Princess Diana’s summer style is a reminder that some looks never go out of fashion. Along with being known as the kind and beloved “People’s Princess,” the late Princess Diana has been celebrated for her trendsetting, timeless fashion sense.
For decades, people have tried to channel and recreate her looks, whether it was a formal dress she wore to a premiere or one of her iconic street style looks. And in the summertime, so many look to Diana’s past looks for fashion inspiration.
Diana once said, “I don’t go by the rule book. I lead from the heart, not the head,” and the same went for her fashion! In fact, according to the author of Elizabeth Holmes, Diana was a “master dresser” who would use her clothing to show her true feelings. She dressed “not just to what she was doing or who she was meeting, but how she was feeling.”
Holmes added, “I think Diana’s choices were screaming sometimes. Diana delighted in clothes. Her story is filled with such highs and lows, but understanding her fashion, how she used it, found power in it, and reclaimed her voice is my favorite part of this book.”
From her colorful maternity dresses to pastel overalls, her revenge dress to her pink-filled ensembles, Diana knew how to make the most of summer fashion every single year.
If you’re looking for some royal-approved summer clothing inspiration, then look no further because we got the top 20 looks Diana rocked in the summertime.
Check out Diana’s most iconic summer looks she wore throughout the 1980s and 1990s below:
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Floral Dress (1988)
Image Credit: Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images This floral Bellville Sassoon dress Diana wore in the summer of 1988 just showed she could rock any pattern she wanted, especially a bolder one like this one!
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Floral Mini-Dress (1997)
Image Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images Diana always made magic when she wore a stunning mini-dress like this white floral one from Catherine Walker (which she paired with metallic Jimmy Choo shoes because she was always the trendsetter)!
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Green Maternity Dress (1982)
Image Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images Not only is this green, polka-dotted Catherine Walker maternity dress perfect for the summer, but it was such a chic moment early in Diana’s royal career.
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Blue Halter Mini-Dress (1995)
Image Credit: Princess Diana Archive/Hulton Archive/Getty Images We love a Diana formal moment, and this sparkling Catherine Walker halter she wore in June 1995 will always be our night-out summer inspiration!
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Revenge Dress (1994)
Image Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images Did you know Diana rocked the iconic black Christina Stambolian revenge dress in June? We’re counting this as the ultimate summer inspiration.
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Gingham Pants (1986)
Image Credit: Anwar Hussein/Getty Images A classic button-down paired with patterned, colorful pants is always such a stunning look!
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Barbiecore Shirt-Dress (1982)
Image Credit: David Levenson/Getty Images And another flowing shirt-dress! We love this Barbiecore moment.
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Yellow Overalls (1981)
Image Credit: Anwar Hussein/Getty Images The floral button down! The colorful wedges! The pastel overalls! This is a look we can totally see ourselves recreating any summer time.
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Camel-Colored Dress (1992)
Image Credit: Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images Diana’s trip to Egypt in 1992 was full of perfect summer fits, including this camel-colored button-down dress.
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Two-Toned Yellow Look (1992)
Image Credit: Anwar Hussein/Getty Images And she rocked this two-toned yellow look during her Egypt trip that made her look like the definition of sunshine!
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Yellow Sundress (1988)
Image Credit: Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images We love Diana’s colorful, flowing sundresses, and this yellow and white number may be one of our all-time favorites the late Princess wore.
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Pink Button-Down (1989)
Image Credit: Anwar Hussein/WireImage via Getty Images While walking with Prince Harry, fans fell in love with Diana’s pink look of a button-down shirt, skirt, and brown belt. It’s not only the perfect color palette for any summer event, but it looked so light and breathable during those scorching summer months!
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Floral Pencil Skirt (1985)
Image Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images While Diana always rocks a classic white top, the real showstopper of this look is this bold, colorful pencil skirt that screamed summertime!
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Tennis Outfit (1988)
Image Credit: Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images This blue and white tennis outfit from Diana’s visit to the Women’s International Tennis Association European Office at the Vanderbilt Racquet Club is the cutest tennis look we’ve seen from a royal!
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Red Mini-Dress (1995)
Image Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images This fiery red Jacques Azagury mini-dress reminded fans that Diana was the Queen of bold summer looks!
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White & Blue Summer Look (1983)
Image Credit: Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images This white button-down and blue trouser look Diana wore at a polo match at the Cowdray Park Polo Club may be the ultimate everyday summer inspiration.
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All Pink Royal Look (1989)
Image Credit: Tim Graham/Getty Images Summer clothing, but make it formal and royal! This pink look Diana wore in 1989 was the perfect mixture of regality and fun summer colors!
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Baby Pink Dress (1981)
Image Credit: Jayne Fincher/Princess Diana Archive/Getty Images This flowing baby pink dress not only brought out Diana’s colors, but it was such a fun, light look to rock at any point in the summer.
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Denim & Khaki Ensemble (1997)
Image Credit: Tim Graham Photo Library via Getty Images This casual look Diana wore in Angola has given fans serious inspiration over the years, with many recreating this blue vest and khaki look whenever possible!
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Black & White Pants (1987)
Image Credit: Julian Parker/UK Press via Getty Images Who knew black and white vertical striped pants could look so playful and chic at the same time?! Diana always knew how to effortlessly wow in bold patterns.