Princess Diana, forever a style icon

Diana, Princess of Wales is remembered for the grace, elegance and style she brought to the monarchy. To this day, the late Princess has inspired many - not just in her philanthropic roles and her contributions to both society and the monarchy, but also in the world of fashion.

Princess Diana was an example for 80s' and 90's fashionistas with her classic combinations as well as slightly riskier outfits. She managed to push boundaries with her glamorous clothing, whilst staying dignified and graceful for her role as a royal.

We look back at Diana's best style moments - a woman who was not only ahead of her time in fashion, but also blended couture and royalty so well.

Although she had been of interest for many years to the press, Diana was mainly thrown into the spotlight at the beginning of the 80s when she was due to be engaged to Prince Charles. The photo was taken weeks before their wedding and she seemed to make the transition from 70s' to 80s' fashion so easy.

Many remember this moment when Diana and Charles visited Australia - or more so, remember the look. Iconic Diana. She never shied away from bold colours and her clothes often boasted beautiful details. This time? Polka Dots.

On public duty, Diana sports a classy ruffle shirt with a green jacket in the early 80s. She wore this shade of green on many occasions throughout her life.

Diana over the years sported some incredible hats. The matching of these hats with her outfits was seamless.

Diana was not afraid to contrast either, as we see here in this photo taken of her with her husband, Prince Charles on a visit to Australia. The navy hat seems to be a stark contrast to the light dress but matched those polka dots perfectly.

On official duty, Princess Diana revisits the green shades that she wore so well, pairing a wrap around dress/jacket with a stylish hat that features a long draping bow one side. While Harry was playing up and sticking his tongue out, Diana stayed totally calm and graceful.

Diana rocked the clashing colours in 1989 as she arrived in Kuwait, wearing a dress designed by fashion designer Catherine Walker. Catherine Walker deigned many of Diana's dresses and gowns. The hat, by Philip Somerville, is not visible in the photo but it was the same deep red as her skirt. Worked a treat.

Sporting neutral beiges, browns and creams, Diana set out on official duty in New Zealand looking elegant, royal and fashionable.

Diana still looks good in a Sailor's hat. She donned the naval garment visiting the Submarine HMS Trafalgar. Diana definitely added style to anything.

Looking every bit graceful and calm, William's Christening wasn't as perfectly pretty as it seemed in the photos. Diana said of the event, “Everything was out of control, everything. I wasn’t very well and I just blubbed my eyes out. William started crying too. Well, he just sensed that I wasn’t exactly hunky-dory.”

We love this outfit worn by Diana in 1987. She attended a passing out parade at Sandhurst in a Catherine Walker military dress with Graham Smith hat.

A white sailer look alongside Charles: Diana Princess of Wales with Prince Charles on board a ship at the naval base on April 20, 1985 in La Spezia, Italy during the Royal Tour of Italy. Diana wore a dress by Catherine Walker with a hat by Kangol.

The 1980's was a huge change from the 70s in terms of women's fashion and Diana pulled off the change, sticking to classic cuts and strong colour pairings.

The 80s was a decade for women to show power - and they did so in their fashion. Diana rocked the shoulder pad look and even took the fashion further at times, wearing suits and ties, as she is seen here walking through London with a gift.

Diana rarely made any big changes to her hair, which is why this photo of her, taken on her visit to Ealing in London in 1984, is one we had to include in this list. Her hair is pulled back and given a softer wavy curl. Paired with the Jasper Conran suit and bow detail, she pulled off a sleeker look than normal.

Diana, at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia, celebrating the Australian Bicentenary in January 1988. She is wearing a jewelled star in her hair to celebrate the Bicentennial Fashion Show. Simple, elegant, glamorous.

Perhaps one of her most famous outfits, this black gown with detail bolero is absolutely stunning and Diana wore it with the Spencer tiara and simple earrings.

Diana wearing a black pleated chiffon dress, with floating side panel, by Christina Stamboulian, during a party given at the Serpentine Gallery in London.
Often, Diana would take the risk and wear clothes that were cut off-the-shoulder or even sleeveless. Match that with sheer tights and a short hem on the skirt, Diana proved royals could also do fashion and glamour.

Attending the premiere of 'Shirley Valentine' at the Empire Cinema, Leicester Square, on October 1, 1989, Diana wore a blue dress completely covered in sequins. It fit her perfectly and showed off her wonderful figure.

