From Princess Diana's engagement ring to her wedding dress, The Crown Season 4 fashion has no shortage of memorable moments. When creating Diana's costumes for the popular Netflix show, The Crown wardrobe designers looked at photos of the royal (played in the series by Emma Corrin). The end result included spot-on recreations of some of Princess Di's most notable ensembles, like the outfit the Princess of Wales wore for the announcement of her engagement to Prince Charles, as well as creative twists on some of her other popular looks, like the color of the gown that she wore to the 1987 Cannes Film Festival.
Even before the new season of the show, Lady Diana Spencer's fashion inspired plenty of people and brands — and not just her formal looks. As recently as October, New York-based brand Rowing Blazers recreated two of Princess Diana's sweaters. It's with these casual looks in mind that we take look at Princess Diana's style that you can channel this season — after watching The Crown Season 4, that is.
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Princess Diana In Yellow Overalls
When attending a polo match in 1981, Princess Di wore a pair of yellow denim overalls over a printed shirt. To make the outfit more winter-appropriate, opt for The Crownversion, and layer a chunky cardigan over the look.Photo: Anwar Hussein/WireImage.
J.Crew Slim Perfect Shirt In Liberty, $, available at J.Crew
Riverside Tool & Dye Riverside Overalls, $, available at Anthropologie
In the show, Corrin roller-skated through an empty palace while wearing this all-pink look. You can don it while practicing your best roller-skating moves for TikTok.Photo: Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images.
Maeve Sunny Cropped Cardigan, $, available at Anthropologie
Violeta By Mango Oxford shirt, $, available at Mango
One of Diana's most memorable knitwear looks — even Harry Styles is a fan! — this sheep-emblazoned sweater was made by Warm & Wonderful. Ahead of the Season 4 premiere, the brand partnered up with Rowing Blazers to bring it back for the first time since the '90s.Photo: Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images.
Warm & Wonderful x Rowing Blazers Warm & Wonderful x Rowing Blazers Sheep Sweater, $, available at Rowing Blazers
ASOS DESIGN Broderie Frill Collar In White, $, available at ASOS
Eloquii Kady Fit Double-Weave Pant, $, available at Eloquii
Princess Diana In Bike Shorts
While this comfort-leaning look isn't winter-friendly, it is the perfect one to wear while working from home this winter, with bike shorts one of the biggest (comeback) trends to come out of quarantine.Photo: Anwar Hussein/Getty Images.
Urban Outfitters NASA Explore The Universe Crew Neck Sweatshirt, $, available at Urban Outfitters
Girlfriend Collective Tart High-Rise Bike Short, $, available at Girlfriend Collective
Reebok by Pyer Moss Black Logo Socks, $, available at SSENSE
New Balance 624 Sneakers, $, available at New Balance
Princess Diana In A Statement Collar
Another popular look today, Peter Pan and sailor collars were long a favorite with the Princess of Wales. Shirts with statement collars are currently available in all sleeve lengths and fabrics (including wool), you can get away with wearing them in colder weather.Photo: Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images.
Ganni Ruffle Collar Cotton Poplin Shirt, $, available at Nordstrom
INC International Concepts Double Circle Belt, $, available at Macy's
Sarah Flint Perfect Emma, $, available at Sarah Flint
Princess Diana In Winter White
A lesson in wearing white after Labor Day: Top a white turtleneck with an oversized blazer, and pair with loafers.Photo: Tom Wargacki/WireImage.
Banana Republic Unstructured 24-Hour Ponte Blazer, $, available at Banana Republic
Everlane The Pima Micro-Rib Turtleneck, $, available at Everlane
Good American Good Legs Frayed-Hem Jeans, $, available at Nordstrom
Nordstrom Teardrop Buckle Leather Belt, $, available at Halogen
Princess Diana In Cowboy Boots
One of the biggest 2020 fall shoe trends, cowboy boots have undergone a fashion makeover in the last few years. We still love Diana's retro take on the style, with a high-waist pair of jeans and a baseball hat. Photo: Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images.
