Diana, Princess of Wales

Why could we not avert our eyes from her? Was it because she beckoned? This article from Time Magazine Online asks why the world was so drawn to Princess Diana. Diana drew more attention than most celebrities of her time. Her style inspired the masses around the world, not only those in Britain. What is it about Diana that appeals to so many? The Time author concludes that in Diana the world saw “a sacrificial symbol”; she represented to us the apex of vulnerability.

“First she became the patron saint of victims, the sick, the discriminated against, the homeless. Then, partly through her real suffering at the hands of a rigidly formal family trained to play rigidly formal public roles, and partly through her shrewd manipulation of the press, Diana herself projected a compelling image of victimhood. Women in unhappy marriages identified with her; so did outsiders of one kind or another, ethnic, sexual or social.”

I can’t help but think that Diana’s style also served this function of highlighting her “victimhood”, her vulnerability. “Everything she wore, every new accessory and change of hairstyle would be scrutinized” (Diana’s Style and Fashion ). The attitude toward Diana’s fashion sense seems to be that Diana had to be this beauty, that she had to look the part of a princess. As biographer Brian Hoey notes, “She managed to combine a modern look with the requirements of royal dignity and cool elegance” (Diana Princess of Wales: The Pitkin Guide Emphasis Added).

That Diana was hostage to her wardrobe, however, was probably not true. When during her life Diana’s Dresses drew a large amount of money for charity, “she also understood that the worldwide media coverage her image generated could be used to good effect to raise money for the charity causes she so passionately supported” (Diana’s Style and Fashion ). This BBC video gives you an idea of how much women admired Diana’s style, but also how that admiration translated into good works for charity:

\

From Diana’s allure, I see that other people appreciate our vulnerabilities (unless they are fucked up and want to take advantage of our vulnerabilities). When other people enjoy our vulnerability in that non-fucked-up kind of way, we have a rapport with them, and we can use this to achieve various goals we might seek (good or bad). Not only did Diana have a rapport with the world, she used that rapport for good. As Hoey noted, Diana, “said she never followed fashion, only dressing ‘for the job in hand’.