Style

How To Wear A Cardigan Like Princess Diana

Your autumn/winter wardrobe is crying out for a Lady Di-approved cardi.

Princess Diana Archive/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images

Princess Diana has always been a style icon. Her approachable, yet polished outfits helped her become one of the most photographed women in the world. And admiration for her blend of timeless classics and Eighties stand-outs has been reignited in recent months as anticipation builds for Emma Corrin in The Crown as the Late Princess of Wales. One of her favourite pieces? Knitwear, of course. Here’s how to wear a cardigan like Princess Diana.

From her iconic sweaters, now available to buy from Rowing Blazers, to her inimitable jewellery collection, Diana was constantly (and consistently) pushing style boundaries, especially when it came to the royal rules of dress. She carved her own style path, the impact of which is still seen today, including her own daughters-in-law Kate Middleton and Meghan Markle.

From pops of colour to patterned options, the cardigan comes in many forms, and Princess Diana embraced them all. Here are some of her most memorable cardigan looks, along with ways to recreate them as we head into autumn.

The Slone Ranger-Style Cardigan

Stuart Clarke/Hulton Archive/Getty Images

The late Princess fuelled the Sloane Ranger term when she was still Lady Diana Spencer, long before she married Prince Charles. The preppy style consisted of brogues, scarves and of course, cardigans. The crew-neck style is simple but classy in nature, a staple for any Sloany.

The Pop of Colour Cardigan

Tim Graham/Tim Graham Photo Library/Getty Images

Just as appropriate in the summer as the winter, adding a pop of colour to an all-black, or in this case, an all-white outfit takes it to the next level. Something we all know Diana excelled at.

The Festive Cardigan

Princess Diana Archive/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images

The Smart-Casual Cardigan

Anwar Hussein/Getty Images News/Getty Images

The humble cardigan can be dressed up or down with the right style, and the late people’s princess knew the enduring allure of mixing high/low brands and smart/casual styles for every occasion.

The Patterned Cardigan

Princess Diana Archive/Hulton Royals Collection/Getty Images

Just like her knitted patterned jumpers, Princess Diana loved a patterned cardigan, too. Of course, the Eighties provided ample examples for Diana, but modern interpretations are just as stylish.