American Needle Road Trip Baseball Hat, $, available at Free People
Rowing Blazers Balloon Tee, $, available at Rowing Blazers
Madewell The Perfect Vintage Full-Length Jean, $, available at Madewell
Frye Billy Pull-On Boot, $, available at Nordstrom
Princess Diana In A Turtleneck And Blazer
Matching blazer and turtleneck. Check. Plaid. Check. Velvet loafers. Check. All of the fall staples were present in Diana's '93 airport getup.Photo: Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images.
Forever 21 Ribbed Turtleneck Sweater, $, available at Forever 21
Monki Double Breasted Blazer, $, available at Monki
ASOS DESIGN Curve Jersey Slim Split Front Suit Pants, $, available at ASOS
On Tuesday, fashion search engine Lyst released its 2020 Year In Review, which analyzed shopping data from over 100 million shoppers, from their searches to their purchases. Along with delivering product and trend findings — like the fact that we’re still obsessed with Connell Waldron’s thirst trap of a chain necklace and cottagecore — the report included 2020’s Power Dressers list. Naturally, Harry Styles, Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Kate Middleton, Beyoncé, Lizzo, and more topped it.
Styles — who came at No. 1 — in 2020 alone, brought forth the rise of the pearl necklace, sparked an international knitting challenge on TikTok (which caused Lyst searches for the JW Anderson cardigan he wore to surge 166% in one week), and released two viral music videos which likewise sent viewers shopping. According to the site, in the 24 hours following the release of the “Golden” video, search for blue and turquoise blazers increased by 52%, while search for yellow bucket hats spiked 92%. His crochet-heavy wardrobe from the “Watermelon Sugar” video left the same impression on fans. And, while it didn’t quite make the cut for this list, the dress he wore for his Vogue cover, the first to feature a solo male star, is also making waves ever since the story was released on Friday.
Beyoncé’s Black Is King film, which featured brands like Marine Serre and Erdem, earned the artist the silver medal, while BTS’ Namjoon took the bronze, with special attention being put on his Gucci suit from this year’s MTV VMAs. (All seven members of BTS wore Gucci for the awards, leading to a 12% spike in three-piece suits and a 28% rise in search for Gucci ties on Lyst.) Taking the fourth spot is Rep. Alexandra Ocasio-Cortez. Since becoming the youngest woman elected to Congress, Ocasio-Cortez not only pushed a progressive agenda but also proved that fashion can be political. From her white suit, honoring the suffrage movement, to her red one, which single-handedly caused a 74% spike in search for “red suits” on Lyst, AOC proved she’s a force to be reckoned with, both in the style department and the political one. In August, she opened up her Telfar Shopping Bag on Instagram stories to reveal what her most-needed items were for a day at work. In the week following the video series, Lyst reported a 163% spike in search for the New York-based fashion brand, not that it needed any more press following countless sell-outs.
Another fan of the “Bushwick Birkin” is Lizzo, who ranked seventh on Lyst’s Power Dressers roundup. The “Truth Hurts” singer — who’s carried a very small Jacquemus bag, followed by an even smaller Valentino bag, on the red carpet — made the list, not for her handbag collection, but rather, a sexy lingerie set. Following her appearance at Rihanna’s Savage x Fenty Vol. 2 runway show in October, Lyst reported a 96% spike in search for blue lingerie. A similar surge in popularity occurred after she performed at the Grammys in a neon bodysuit.
Your Instagram feed may be more diverse than ever, thanks to the host of plus-size babes using their platforms to foster a celebratory and inclusive online community, but the fashion world still has a long way to go.
From brands claiming that a lack of size inclusivity in their collections is due to the cost of material (but what about all those “oversized” blazers and boyfriend jeans?) to minimal body diversity during fashion month (at spring ’20, out of 7,390 castings, just 86 plus-size models walked the catwalks, with London showing a dismal three), it’s fair to say that the industry as a whole has major steps to take before genuinely exciting representation can be achieved.
