We may think of Kate Middleton as the queen of re-wearing items from her closet, but Princess Diana was recycling her clothing long before the Duchess of Cambridge ever did. Like Kate, Diana didn't grow up royal, so she was less accustomed to just buying new outfits on a whim. Sure, she did have an expansive closet once she became a princess, but she also brought back her favorite pieces throughout the years.
As InStyle noted, Diana had a unique way of re-wearing her clothing. She didn't necessarily just throw on the same old dress time and time again. Instead, she would often alter her outfits to wear them in new ways. Sometimes she would remove extra fabric, tuck a blouse in, or add new accessories. This helped her style always feel fresh, even when she was just cycling through her same old closet. (Kate Middleton often does this now, too.)
Here are 10 times Diana brought an iconic look back.
Chic Striped Suit
Pictured here in 1981, Diana was wearing a purple and yellow striped suit from designer David Neil. The set came with a matching blazer, skirt, and blouse, which she then paired with coordinating purple accessories. This photo was taken about a month before her royal wedding, and then-Lady Diana Spencer was still really shy around the paparazzi cameras.
All Buttoned Up
In 1983, Diana brought the David Neil suit back for a trip to Australia. This time, though, she buttoned the blazer up and turned it into a skirt set. People may not have even realized she was recycling an outfit from two years prior. She may have been a princess, but Diana wasn't going to let good clothes go to waste.
Voluminous Blouse
On that same 1983 trip to Australia, the princess stepped out in this Jan van Velden look. The black and white abstract print, leather belt, and big sleeves were very of-the-moment. But this wouldn't be the only moment we'd see Diana in this outfit. She brought it back just a handful of months later.
Tucked In
At a polo match later that same year, Diana changed the whole vibe of her black and white blouse. By tucking it into her white pencil skirt and unbuttoning it at the neck, she totally transformed the outfit. She looked so formal when she first wore the blouse in Australia, but here she looked effortlessly cool.
Floral Set
Another cute skirt set Diana wore in the '80s was this blue floral outfit. She threw this on for the 1981 Wimbledon tennis tournament, which is also an event that Kate Middleton now uses to show off her own designer duds. Diana liked this look so much that she recycled part of it years later for another event.
Just the Skirt
Instead of wearing the full suit, in 1985, Diana just wore the skirt and paired it with a white blouse and a wide belt. The juxtaposition between the slimming pencil skirt and the puffed-sleeve top shows how effortless fashion was for the princess. She could just throw these iconic looks together like it was nothing.
Polka Dot Dress
The princess loved a good polka dot outfit, like this black and white dress with a matching hat. She wore the ensemble to the 1986 Epsom horse derby. This kind of a style is totally not on trend anymore, but somehow she still looks totally flawless — like she could just jump into 2021 wearing this and totally get away with it.
With an Added Flounce
The polka dot Victor Edelstein dress also at one point came with a peplum-style skirt. The princess wore the dress both ways, and while she looks great in each, we prefer the flounce-less style. It's more streamlined, whereas the extra fabric adds unnecessary bulk to the whole look. We don't miss this '80s trend.
Shiny Ballgown
Shiny purple ballgown? Yep, this was the 1980s. Diana was such a product of her time, always leaning into the outrageous '80s fashion trends — like with this embroidered, ruched-waist gown. It was designed by Catherine Walker, who now creates many of Kate Middleton's coatdresses.
As a Standalone Top
Three years later, Diana brought just the embroidered top back for her final trip with Prince Charles before their separation. This time, she paired the top with a slim, lavender-colored skirt. This was the '90s now, and the big ballgown silhouette was out, but Diana was still going to reuse as much of her wardrobe as she could.
Red for Japan
Just like how Kate Middleton thoughtfully dresses in local designers' outfits for her foreign trips, Princess Diana carefully chose this red and white dress for a trip to Japan in 1986. It mimics the look of the Japanese flag, while also staying totally on trend with those big '80s-style polka dots.
Fit for the Balcony
A month later, Diana re-wore the polka dot dress for an appearance on the Buckingham Palace balcony during the 1986 Trooping the Colour parade. She pretty much re-wore the entire outfit from her Japan trip, down to the big red hat and pearl necklace. What isn't broken shouldn't be fixed, right?
The Blazer & Skirt Look
In 1987, the princess visited Portugal and dressed up in a classic 1980s silhouette. With the striped bubble skirt she got some volume on the bottom, but then she slimmed her top half with a long, form-fitting, navy blazer. A few months later she would repeat a version of this look with the same striped dress.
This Time in White
This is the exact same outfit Diana wore in Portugal, only she swapped the navy blazer for a white one. It's a clever trick to make the ensemble look brand new, and it still ties everything together because the striped dress is both navy and white. Diana wore this look at the Cannes Film Festival in 1987.
Glamorous Gown
Here's another Catherine Walker design, one of the princess' go-tos for formal events. She wore this glittery blue gown while in Portugal in 1987. It's pretty, but it's also a dated look now, what with the drop waist and the puffy shoulders. Luckily, she eventually had the dress modernized so she could re-wear it.
Suddenly Strapless
Two years later, Diana stepped out in a strapless version of the same blue gown. It may be identical in fabric and color, but the new silhouette gave it a new life. She even looks more confident wearing it. There are still some of those signature '80s details, like the drop waist and sparkles, but it was starting to look a little more '90s in style.
Mixing Prints
There's a whole lot going on in this outfit of Diana's from the early '90s. She's wearing a red houndstooth print Moschino suit threaded with a striped black and white scarf. It's so wild to think that this look was the height of fashion in 1991, because it kind of hurts our eyes to look at now.
Accessory Switch
Yes, this is much better. In 1992, Diana re-wore the houndstooth suit, but this time she opted for a plain black scarf. It allows the print to stand on its own without overwhelming people looking at her. We're glad she also skipped the hat on this one. Too many accessories is a lot to handle.
Sleek Pantsuit
The '90s were in full effect here with this oversized gray pantsuit. Diana threw this on for lunch with her stepmother in March 1997. Everything from her briefcase-style purse to her long blazer and her shoulder pads are reminiscent of that time when women were starting to dress more in menswear-inspired outfits.
Now It's a Skirt Suit
A month later, Diana was photographed in a similar version of her pantsuit, only this time she'd traded the pants for a skirt. But it's the same gray blazer with its wide lapels and fringe trim as she'd previously worn. She put this on for a hospital visit in April 1997, just a few months before she tragically died in Paris.
