Taupe Beige Bib Suit

A classic suit that became a favourite go-to outfit for weddings in the late 80s, this one is chic and an early example of colour blocking. Worn with a wide-brimmed Philip Somerville hat, it’s ticks box for being elegant, subtle and appropriate styling to avoid distraction from the bride. It was early recognized as a change in image, because even though it wasn’t often worn or photographed, it was copied for the Danbury Mint Princess Diana Royal Wardrobe Collection in the late 80s.

The jacket has the fashionable wide-shouldered “power” silhouette from the time, and flares at the hips over a narrow, knee-length skirt. The brass buttons are set into a cream bib-shaped insert which helps draw the eye, as they would have disappeared into the taupe fabric of the suit. The hat has a low-crown, but quite a wide brim that matches the shoulder width providing balance to the overall shape. And the cream Chanel style slingbacks are a perfect neutral contrast to finish without being too matchy-match—a departure from Diana’s earlier style of matcy-matching every colour component of an ensemble…hat, outfit, tights, shoes, bag, which was sometimes overwhelming.