Enter: Joey Darlinn. Tired of bearing witness to the industry’s double standards and illusions of inclusivity, the plus-size model and body-positive influencer teamed up with photographer Michael Mayren, owner and director of game-changing agency Brother Models, to create the Curve Board. “I always felt a responsibility to represent an accurate reflection of the society we live in, in terms of race, gender, sexuality, age, size, ability,” says Mayren, who founded Brother in 2016. “It’s been a priority to be as inclusive as possible and to push for clients to do the same. We’ve always included curve and plus-size models on our regular boards but the idea to add a whole board came earlier this year as Joey and I share the same core beliefs and vision, which is hard to come by in the fashion industry.”
While there is more coverage of plus-size bodies in mainstream media today, the representation within that visibility is what led the duo to fight back. “Because we’re seeing bigger bodies in the media, becoming a part of some brand’s identity, we lose sight of the general lack of inclusivity and representation,” Darlinn tells me ahead of the launch. “The plus-size modeling industry has followed suit of the straight-size divisions in creating a blueprint of what a plus model is. We rarely see varying body shapes, body sizes, skin tones, feature sizes, and shapes. We still adhere to a sample size, we still are creating beauty standards even within the most inclusive part of the industry as a whole.”
Beyond the mainstream’s acceptable version of a bigger body — an exaggerated hourglass figure — the plus-size sector has to navigate the same issues as the rest of the world in deeming what is and isn’t beautiful. “The industry still westernizes beauty within the plus division, it still marginalizes certain people, and still creates a hierarchy that is fundamentally damaging to the mental wellbeing of those navigating the industry, as well as the younger generation,” Darlinn says. “I’ve been in a bigger body my whole life and the way it’s policed and solicited without warrant is a direct effect of the above.”
Plus-size models still have to contend with wider industry issues — sample sizes coming in a standard small, tokenism, a lack of plus-size stylists to work with — but Darlinn, Mayren, and the 22 Curve Board models signed so far are paving the way towards progress. “We have to do better, we have to break the cycle and make sure young people can see themselves and understand they’re important, too. There are so many factors that contribute to body shape and size, yet the same themes are always centered. We can no longer equate size to health, we have to combat fatphobia and it starts, in my opinion, with normalizing representation of ALL bodies,” Darlinn says. “We need a new normal.” Amen to that.
Ahead, we asked five of Brother’s new Curve models about progress, plus-size icons, and self-love.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about plus-size fashion?
That it’s taboo or wrong for plus-size people to wear certain items of clothing that straight-size people freely do, like thong bikinis, mesh clothing, going braless, or activewear, for example. We’re in 2020. Plus-size women can wear whatever they feel good in. I’ve seen comments flooded with hate whenever an activewear brand posts a curve model in their clothes. Women shouldn’t have to have their bodies and choices of clothing policed and ridiculed simply because they look different to the “norm.” Would you expect a straight-size woman to be on a beach in a full tracksuit? We need to address why larger bodies in normal/environmentally appropriate clothing are ridiculed and over-sexualized, to the point that even their social media photos are flagged for inappropriate content. We also need to address the industry’s contribution to the unrealistic beauty standards in place in society, and how this further fuels the ignorance towards plus-size fashion.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about plus-size modeling?
That it’s inclusive. While there has been a shift in recent years, and an increase in curvier women landing big campaigns and editorials, it feels like a lot of brands have found their “blueprint” — small waist and large hips. While this is a necessary body type to represent, it has been made a constant among many brands and is now the most conventionally accepted plus-size body type. Curvier women with loose skin, visible bellies, and small hips are left underrepresented. The industry can’t be truly inclusive until we see plus-size models with different/varied body types. People need to be able to go online and see people that look like themselves, their friends, and their peers so they’re not constantly comparing themselves to unrealistic images.
What change do you want to see in the industry concerning plus-size women?
