Charles and Diana: Visit to Italy - 1985


If you have answers, please help by responding to the unanswered posts.
The book that I have seen most often referred to (at least on Ebay) as a "Diana encyclopedia" is the book Diana an Extrodinary Life. It was a newspaper piece work made into a book and is quite large.
I have heard of a few people researching such a book, but the task would have to be enormous, and I've not heard of anyone complete such a project.
But I would stand in line to buy such a book!!
 
Sammy,
Thanks for the correction, I will have to see if I can find it! By the way, I'll be right in line behind you to buy it, if the Encyclopedia ever shows up!

I have the Debretts Illustrated book and I like it. However, it bugs me that they show the same outfits over and over. I mean, she wore different stuff, can't you include that? What an absolute waste of paper!

I guess we will just have to keep dreaming. Although I am happy that so many pictures are on the internet now. I have found outfits that I never knew she wore, which is exciting!
 
bks

I wish the Debrett's fashion books didn't end so "early"in her career....I 'm grateful they exist anyway. It is a shame Jayne Fincher or Tim Graham haven't released a newer fashion encyclopedia of her. I'm sure they would have photographed just about every event.
I also would love to know the dates of photo sessions in studios, such as Snowdon, etc.
 
While I love the debretts fashion guide books they did it badly in that they would show the same outfit many times over then left out something she worn only one or twice. I mean what's the point of showing the same outfit 2/3 times at different times unless she made changes which she didn't. It really bugged me cause they totally ignored some outfits. I mean there are 2/3 outfits diana worn more then 20 times and in one case the exact jewelery all the time the only way to tell it was different was the hair style. This is a dark navy military style brassed buttoned jacket and grey pinstriped skirt. She always worn large ball shape brass earrings. I have her wearing that 24 times from April 1987 to Dec 1992 that's only the ones I know off I bet she worn it even more then that since she liked it so much. The white & navy pinstriped coatdress first worn to Italy April 20'85 she worn that 18 times but thankfully she worn different earrings and at one point had it shortened. The dark green edelstein suit she worn first to Portugal Feb 12'87 with the black collars she worn that 16 times but again with different earrings. She had many suits she worn like that.
As for the evening gown she worn the most it's the Murray Arbeid golden yellow low waisted gown with the leg of mutton sleeves you know it's from that triple pose portrait by John Merton (which is my favorite portrait of all the ones done it's stunning) she also worn that navy fringe collar wrap over cocktail gown do you remember she worn it 9 times from May 91 to June 93. I loved it when fashion commentors would say royalty did not wear clothes over and over. How silly I mean why not???
 
What do you think is the oldest outfit Diana recycled? (years later she brought out an old favorite) We know Princess Anne is a pro at this.
 
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Lady Jean said:
What do you think is the oldest outfit Diana recycled? (years later she brought out an old favorite) We know Princess Anne is a pro at this.

Well I was kinda surprised when she brought out the Hachi one sleeved gown first worn Australia 1983 then for Octo***** james bond movie she worn it 1985 then not until 4 years later for anothe James bond movie "License to Kill" same dress she looked fab I thought
As for a dress I was surprised when she worn 2 dresses she worn in 1981 again 3 times in 1986. This was a long ruffled lilacy striped dress with a purple sash can you remember it?

july1686.jpg



Well she worn it to a polo match June 81 well June 30'86 she worn it to wimbledon then at an official eng. July 16 '86 then again when they arrived in Majorca Aug 86. It's like she just found it in the back of her closet?? Then there's tha grey & maroon L-Motif print dress with yellow piping & trim she worn it twice in July '81 (once with a hat)then in Australia departing at an airport then in Prince Edward Island (with ostrich feathered hat) Canada June '83 then in July 1985 she visited the Old Bailey and she worn it again only 2 years that time but just seemed out of the blue. She made changes to her clothes like that pink long suit worn to Australia, Canada then for Italy 85 she turned it into a fitted skirt. She did it for that rose pink hooped ruffled heavily flounced dress with sash again first to Australia worn it in London couple times and Scotland Oct '83 well in 1986 she had it refitted with big sequins I totally hated it then.
She didn't do that much you know something worn 10-15 years earlier I think she was too fashion conscious for that (unlike P.Anne) but then again she was taken soo soon wasn't she?
 
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Canadiana said:
Well I was kinda surprised when she brought out the Hachi one sleeved gown first worn Australia 1983 then for Octo***** james bond movie she worn it 1985 then not until 4 years later for anothe James bond movie "License to Kill" same dress she looked fab I thought

I forgot about that one, but yes, that would be my vote. She wore it first in 1983, as Canadiana notes, wore it on & off up until 1989, then I don't recall seeing it again until 1997, when she suprised me by wearing it for the Testino portraits. That's 14 years after she first wore it. And I thought it looked even better than ever in 1997. Amazing!
 
