For Thinking the Sloane Ranger Style Was Never Fashionable?

[itsnotmeitsu]

I write as someone who lived in South Kensington in the late '70s. I was born a year earlier than Princess Diana, and used (not knowingly) the same hairdresser. I do think she was a fashion icon because of her media presence, but as a women aged 18/19 at the end of the 70s I would never have dressed as a Sloane Ranger with the piecrust blouses, etc. Punks were everywhere in London at that time.

I don't think Diana was ever a trendsetter, or paved a way for other women, but what she did have was charisma, and she used that for the benefit of others.

It was definitely a trend, but thankfully not the only one, as it was bloody hideous!

I loved it! I dislike 70s style.

It was a uniform for that particular social group. Just as the punks identified themselves with their safety pins and tartan, the Sloanes had the blouses and sweaters with pearls.

Fashion has nothing to do with it.

Posh people’s style is never really ‘fashion’

Laura Ashley was full of those type of clothes at that time wasn't it?

This was my generation and although Diana did spark some trends fashion (especially amongst the young) was far more diverse and tribal than it is now. I never went the Princess Di Sloaney route in my clothes and was devastated with a haircut that channeled her hair (so much so I went to a different hairdresser the following day and had it cropped short) but lots of people did.

I know that half my year at school had that big pigeon wing haircut while the rest of us channelled ‘80s Madonna.

The other take from it were the marvellous evening dresses we all wore to balls. I still have the one I wore the night I met DH!

I volunteer in a charity shop and last week we were pricing up retro/vintage clothing for an upcoming promotion.

So much 80s black velvet and taffeta. Beautifully made clothing and just gorgeous!

In my secondary school everyone copied hair style, spotted skirts, pink and red clashing outfits, blue eyeliner, box jackets, long flowing skirts. God what must we have looked like? I was really into Madonna but Diana is the only woman I ever remember copying.

I went to a lot of agricultural shows in the '80s. It was definitely a thing in some circles.

@WeIcomeToGilead

Nobody in my primary school class had long hair between 83-86. Absolutely down to her hair!

isn't that funny. whereas these days, and for the past 30 years it feels like, you rarely see a primary school aged girl with a short hair style.