I want the industry to normalize curvier women becoming the face of large brands and landing huge campaigns so it can start to be seen as “normal” and not wildly praised as a rare occurrence. I want plus-size women to be able to post freely on Instagram without comments about how brave they are. I’d like brands to include their plus-size divisions on the same social feed as their straight-size divisions so as to not reinforce the rhetoric that larger women are “different.” Brands need to start stocking larger sizes and stop using cost as an excuse as to why they can’t. We need plus-size stylists and directors on set. Inclusion in every aspect of the industry is the only way forward.
Who is your plus-size icon?
Philomena Kwao. She took off when she moved to New York in 2013 and since then I’ve watched her consistently advocating for women’s rights, inclusivity in the beauty industry, and, now that she’s a mother, maternal health. From the beginning of her career, she said she wanted to use her platform to empower women. It’s been amazing to watch her follow through on her word, and it’s one of the things that motivate me to carry on pushing boundaries.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about plus-size fashion?
That some women can’t wear a particular style of clothing because it isn’t “flattering” for a larger body shape. Plus-size women can wear whatever they want and still look just as good as someone with a slimmer body type.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about plus-size modeling?
When people think of plus-size models, they assume that they don’t live a healthy lifestyle. Everybody is different and naturally, there isn’t one size fits all for women. Because bigger models aren’t shown as much in the industry, this leads people to believe that being plus-size isn’t normal and therefore is unhealthy. We need to see more realistic body types being celebrated.
What change do you want to see in the industry concerning plus-size women?
I want bigger bodies to be normalized! I want women who don’t fit society’s “beauty norms” to see models on social media who look similar to them and feel good. I want young girls to grow up with a healthy outlook on weight and size, so they don’t feel as if they need to fit a certain format to be considered beautiful.
Who is your plus-size icon?
Aside from each girl on the Brother Curve Board, because all of those ladies are amazing, my plus-size icon has to be Emma Tamsin Hill, a social media influencer and a plus-size advocate. Following her online allowed me to discover a body-positive community on Instagram, with many plus-size ladies including herself promoting self-love. This really helped me learn to love my body and this inspires me to empower other women to love themselves too.
Myla, content creator, artist, and model, Manchester
What do you think is the biggest misconception about plus-size fashion?
Brands hold the ideology that plus-size bodies somehow don’t like to dress up, meaning luxury streetwear and high fashion brands don’t cater toward big bodies at all, and instead, give us very basic-ass material to work with, which is highly disappointing for a fashion lover like me who loves nothing more than dressing up in different styles.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about plus-size modeling?
Definitely the notion that in order to be a plus-size model you need to have thick thighs with a slight waist and wide hips. It literally feeds into westernized beauty, which is definitely something that I’m still unlearning myself.
What change do you want to see in the industry concerning plus-size women?
I want the industry to realize that if they want plus-size and fat bodies to shop sustainably, brands need to cater to our bodies FIRST — sustainable brands stopping at size 14 is appalling and most certainly frustrating. I want to see inclusivity, I want representation, I want to see plus-size and fat bodies of all different shapes AND sizes represented across the entire industry and not just the standardized curve body. I especially need to see bigger bodies on the catwalk to give us real representation in these spaces.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about plus-size fashion?
That we don’t enjoy fashion and the creativity that comes with it, we merely want to cover our bodies.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about plus-size modeling?
That we are “promoting obesity and being unhealthy.”
What change do you want to see in the industry concerning plus-size women?
I want to see a range of plus-size women, not just one type. I want plus-size women to be included in all areas of the industry, not just crammed into commercial campaigns. I want plus-size women to be allowed to do exactly what models do — model your clothing, not just for your “diverse and inclusive” brand campaign.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about plus-size fashion?
That our skin should be covered and that we are not fit to be bikini bodies.
What do you think is the biggest misconception about plus-size modeling?
