Posted on 06/09/2010 4:11:22 PM PDT by JoeProBono
LONDON, - The strapless black taffeta dress worn by Lady Diana Spencer to her first soiree with Prince Charles after they were engaged sold at auction for $277,068.
The dress, with its form-fitting bodice and low-cut ruffled neckline, transformed the eventual princess of Wales from 19-year-old "Shy Di" in 1981 to one of the world's most influential fashion mavens, The Times of London reported Wednesday.
The dress, which Kerry Taylor Auctions in London estimated would sell for about $72,000, was sold to Fundacion Museo de la Moda, a Chilean museum.
The garment was thought to have been destroyed but was found in the garage at the home of the dress's designers, David and Elizabeth Emanuel, The Times said.
The designers were asked to take the dress in, but it required so much work, they decided to make a smaller version for Princess Diana and stored the original, the auction house said.
Elizabeth Emanuel said she had no idea of the drama the dress would cause.
"She just looked fantastic," she said. "At that time, she was curvy. Not fat in any way, but she had cleavage -- we love cleavage. And she looked great in this dress. And I think from that moment on, Diana became a fashion icon."
Damn it, I missed the auction. And I was prepared to go as high as $15.95.
Wasn’t she the ho that was shagging the Arab guy?
One & the same...when she should have been home taking care of her children.
But she definitely has a face for radio, and probably does her best work in the dark..... REAL dark!
She was a beautiful woman regardless.
![](http://thepreppyprincess.files.wordpress.com/2010/04/princessdiana_v_13april2010_pa_b.jpg?w=230&h=346")
The gown was worn by a 19-year-old Lady Diana Spencer for her first major appearance with Princess Grace of Monaco following news of her engagement to Prince Charles. Some found the design inappropriate. The dress criticism wasn’t as heated over the gown’s lines when seen on an upright Princess-to-be, shown above.....as when she bent over.
David and Elizabeth Emanuel also designed Di's wedding gown. All in this wonderfully illustrated book.
Wrong dress...:)
Wrong dress on two counts.... 1)way too much cleavage for an about to be royal and 2) royals only wear black for mourning.
That’s not the dress. That’s the dress when her divorce was finalized. I’m kinda bothered by the fact that I know that.
That’s a great photo of her in the wedding dress.
Interesting that by the looks of the jewelry, she wore the little black dress (or it’s smaller twin I guess) several times. It always bothers me when I read about famous folks that never seem to wear the same clothes twice.
LOL...That is the way I remembered it also, Thought the same way about myself.
:)
Ah yes... don’t ask me WHAT Princess Grace’s consultants were thinking putting her in that hideous monstrosity.... but young Diana looked unBELIEVable in that black number.
Wow...so long ago... I was just a high school dreamer-girl... Even then, I thought, “that old fuddy-duddy prince hates that she upstages him everywhere....”
The point was she was making her own mark-—and was discarding the royal images of the past.
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