Queen Elizabeth's Most Shocking Outfit: She Once Wore a Harlequin Gown
For many of her admirers, the late Queen Elizabeth II has also been a fashion icon during her 70 years of reign, especially due to her penchant for vibrantly colored outfits.
Over the years, royal fans have often been pleasantly surprised by the Queen's fashion choices at her royal engagements.
A matching dress and hat in a bright color became almost a uniform for the unforgettable lady who passed away last year on September 8th.
Queen Elizabeth - A Style Icon Throughout Her 70 Years On The Throne
Throughout her reign, Queen Elizabeth II has been spotted in countless colorful ensembles, and she is known for her vibrant matching outfits.
There was a special reason why the sovereign dressed so boldly.
Sophie, the Duchess of Edinburgh, explained: "Don't forget that when she appeared somewhere, the crowd was seated at a certain distance and everyone wanted to be able to say they saw a bit of the Queen's hat as she passed by. She had to stand out so people could say, 'I saw the Queen!'"
For this reason, the late Elizabeth avoided dull colors.
"I can never wear beige because no one will know who I am," she used to tell her close associates.
The Queen's Most Shocking Outfit
It's difficult to pinpoint the Queen's best outfit worn in public because there were so many over her 70 years of reign and some looks were truly iconic, like the dress she wore at her coronation in 1953.
It's much easier to highlight her most shocking look.
It happened in November 1999 when the Queen turned heads at the Royal Variety Performance in Birmingham, wearing a technicolor harlequin sequined gown, that even the Court jeweler described as “shocking”.
Bold Colors and Diamonds
The bold harlequin gown had a repeating pattern of contrasting diamonds or elongated squares standing on end.
The top of the dress boasted an array of brightly coloured squares while the skirt of the dress was a bright canary yellow and appeared to be satin.
Elizabeth complemented her daring outfit with a petite gold handbag, a sparkling diamond necklace, and a matching bracelet, along with drop diamond earrings.
The dress's creator Karl-Ludwig Rehse told the Daily Telegraph that he was "overwhelmed" by the reaction to the gown he designed.
"People seemed to be thrilled at how she looked. She was stunning. She's like all ladies, she'll go for something new. She's fun to work with and very knowledgeable about fabrics. She knows how the clothes have to behave – how they have to move." he said
Isn't it true that the Queen was always a surprisingly stylish lady?
The photo with the surprising outfit can be seen here.
