THE LONDON YEARS · 1980
Burgundy knit, white ruffles.
An open cardigan reveals white ruffles and a small black bow. In London in 1980, 19-year-old Lady Diana Spencer paired patterned knitwear with a detailed blouse. The collar and cuffs are as much a part of the look as the knit.
LONDON · 1980
On 12 November 1980, Diana was photographed leaving her flat at Coleherne Court. Beside the car, pale motifs cross the cardigan’s chest, with a ruffled collar beneath. A small black bow marks the neck, and white cuffs show at the wrists.
The full-length view pairs the short cardigan with a calf-length skirt. Reddish-brown boots and a small bag continue the knit’s warm colours. Detail gathers at the neckline while the skirt gives the outfit a longer, quieter line.
THE WHOLE LOOK
Long skirt, reddish-brown boots
The skirt covers the boot tops, leaving reddish-brown leather visible below. Fine pinstripes and a hem that opens as Diana walks become clearer in the full-length photograph than in the car-side view.
VIEW THE ORIGINAL PHOTO ↗
An open burgundy patterned cardigan
Tiny pale dots cover the deep burgundy ground, with a band resembling reindeer across the chest. Plain sleeves finish in ribbed cuffs, as does the hem. Wearing it open places the knitted pattern beside the blouse’s white ruffles.
White ruffles and a small black bow
Ruffles edge the standing collar and cuffs. A thin black ribbon forms a small bow at the neck. With the white cuffs extending beyond the knit, the detail is spread between neck and wrists.
A long skirt with fine pinstripes
Fine vertical stripes run through the dark grey fabric. The waist is neat and the skirt reaches roughly to the calf. With the blouse tucked in, a long line runs from waist to the hem that opens as Diana walks.
Reddish-brown boots beneath the skirt
Low heels and creases at the ankles give the boots a soft outline. Their tops are covered by the skirt. The reddish-brown colour connects with the burgundy knit and bag.
A small bag close to the knit’s colour
The small bag has a rounded horizontal shape and short handles. Another photograph from the same day shows a fine pattern on its red-toned surface. Its colour sits close to that of the knit.
A sufficiently close bag has not yet been found for sale.