Britain’s longest reigning monarch has been at the helm for more than 65 years. That’s more than 30 corgi companions she’s loved, 600-plus charities she’s patron to, 129 portraits she’s sat for, and about 90,000 Christmas puddings she’s given to her staff. Exhausted yet? There’s more. Over the years, the Queen has built up one of the most well-crafted wardrobes of all time. So in honor of her 90th birthday, we rounded up her most fashionable facts.
Credit: Serge Lemoine/Getty Images; Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images; Anwar Hussein/Getty Images
1. She rationed coupons for her wedding dress.
In 1947, two years after World War II ended, 21-year-old Elizabeth married Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, in a satin bridal gown embroidered with motifs of star lilies and orange blossoms. The material for her dress? It was paid for with coupons she rationed.
2. Her coronation gown symbolized the nations she would rule.
This royal never thought she’d be Queen, and when her Coronation Day took place in 1953, her gown was meant to be symbolic of the nations she would rule. It included embroidered roses for England, thistles for Scotland, leeks for Wales, shamrocks for Ireland, and the national flowers of the Dominions.
3. She has a dedicated glam squad.
Ian Carmichael (Her Majesty’s hairdresser) visits her twice a week, no matter where she is. In addition to beauty, the Queen also has her entire team – a stylist, an eveningwear designer, a day-dress designer, a milliner, and a glove maker – there to curate her looks at all times.
4. Her handbags do all the talking.
If the Queen is known for one style trademark, it’s her handbags. Owning more than 200 from Launer London, she is rarely seen without them. But the real reason she never lets them go? She uses her purse to make signals to her staff. Depending on how she shifts or holds her bag, the lady-in-waiting knows when it’s time to sweep in and end a conversation.
5. She has a signature shoe.
Like most of us, the Queen is just looking for some comfortable shoes. So when she found a pair that worked for her, she rightfully stuck with them. Her shoe of choice is a sturdy 2.5-inch calf leather heel in black, beige, or navy for day and satin, silver, and gold for evening. Clearly, she knows a good thing when she sees it.
By Elizabeth Burns, Fashion Editor
