Just Wondering What Has Happened To The Late Queen's Wardrobe?

Grandyma

It seems Anne is putting the late Queen’s wardrobe to good use.

Or perhaps they went shopping together, both liked the same coat and each bought one?

mabon2

Who really cares?

What a pointless comment.

It seems Anne is putting the late Queen’s wardrobe to good use.

That's really nice to hear. The late Queen's clothes must all be beautifully made of the very best materials and should continue to be worn.

Hopefully the younger royals will also have a choice of her formal clothes. Maybe that was her aim.

I think I’ve just seen a photo today of Princess Anne wearing a purple coat that had been her mother’s at a function she carried out yesterday. She is so frugal but how lovely for her!

I bought a hand painted cashmere sweater when in my mid 20s (1960s). I wore it until there were holes under the arms which could no longer be repaired. I then incorporated what was left it into a patchwork cushion which I still have. The lovely thing about being "crafty" is that nothing is ever wasted. I have a wonderful stash of vintage fabrics.

Just after the war I had dressing gowns my mother had made from old army blankets and myknickes were made of parachute silk.

I'd love a copy of the Janet Arnold book. Even had Elizabeths clothing been kept I doubt much would have survived the ravages of civil war and moth. I do remember a pair of supporters for sleeves on an antiques roadshow, from I think Woolaton hall.
I seem to remember talking in parson woodfords diaries of someone using fabric from a skirt which had been in store for 20 years. And one of Charlotte Bronte's dresses has been remade many years later from if I remember correctly, a niece of Martha brown.
I don't think any clothing of the late queen would fit me to be honest. My mum was much smaller, shorter and slenderer than I am, and feet several sizes too small so all had to go. I've kept a few bits

I should add..... when it's decent yarn, i.e. proper wool.

During and just after WW2 my mother - and grandmother would take clothes apart, unravel sweaters

In 1975 I unravelled an Irish Aran sweater my aunt had given me and reknitted the yarn into a new sweater.

People still do this.

As recently as the early 20th century lace collars, cuffs and fichus would only be tacked on to garments

As recently, indeed, as my mother's grammar school days in the late 1940s and early 50s. Her school dress was made of wool serge and would be sponged clean but the collars and underarm pads were tacked in place so that they could be hot washed.

This reminds me of the reason we have so few gowns from Elizabeth 1st. Anne of Denmark, wife of James 1, stripped all her state gowns of the jewels and expensive trimmings - no doubt re-using or distributing what was left.

There is a wonderful book called "Queen Elizabeth's Wardrobe Unlocked" by Janet Arnold. She shows that even within her lifetime many of Elizabeths dresses were altered and refurbished. Clothes were not all in one piece in those days. Sleeves, bodices and petticoats were laced or pinned together and could be mixed and matched at will.

It would have been quite usual to pass things down to the next generation so what Anne did (if she did indeed use some of Elizabeth's wardrobe) was not unusual.

The late Queen's Angela Kelly outfits were lovely and set a trend for brighter colours for older women. It would be nice to see them on display somewhere, or re-used.

Who really cares?

Susiewong65

I’ve often wondered what happens to all their clothes.
You rarely see them in the same outfit twice.
There must be a warehouse full of clothes and accessories somewhere.

Many of the younger Royals, as well as the late Queen, do re-wear outfits. They might have different accessories or have them re-styled or re-trimmed to make them look a bit different

Re clothes being reused recycled. I remember when a few really worn out and holey woollies would be given to be re-spun for a new yarn. To be knitted into something new. I wish it could still be done as have several slightly moth eaten cashmere jumpers that I simply cannot bring myself to put in the bin.

My sister-in-law has quite a few of her mother’s garments and wears them, including MIL’s going away coat. (Does anyone have a going away coat these days? I certainly didn’t when I got married as an older bride 22 years ago).

I do have a lovely velvet circle skirt that belonged to my mother but haven’t worn in for a long time. It must be about 70 years old now!

I have made some of my grandchildren’s favourite dresses into cushions for them ( ones they loved and grew out of,lots of pink !) it made them so happy.

Princess Beatrice's wedding dress was lovely. So tasteful and distinctive.
I dislike those tarty off the shoulder dresses that look like a Shirley Bassey show outfit.

Princess Beatrice’s wedding dress was a re-modelled gown belonging to the Queen.

Because her wedding was postponed because of Covid, she ended up having a very small family ‘do’, and didn’t wear her original dress I think.

With hindsight, I bet the fact that both the Queen and Prince Philip were able to attend and see her in her vintage dress would be a wonderful memory for Bea, and very special.

I read somewhere that the late queen's most important clothes, by which were meant those she wore on really important state occasions were going to some or other museum. She may have given some clothes away - surely there was a young royal who had had a dress of the queen's made over into a wedding dress?

Traditionally, ladies in waiting and chambermaids and other household staff would be offered their choice.

Textile/fashion museums in other countries may have put in requests, I suppose.

Not sure the rest will be auctioned off for charity - who would want them? Most of her clothes were on the fuddy-duddy side IMO.

As King Charles is very interested in evironmental issues, I doubt his mother's clothes will be incinerated, but the Royal Family can hardly do like the rest of us and denote garments to charity, when someone dies.

I believe that many of the late Queen´s garments shall be shown in the British Museum in London or in other museums in the U.K.

Interesting Topic ..

When my mom had died, I took some of her formal dresses and had the seamstress make them into sleeveless blouses as I am quite smaller than she was. I use them under suit jackets for professional events I attend .. Several of them are from brocade silk fabric and a few have a light decoration of tiny sequins.

M0nica

It was common practice in earlier centuries to remove the very costly adornments on wealthy people's clothing when they no longer wanted to wear it: jewels, lace, fur, embroideries, and other things were all removed. Often the dress was taen apart and the fabric reused.

I recently read a very intersting book about Mary, Queen of Scots, called Embroidering her truth by Clare Hunter that went into great detail over the re=use of garments and embellishments by high status individuals.

M0nica:

Wow .. What an interesting book .. I would love to read it ..

Thank you for mentioning it.

Have a lovely day.

I hope some of it is exhibited at some point. Some years ago I went to an exhibition of the Queen’s clothes at BP. Not only were there her wedding and coronation dresses but many of the clothes we had seen her in throughout her life. The ball gowns from her younger days were exquisite, covered in beads and jewels and with such tiny waists. You could clearly see where the Angela Kelly influence started as the outfits, particularly the daywear were much more elegant and stylish than previously.

This! images.app.goo.gl/962t2fCooWKmeFZo7