Queen Elizabeth Wore Pants in 1970 to Modernize Her Look But Doesn’t Usually Do So When On Duty
Queen Elizabeth is undisputedly one of the most fashionable British royals. Queen Elizabeth’s meticulous outfits always radiate elegance, and whatever she chooses to wear, she always has a reason for it.
With her consistent, bold color blocking, she frequents the ‘best-dressed’ list. She clearly knows what suits her best and what to avoid.
What does the Queen wear?
The 96-year-old prefers dresses and skirt suits when on duty. The queen’s love for brightly-colored skirts and dresses is unmatched (which she compliments with matching hats and coats.) But why bright colors? Well, to make it easy for the public to recognize her.
According to Page Six, the queen is rarely seen in public with pants. In fact, she wore the garment in 1970 on an official tour to Canada. She sported a silk troupe suit designed by Ian Thomas. Why? Well, she wanted to modernize her look. But since then, she’s never opted for trousers when on duty.
Elizabeth, however, wears slacks during her private time; when she’s vacationing, at sporting events like riding horses, or for leisure.
While the queen favors bold colors, the choice of her attire depends on the surroundings. For instance, if she’s attending a tree-planting event, she will avoid a green ensemble because she will be camouflaged in the background.
Elizabeth’s hats match all her outfits. Rachel Trevor-Morgan, the Queen’s milliner, has special instructions not to design her hats too wide that her face is covered or too tall (she may get stuck when getting out of the car.)
Her scarves and waterproof umbrellas, just like her hats, complement all her fabrics. She prefers floral scarves to those with one solid color, and she wears them primarily to sporting and outdoor events.
Elizabeth has maintained the same style for over 50 years when it comes to her shoes. Her shoes are handmade by Anello & Davide, a footwear company based in London. The company’s team customizes the Queen’s shoes. Her shoes — preferably black, have a buckle at the front and a heel measuring two and a half inches.
The real reason why Elizabeth never wears slacks
Royal tradition dictates that women wear skirts and dresses. While Kate Middleton seems to follow the Queen’s lead, Meghan Markle, on the other hand, sees things differently — she has worn trousers to many of her official engagements.
The Firm, as the royal family is called, has clear-cut rules observed by the royals — from the color of their nail polish to their clothes. While the royals mostly follow the stipulated protocols, a few rule-breakers, like Middleton and Markle, go against the rules once in a while. So, how are the royals expected to groom?
What is the royal dress code?
As far as nail polish is concerned, natural or nude colors are the Queen’s go-to’s. She favors Essie’s Ballet Slippers (£7.99,) which she has worn since 1989 (Meghan Markle wore the same at her wedding).
Each royal is expected to stock their wardrobes with black outfits in case they attend funerals. When traveling, the queen always packs an all-black outfit in the event a tragedy occurs in the world that demands a solemn outfit. Also, while rules govern what the royals do and say in public, their outfits are symbolic diplomatic tools. For example, the Duchess of Sussex sported a green Givenchy dress on her first trip to Ireland.
Royal little lads always dress in shorts, according to The Sun. He notes that the tradition goes back to the 16th century, and it’s around this time when princes were transitioning from wearing gowns and dresses until they were eight years, then switched into knee pants. Also, during weddings, men wear military uniforms. For example, Prince William’s garment was the uniform of the Irish Guards on his Wedding Day to Kate Middleton.
Royal tradition instructs that only married women or royal brides should wear tiaras. Additionally, little girls’ most preferred mode of dressing is wearing dresses. We’ve spotted Princess Charlotte with plenty of beautiful dresses. But have you seen the glamorous princess in trousers in public? Not yet. The royal girls mostly wear smocked dresses when they’re little.
