 | As Princess of Wales, Diana's wardrobe always included suits, but like all her clothes they followed the royal family wardrobe rules. They needed to be colorful and original so the wearer could be easily picked out in a crowd, but always tasteful and stylish. During the 80's Diana had a number of suits often trimmed out with extra details like peplums, big sleeves, embroidery, or unusual collars. As she matured, however, the look began to change. This suit, ordered for the Wales' tour of Hungary in May of 1990, was typical of the new look. By Catherine Walker, increasingly Diana's favorite designer and one who respected impeccable tailoring and a clean line, it relied for its effect not on lots of details but instead on a striking color combination used in the usual suit components of cuffs, buttons, and collar. It also had a slimmer, more sophisticated silhouette.
This pink and purple suit saw a lot of usage in the early 1990's. Bsides the tour to Hungary in May of 1990, in that same year Diana also wore it in June (left)to Ascot (with Phillip Sommerville's striking 'halo hat'), in September to an 'away day' to Liverpool in support of two of her charities, and in October on both her solo tour to Washington and later to a memorial service for firefighters who died in the Blitz. In 1991 she had the skirt shortened, which she had done to several of her outfits, and wore it in May on the Wales' tour to Czechoslovakia and in June to the Garter ceremonies. A year later, in June of 1992, she wore it on a day of engagements in and near Hull (right).
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