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Meghan Markle's Dress Vs. Princess Diana's Dress Shows The Change In Time
Meghan Markle, the former Suits star, is a total style icon, known for rocking some killer suits, so I was half expecting (OK, more like hoping) that she'd break the mold and wear a suit today. She didn't go that far, but her Givenchy dress did straight up slay. I mean, how gorgeous was that veil? Her gown was sleek and simple, a big departure from the big gown Princess Diana wore on her wedding day. While both gowns were truly stunning, it's fun to compare Meghan Markle's dress versus Princess Diana's dress.
Markle's understated, elegant gown was designed by Claire Waight Keller, the Artistic Director for the French fashion house, Givenchy. The gown featured an elegant boat-neck, three-quarter length sleeves, and a curve-hugging fit that accentuated Meghan's slender waistline. But the real showpiece was the tulle veil that measured over 16 feet, according to USA Today. Meghan looked exquisite as she ascended the steps of St. George's Chapel with the ethereal veil flowing behind her.
In contrast, Princess Diana's grandiose gown, created by husband-and-wife design team David and Elizabeth Emanuel, featured 10,000 pearls, a 25-foot-long train, and a veil that used 153 yards of tulle. The gown was a total showstopper, almost literally. Princess Diana nearly couldn't fit into the carriage scheduled to take her to St. Paul's Cathedral. The train of the dress had to be folded "like you would fold a bed sheet," explained Elizabeth Emanuel in an interview with The Daily Mail.
Whose Dress Cost More?
While Princess Diana's legendary gown was created with some seriously ornate materials, including a square of Carrickmacross lace that dated back to Queen Mary, it may actually have cost less than Markle's Givenchy gown.
Meghan's dress had a simple, relaxed vibe but the exquisite tailoring that went into can be beyond expensive. "The pure lines of the dress are achieved using six meticulously placed seams," explained an official royal statement about the dress.
Diana's gown has an estimated value of $115,000 according to CNBC. While no official cost has been released for Meghan's gown, people are speculating that it cost in the hundreds of thousands. “Haute couture gowns like this can be priced as high as $340,000,” said fashion expert Dawn Del Russo in an interview with Money.
The Veil & Headpieces
Meghan's veil and tiara added the "wow factor" to her chic wedding day look. The 16-foot-long veil was made from silk tulle with a trim of hand-embroidered flowers unique to the 53 countries of the Commonwealth, according to an official royal statement. Meghan also donned the Queen Mary Diamond Bandeau tiara, on loan to her by none other than Queen of the United Kingdom, explained The Daily Mail.
Princess Diana's veil, made of endless tulle, measured even longer than her 25-foot-long train, according to Good Housekeeping. It was anchored into place by a tiara fit for a true princess.
Shades of White
Brides for centuries have worn white on their wedding day. In fact, the tradition dates back to Queen Victoria wearing a white gown when she married Prince Albert of Saxe-Coburg in 1840, according to Time.
Since then, the white wedding dress has come to symbolize purity, but since Meghan was married once before, many speculated over the shade she'd choose for her gown. She opted for lovely pure white with a soft matte lustre.
Princess Diana's Victorian gown was ivory taffeta, and the Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, wore a combination of white and ivory on her wedding day.
Wedding Day Glitches
Meghan looked ever-so-regal as she stepped out of the Rolls Royce with her veil and train getting spread out behind her. While there was no major hiccups, the team behind her did look a bit frantic as they tried to position the veil perfectly for Meghan to ascend the steps of the cathedral.
But Princess Diana did have a more noticeable glitch as she arrived at St. Paul's Cathedral on her wedding day. The Princess's gown was a bit crumpled when she walked down the aisle, thanks to the cramped carriage ride en route to the cathedral.
"‘In the tiny carriage, it had crumpled far more than we’d anticipated. We’d done a rehearsal, but not with her father, Earl Spencer, in the car, too — and he was quite a large man," explained designer Elizabeth Emanuel in an interview with the Daily Mail. "Oddly, the imperfections seemed to make her even more beautiful."