Lady Diana Spencer, at this point now known as HRH The Princess of Wales, wore a pair of brilliant double teardrop earrings to go with the equally brilliant Spencer tiara in November 1985 when she attended a state dinner in Canberra, Australia.

Diana looked every inch a white queen in 1986 wearing the Spencer Tiara and a dress designed by the Emanuels at a State Banquet in Bahrain.

Princess Diana loved to wear her family jewels and always matched her adornments beautifully. Often favouring pearls, Diana wore them at many events at different lengths and styles. Here the pearls are wrapped around a number of times, probably adding to the serious weight of them. In fact, Diana actually fainted on this day when she visited the Expo Exhibition in Canada.

Diana knew how to accessorise. She loved her Spencer tiara but this is also a tiara worn by the late Princess. It is known as The Cambridge Knot Queen Mary Tiara Of Diamonds And Pearls and was given to her by The Queen.

Diana loved to wear pearls. Her family jewels were very important to her and she especially loved this necklace. It was initially a brooch that belonged to Queen Mary. Diana had this diamond-and-sapphire brooch made into a necklace with a seven-strand pearl choker, and it remained one of few statement jewellery pieces that she wore through and after her divorce.

Here is Princess Diana wearing an exquisite blue dress while visiting Tokyo. We love the diadem she chose to match the deep, vibrant colour of the dress and she quite literally shone.

The 90s brought back mini skirts and dresses and Diana changed with the times completely. She looked stunning in this Catherine Walker dress at an auction of her gowns.

Diana was leaving St Paul's Cathedral with a reassuring hand on her son's shoulder. Of course, she looked every inch stylish in the Cathrine Walker suit. The pastel contrasted with the deep purple lines and buttons creating a striking look.

Diana's wedding dress was one fo the most famous dresses in all history. She looked beautiful in an ivory silk taffeta and antique lace gown, with a 25-foot train and a 153-yard tulle veil, which was valued then at £9,000.

To mark Diana's 60th birthday, the dress was on display at Kensington Palace. Her sons Prince William and Prince Harry loaned the dress to the exhibition. And, did you know, the bodice is actually overlaid with lace that belonged to Queen Mary?

All those years ago, Diana auctioned her dresses for charity. Here, she came to New York to help with the auction. We have been paying particular attention to this white gown the Princess is looking over and adore the intricate details.

She had originally commissioned the gown for an official visit to Hong Kong (the pearl beading is a nod to Chinese culture), and later re-wore it for the 1989 British Fashion Awards. The designer, Catherine Walker, said of the Princess, "She shone in the dress and the dress shone around her in a shimmering column of glistening pearls." It was nicknamed the 'Elvis' dress.

In fact, the dress was so iconic that they made the image of her in this bolero-collared dress, along with glamorous tiara into a figurine. Timeless.

Yes, it is a word. Princess Diana was the first to really put leisure into business - which was, of course, scandalous by royal standards. But when she really was at leisure, she still looked fashionable in anything from running clothes to a ski suit.

Two pregnancies, two slightly different fashions, but one graceful woman. Princess Diana wore a flowing pink dress on a rural excursion, circa 1982. Pregnant with her second son, Prince Harry, she wore a pale blue Catherine Walker gown whilst attending the film premiere of 'Indiana Jones And The Temple of Doom' in Leicester Square just weeks before his birth.

Kate seems to have given Diana a nod in fashion over the years, the most notable being in this photo of the uncanny resemblance between the two in red dresses as they present their children to the world.

Kate also pulls off a hat as well as her husband's late mother. The similarities between the two fashion styles is clear here as we see them both side-by-side sporting red and black.

Green has always been Diana's choice of colour, despite being able to wear pretty much anything. But here Diana went for a more subtle hue. Later, Kate would too - and pay homage to the late Princess choosing a strikingly similar outfit.

Perhaps the biggest similarity we can see between the two ladies in terms of fashion and photography is when they announced their engagements. Both in a blue dress. Both with their hair free. Both with their hand poised showing off the ring. Both looking radiant.

As the world remembers Diana on the 25th anniversary of her death, and pays respects to the tragic life and death of the would-be-queen, there is no doubt she will be remembered in everyone's hearts as the daring, sophisticated, glamorous fashion icon who lit up the world with her smile.