Georgina HowellDiana Her Life In Fashion

This book, originally published a year after her death, offers a unique snapshot of the time. Twenty-five years on, we know about Martin Bashir’s deceptions regarding the Panorama interview, and we know about butler Paul Burrell’s lucky escape from trial.This snapshot, however, is also indicative of its time. Howell repeatedly established that Diana would obsessively look at the papers about every dress she wore, and calibrate her look accordingly. Howell can’t help herself, and bashed Diana’s fashion choices a few times. Of an outfit worn on Christmas 1986: “Had it snowed, she would have made a perfect subject for a Christmas card. Caped, hatted, booted and with a muff, she was a pretty sight, but she had gone beyond fashion. She was in costume, and it is but a short step from costume to pantomime.” She later called a cream-colored Catherine Walker dress “about 50 years out of date.” Granted, there were no Dove models then, but good grief! Even folks in the nineties (aside from Joan Rivers) would think twice about bashing someone for their fashion choices so viciously. Such comments could drive a person to anorexia or bulimia. Perhaps Howell felt she could be so catty because the bulimic subject of this book was dead.Granted, Howell lauds many of Diana’s fashion success, albeit in a semi-formed biography. In Howell’s world, one never knows if Diana is dressing to impress, dressing to be taken seriously, dressing to show defiance, or dressing to be taken seriously. Howell tries to pigeonhole Diana, which doesn’t work because Diana could dress for all those reasons at once.In one perplexing portion of text (regarding early 90s, pre-Morton Diana), she claims that for royal tours, she dressed “in fragile pastel colors that made her look demure, virginal, and vulnerable.” Charles and Diana’s tour of India belies that: Not only did Diana sit, alone, in front of the Taj Mahal in vibrant red and purple outfit, but Diana also wore a far-from-pastel Catherine Walker black evening dress to a state banquet on that tour.As a snapshot of Diana’s looks, this is worth a peek, but for a deeper, more insightful discussion of Diana’s fashions, look elsewhere.

My favorite thing about this book is the many close-ups of the materials in many of the dreeses that the Princess Diana wore. Seeing the intricate bead work onont the pink Cahterine Walker dress that she wore on the Indian tour in 1992, gave me such an added appreciation to the beauty of that dress.There is another really nice close up of the beautiful lilac Lot 52. There are many other close-ups of many of her gowns, too many to mention. This book is on my "must have" list.

Book is in good condition. The book has great pictures of Diana's fameous outfits with commentary. It's a nice remembrance book.

A beautiful book with biography of Diana.

Great pics

Rather disappointing compared to other Diana books.

Beautiful book

Georgina Howell has provided the world with a unique perspective on how Princess Diana revealed her inner thoughts and feelings through her outward style and clothing. This book is especially meaningful to me because it was a gift from my sister Darla who joined me at the Christies Auction in 1997 and travelled with me to Althorp last summer. She wrote a small poem on the gift card and ended by saying "We sat with celebrities of glamour amid, waiting for Christies to open the bid. We bid and we raised until bowing to fate, but our memories are captured on Page 208." And sure enough, there we are: my sister, myself and Bid Paddle #212.

Très bonne documentation sur l'évolution du style de la princesse Diana au fil des ans.

Lovely book. Was used book which I knew but if new would have given 5 stars.

Similarly to "Dressing Diana", this is a beautifully produced book which is not only interesting and informative from a fashion point of view, but also makes a lovely coffee table book. There are lots of photographs of the designs worn by Diana throughout the book, showing her change in style and taste in clothing in a chronogical order. Shots of the Princess are complimented by design sketches as well as dress photography for Christie's auction catalogue. Well written, informative text rounds this nice volume off perfectly. A lovely book to pick up again and again.

Beautiful book. A must for Diana fans. You can keep getting it out and never get tired of reading it and looking at the pictures.

Grandioses Buch ueber Princess Diana. Ihr Leben geschildert mit der Mode die sie trug. Eine Stilikone mit einigen Missgriffen.Sehr empfehlenswert. Man braucht aber Zeit um das Buch gründlich zu lesen.