No One Did Denim Better Than Princess Diana

Later, once Kate Middleton and then Meghan Markle arrived on the scene, an endless stream of nostalgia-bait slideshows—which, to be clear, I love—introduced me to even more of Diana’s denim numbers. Aminatou Sow, who cohosts the superlative Call Your Girlfriend podcast, started to chronicle Diana’s lesser-known outfits on Instagram like it was a moral imperative. (Thank you, Amina.) I tapped past denim plus a white shirt and tan belt, denim plus a black crewneck and loafers, denim in the form of one questionable pair of overalls…. Sometimes Amina shared Diana’s black-tie looks, occasions on which she forwent the denim. Still, a strain of wackiness remained. The woman wore mismatched opera gloves. She pinned flowers in her hair. She wore insane bolero jackets. I devoured it all.

No matter the outfit particulars, the end result was the same. There was Diana, looking like a cuddlier Tilda Swinton. Queen, rebel, platonic ideal.

For at least decade, I was content just to admire. Like Madonna or Iman, Diana oozed an unreplicable cool, and I didn’t dare attempt to emulate it. But now I’m 26, it’s 2018, and Diana denim has never been more on trend.

Somehow I’ve amassed a collection of giant blazers and sweaters. I wear baseball hats (to baseball games). I inherited most of my grandmother’s expensive leather belts, the kind with the buckles that make all outfits look regal. I had all the pieces; I just needed the jeans.