I personally believe the biggest misconception about plus-size modeling is that models are unhealthy, don’t exercise, and that we’re encouraging people to be “fat.” Which I’d like to point out that I wholeheartedly and respectfully disagree with.
What change do you want to see in the industry concerning plus-size women?
I’m hoping to see representation of all women. If the ad states that the model has to be a size 18, please book an actual size 18 as opposed to a size 14 and then use padding.
Who is your plus-size icon?
Myself! Not being bigheaded but I’ve come so far from physically hating every aspect of my existence to falling in love with myself — it’s very inspiring. But I do love me some Precious Lee — she’s goals!
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In a world in which high-speed internet and same-day delivery empowers you to conceivably order anything you could ever want, whether that’s a week’s worth of groceries or a 1,000-piece jigsaw puzzle, the will to venture outdoors lessens greatly. Factor in a pandemic, temperatures that hover around 20 degrees, and a 4:27 p.m. sunset, and any sort of motivation drops significantly. We get it: It’s much, much easier to stay home, huddle around the radiator, pile on all the fleeces you own, and binge-watch whatever new release is streaming.
But when you’ve already spent so much of your year indoors, an hour or two spent outside is like a breath of fresh air (pun very much intended, sorry). With the right outerwear and layers, leaving home can actually be...fun? That's why we’ve teamed up with Eddie Bauer, the heritage brand famous for specializing in quality outdoor gear for a century, to compile a list of pieces that will get you excited for The Great Outdoors, whether that’s a chic white ski set for at least one run down the slope, a pair of fleece leggings for a snowy hike, or an extra-warm down-filled parka for a walk around the neighborhood. Click through to shop our favorite picks.
Designed to withstand the elements, this utilitarian-chic down-filled parka — a new addition to Eddie Bauer's outerwear collection — features a water-repellent shell, fleece cuffs, and a removable faux fur-lined hood.
Eddie Bauer Yukon Classic® Down Parka, $, available at Eddie BauerYour jeans but better — this high-rise pair is lined with fleece, making it, really, the only denim option for any outdoor activity. (And we love the fact that it's made with seven recycled plastic bottles.)
Eddie Bauer Voyager Fleece-Lined High-Rise Jeans, $, available at Eddie BauerA lightweight, water-repellent shell that provides subzero warmth is the ultimate wardrobe hero in the winter. For an elevated look without compromising protection, layer it under a long wool camel-colored coat — this copper metallic color will add a slight (and chic) understated sheen.
Eddie Bauer CirrusLite Down Jacket, $, available at Eddie BauerThe key to warmth in the winter: a thermal knit from which you can build your outfit. This one, with its patented moisture-wicking poly-spandex fabric that's made to trap in heat, comes in five pretty shades, including this dusty lavender.
Eddie Bauer Thermal Tech Crew, $, available at Eddie BauerWrap yourself in what is essentially a cozy sherpa fleece blanket masquerading as a parka. Wear it alone when it's warmer out or layered underneath another coat for extra insulation.
Eddie Bauer Lynden Fleece Parka, $, available at Eddie BauerThe brand took its best-selling Trail Tights and made it even better with the Crossover Trail Adventure High-Rise Leggings, which features a four-way stretch brushed fleece for warmth, gusseted inseam for maximum mobility, pockets (!), and moisture-wicking fabric.
Eddie Bauer Crossover Trail Adventure High-Rise Leggings, $, available at Eddie BauerThat cool bomber jacket-style silhouette gets a cozy, textured upgrade with one blanketed in the softest, plushiest fleece. Juxtapose it against a floral dress or further the edge with leather pants.
Eddie Bauer Fireside Plush Full-Zip Jacket, $, available at Eddie BauerFor the skiing enthusiast, invest in a kit that not only offers a streamlined look, but also adapts to changing conditions, thanks to its waterproof, breathable fabric and moisture-shedding finish, allowing you to ski for as long as you'd like.
Eddie Bauer Powder Search 2.0 Insulated Pants, $, available at Eddie Bauer
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