Squidgy said:
I forgot about that one, but yes, that would be my vote. She wore it first in 1983, as Canadiana notes, wore it on & off up until 1989, then I don't recall seeing it again until 1997, when she suprised me by wearing it for the Testino portraits. That's 14 years after she first wore it. And I thought it looked even better than ever in 1997. Amazing!

Oh yea I forgot about when she sold her gowns she worn it again and she looked stunningly beautiful. Plus she worn it I think in 1989 but with her hair up in a posed picture with her father & brother seated. I wonder if it wasn't Raine spencer's 60th bday. Someone took a picture of the picture at Althorp and that's how I got it. So it was three times in 1983, one in 1985 (washington) and twice in 1989 I think then in 1997.

P.S. I posted the above picture in the picture thread instead of here which is still suppose to be about the Italian tour. I did have it here but then moved it. check it out
 
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I think that lilac striped dress should have stayed at the back of the closet. I remember seeing photos of her wearing it at polo in '81 and thinking,"What an ugly dress," and it's shapeless and unflattering on her, too. I never knew that she wore it again. It's especially surprising that she wore it on an official engagement. Anyway, Canadiana, thanks for filling in some more gaps in our knowledge.
My vote for the DRESS she wore most often would be the blue floral (bright blue with bright pink and yellow flowers), the one she famously wore in Brazil holding the little girl playing with her necklace. She wore it to polo June 29, 1988 (that was on the cover of Hello) and for many engagements, including visiting AIDS patients at the London Lighthouse July 20, 1992. Also in Seville, Spain, at Expo 92. I haven't made a total count. I think the press called it her "caring dress" because it was bright and cheerful and so she wore it for many hospital visits, etc., and it seems I recall her saying that children liked it because of the bright colors.
)
 
umbrellagirl said:
I think that lilac striped dress should have stayed at the back of the closet. I remember seeing photos of her wearing it at polo in '81 and thinking,"What an ugly dress," and it's shapeless and unflattering on her, too. I never knew that she wore it again. It's especially surprising that she wore it on an official engagement. Anyway, Canadiana, thanks for filling in some more gaps in our knowledge.
My vote for the DRESS she wore most often would be the blue floral (bright blue with bright pink and yellow flowers), the one she famously wore in Brazil holding the little girl playing with her necklace. She wore it to polo June 29, 1988 (that was on the cover of Hello) and for many engagements, including visiting AIDS patients at the London Lighthouse July 20, 1992. Also in Seville, Spain, at Expo 92. I haven't made a total count. I think the press called it her "caring dress" because it was bright and cheerful and so she wore it for many hospital visits, etc., and it seems I recall her saying that children liked it because of the bright colors.
)

Yea it looked ok on her but there was too much of everything with it being stripey, the long sash, then the shoulder to hem ruffles but she was in a ruffled phase in the early 1980's.
Oh yes the beautiful bellville sassson blue floral dress first worn to australia in Jan 1988 when she went to chruch with a blue pillbox Jackie O hat. I always loved that dress but I love the color blue. Personally I hate floral prints but that's just on me. Anyway she did wear this 11 times. She worn it for the Q.Mother's 89th bday also Nigeria in March 90 as well as the other times you said and several times in London.
 
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You guys are my heroes!! I thought I was the only one obsessed with Diana's clothing! The Debrett's book is really good, but like you say, it duplicates outfits. The older books from the early eighties are good for her early public life, but it's more difficult as the palace wasn't releasing details about her clothing anymore after, say, 1985.

I'd have to say Dressing Diana is also another good source of clothing info. But I don't think you'd ever have every outfit.
:)
 
No I don't say we will see every outfit she worn. But you know what they have been dresses she has worn only once and new and you hardly see it I found this out since her death and I was so shocked cause it's odd they will show pix of her alot she worn before yet no coverage of a new dress/suit. Very strange. Yes even when they have fashion books on her it's amazing the stuff they ignore or show over and over. I mean from 1981-1997 she was in the public eye you'd think someone would do a comprehensive yearly diary showing the new outfits for each year or when she did something different for any outfit. But instead they go by what another book done with the same mistakes it's like they don't want to put the work into it and just copy someone elses book.
You know if I were to suddenly find myself a millionaire I'd get Squidgy, Lady Jean and anyone else who could help and we'd publish our OWN fashion diary. Yep that's what I'd want to do.
 
I would be first in line to buy it! It would be a great historical piece as well as a great book for Diana fans.
It would definately be better than another "tell all" about her life.
 
