with a stacked Cartier trinity rings and her family signet ring on her pinky finger. So, if you see Kendall Jenner or Gigi Hadid rock the look, know where they got it from, mmmkay?

7/12

That Time She Wore Her Necklace Backwards

Fact: this is the only way we'll be wearing the pearl necklace we don't own yet from here on out.

8/12

That Time She Wore Mismatched Gloves

DON'T YOU DARE TELL DIANA HER GLOVES NEED TO BE THE SAME COLOR.

9/12

Her Sartorial Tribute to the Queen

During formal occasions, Diana often wore a brooch pinned to her dress. If you look closely, you'll notice that it's an image of Queen Elizabeth. This brooch's official name is the Family Order of Queen Elizabeth, and is bestowed on certain female members of the royal family. The image depicts a young queen wearing evening attire, and is painted on ivory, bordered with some casual diamonds, and set in silk. It's meant to be worn on the left shoulder—and before you ask, no, Kate Middleton has not been given the honor as of yet. Rumor has it she could get it this year for her work on mental health.

10/12

Her Colored Eye Liner

Because she's not just a fashion icon, but also a beauty icon, Diana would occasionally match her eyeliner to her outfit—especially when she was wearing blue. On the right, she matches her liner to the buttons on her blouse. On the left, she matches her waterline to the light blue in her dress.

11/12

Her Black Sheep Sweatshirt

No, go ahead, try to convince us this isn't a metaphor for how she was feeling at the time...

12/12

When She Made Glasses Fashion

As far as we know, Princess Diana didn't wear glasses, which means she is literally wearing these for the sake of fashion. Bow down.

Mehera Bonner is a celebrity and entertainment news writer who enjoys Bravo and Antiques Roadshow with equal enthusiasm. She was previously entertainment editor at Marie Claire and has covered pop culture for over a decade.