Queen Elizabeth. Photo: Getty Images
As ethical and sustainable fashion become a greater concern in the fashion world, a number of high-profile institutions—Gucci, Michael Kors, Jimmy Choo—have gone fur free. Now, add another one to that list: Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
As Angela Kelly, the Queen’s dresser, reveals in her new memoir The Other Side of the Coin, the Queen no longer wears fur during royal appearances. “If her Majesty is due to attend an engagement in particularly cold weather, from 2019 onwards fake fur will be used to make sure she stays warm,” Kelly writes.
The decision was heralded by animal rights groups: “PETA staff are raising a glass of gin and Dubonnet to the Queen’s compassionate decision to go fur-free. This new policy is a sign of the times,” PETA’s Director of International Programmes said.
As it turns out, the Queen has long been a champion of sustainable celebrity style: “Typically, the lifespan of an outfit can be up to around twenty-five years. Her Majesty is always thrifty and likes her clothes to be adapted and recycled as much as possible,” Kelly writes, noting that when an ensemble becomes too recognizable to the public, they will modify it or the Queen will just wear it as is while she’s off-duty.
Let that be both inspiration, and solace: next time you feel like you need a new frock for an event, know that not only does Queen Elizabeth outfit repeat, but she does so for a quarter of a century. So dust off that old dress in your closet, and rewear it with abandon.
Originally published on Vogue.com
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