Canadiana said:
Yea it looked ok on her but there was too much of everything with it being stripey, the long sash, then the shoulder to hem ruffles but she was in a ruffled phase in the early 1980's.
Oh yes the beautiful bellville sassson blue floral dress first worn to australia in Jan 1988 when she went to chruch with a blue pillbox Jackie O hat. I always loved that dress but I love the color blue. Personally I hate floral prints but that's just on me. Anyway she did wear this 11 times. She worn it for the Q.Mother's 89th bday also Nigeria in March 90 as well as the other times you said and several times in London.
Thanks for the count on the blue floral dress, Canadiana. I love how you can give a total for how often each outfit was worn. I'm taking it as a challenge: I've got to take time to go through my info and see if I can match your totals.:D
 
I am completely obessessed with Diana's fashion, the ultimate guide to her life in fashion would be my dreambook. I have so many favourites that Diana wore where do I start?

Don't laugh, but I have always loved Diana's going away outfit on her wedding day. The lovely peach colour of the outfit suited her wonderfully.

In the last year of her life she wore a two piece suit by Catherine Walker, it was blue with 3 larger gold buttons on the front. It was so simple, so wonderful.

The iceblue coatdress she wore to the enthronement ceremony Japan's emperor in 1990 with the veiled headband. Another Catherine Walker, and gorgeous.

Again, don't laugh, an Escada coat she wore in Germany in 1987. It was bright yellow and black striped. Only she could have pulled that off!

Also, same tour in 1987 in Germany, she wore a camel coloured coat with faux beaver fur cuffs, collar and matching faux beaver fur beret. Wonderful as well.

Also, Diana had a suit, it was simply pink and purple that she wore to Hungary in 1989 or 1990. I always liked it as well.

I know alot of people think the Denmark's Mary could be the next Diana with her fashion, but no way. Diana could wear anything and make it work, Mary just doesn't have that ability.
 
Well umbrellagirl I have a notebook and have her most often worn outfits /gowns with dates in a notebook that's why I can tell you how often she's worn such and such outfit.
Christo's Girl that yellow & black coat I call it 'the bumblebee window pane coat'!!!!!!
 
I too liked the yellow and black "bumblebee" coat, and the pink suit trimmed in purple. My all-time favorite of Diana's suits is the Catherine Walker pink with a 7/8 length swing coat. She wore it a lot (Canadiana can probably provide us with a total count.;)) I think the first time was in France in Nov. 1992. Sometimes she wore it with a navy shell, sometimes without. At the Garter Ceremony in June 1993, she wore just the suit with a multi-strand pearl necklace--if I remember correctly-- and a matching hat. Then she added navy gloves, handbag, shoes, and hose, which toned down all that pink.
 
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That was a great look, another favourite of mine, the ice blue satin maternity dress by Catherine Walker she wore to the Indiana Jones premiere while pregnant with Harry. I find that Diana and Catherine Walker were so far ahead in fashion. Diana started to dress very modern, example, no shoulderpads simple clean lines in the 1980s!
 

From: Corbis.com; Acionline.biz
 
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Diana of course looked soo lovely on this trip.
 
umbrellagirl said:
I too liked the yellow and black "bumblebee" coat, and the pink suit trimmed in purple. My all-time favorite of Diana's suits is the Catherine Walker pink with a 7/8 length swing coat. She wore it a lot (Canadiana can probably provide us with a total count.;)) I think the first time was in France in Nov. 1992. Sometimes she wore it with a navy shell, sometimes without. At the Garter Ceremony in June 1993, she wore just the suit with a multi-strand pearl necklace--if I remember correctly-- and a matching hat. Then she added navy gloves, handbag, shoes, and hose, which toned down all that pink.

This is definitely one of my favorite later outfits for her. My top five favorites (daywear) are:

1. The burgandy velvet suit she wore on her first visit to Wales.

2. The white and navy striped coat-dress she wore in Italy with the jaunty nautical hat.

3. The pink checked coatdress with veiled hat that she wore to Ascot, among other places.

4. The long black coat with the veiled bowler hat worn in Paris in 1988 (I think I have the year right).

5. Her going away outfit - that color is gorgeous, and she looked so sharp and royal.
 
Thanks

:flowers: Thanks for the photos. I never tire of looking at Diana photos. She had such style and class.
 
I haven't checked this site for a while as my computer crashed!!! I think it would be a good idea if we all got together somehow and printed our own book as someone suggested in an earlier post. That would be so cool and it would be from the people who loved her the most (okay not as much as her sons) but you know what I mean.
 
When Lady Diana plowed the Lake Maggiore
Photographer Franco Aresi remembers "the sad princess" with a click made during a trip on Lake Maggiore with Prince Charles.
"On the occasion of the 15 years after his death I like to remember with this photo that I did when I was on Lake Maggiore, hello."
Photographer Franco Aresi remember well, with a photo in black and white, "the princess sad," Lady Diana, also came from our area. shooting has been realized during a trip on Lake Maggiore with Prince Charles.
FOTONOTIZIA - Quando Lady Diana solcava il lago Maggiore | Varese Laghi | Varese News
 
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