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2 min read
With season five of The Crown hitting screens today and detailing Charles and Diana’s messy divorce, writer Beccy Hill wonders if it’s time we stopped glorifying the revenge dress.
Countless column inches (feet, even) have been written about Princess Diana’s revenge dress since its fateful outing in 1994, and 28 years later, we still can’t stop talking about it. While filming for The Crown’s fifth season, which launches on Netflix today, photos of Elizabeth Debicki in a recreation of Princess Diana’s iconic Christina Stambolian LBD set the internet alight, with fans losing their minds at the accuracy of her portrayal.
The dress was originally worn by Princess Diana on the same day that Prince Charles’s interview with Jonathan Dimbleby aired, during which he admitted to being unfaithful to ‘the people’s princess’, and led to rumours that she’d worn the dress as ‘revenge’. But is there actually anything empowering about the concept of ‘revenge’ dressing at all? And what even is it?
“Revenge dressing is much more than putting on an outfit to show that you’re better off without your significant other,” says Disha Daswaney, trend forecaster and co-founder of Konkrete. She explains: “It’s about the feeling of power that comes from choosing to show that you are moving on with your life. It’s a way of forming a new identity.”
Credit: Netflix
In theory, this sounds great – who doesn’t want power, especially post-breakup? But psychotherapist Gemma Grainger dissects this: “‘Revenge dressing’ is merely a fantasy of power. Of course, there is something enticing about the idea that looking unattainably great means, ‘Fuck you, I deserve more, and now you can’t have me,’” She continues: “But actually, because you are doing this for another person, the power is not in your hands, and it’s also not within you – it highlights your own lack of security in yourself.”
‘Revenge dressing’ is merely a fantasy of power
Gemma Grainger
In 2017, Revenge Body With Khloé Kardashian first aired on the E! cable network. The premise of the show was to take the broken-hearted and give them a glow-up through makeovers and workout regimes – exactly as Kardashian had done herself following her divorce from Lamar Odom. It was a prime example of how the concept of ‘revenge’ could be monetised.
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“The Kardashians are arguably the modern-day equivalent of Princess Diana when it comes to revenge dressing, and the latest season of the show is really popularising this ideal once again,” says Daswaney. “After the breakup of Kim Kardashian and Kanye West, and, more recently, Pete Davidson, the family has used their revamped styles and aesthetics to showcase sex appeal and femininity, which in turn they monetise into a wider lifestyle of being attractive and single.” All of this raises the question: is revenge dressing really as empowering as we’ve been told it is?
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Last month, Taylor Swift dropped her much-anticipated album Midnights, which includes the song Vigilante Shit. The lyrics nod to the idea of ‘revenge’ dressing. “They say looks can kill and I might try / I don’t dress for women / I don’t dress for men / Lately I’ve been dressing for revenge,” Swift sings. While her words actively deny dressing for either the male or female gaze, it feels difficult to separate this from the idea of revenge – because without the other person, who is it for?
“Revenge dressing is actually a great way to put a finger up to the bullshit that other people bring you. If you’re in a toxic place or scenario, it’s easy to start to slip on how you take care of yourself, and what you wear can be a reflection of this,” says stylist Rhona Ezuma. However, Grainger suggests: “I’d doubt that someone can wholeheartedly say that the primary aim is to look and feel good in their skin just because revenge is rarely kind, and I think that is worth remembering.”
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To speak in gender binary terms, what is the masculine equivalent of revenge dressing? It’s a concept that feels centred exclusively around the feminine experience. Grainger, however, has experienced the opposite. “That is absolutely not the case. It appears equal; it’s just more subtle in men because they see it less as an outlet for rage and more of a focus for improvement,” she says.
There are more positive ways to embody a celebrity or influencer’s style than revenge dressing
Disha Daswaney
Daswaney agrees that the approaches differ. “For men, it isn’t about dressing at all, but instead focusing on finding a ‘trophy partner’,” she adds. “Typically, this includes looking for someone that is deemed attractive to show off on social media or to their peers IRL.” She also notes that revenge bodies seem to be universal. “It’s seen as a healthier alternative, which of course is really trending right now. The wellness opportunities brands are having at the moment are unparalleled.”
Like plenty of other trends, it’s arguable that ‘revenge’ dressing or ‘revenge’ bodies are simply genius marketing. They’re yet another way for fashion, beauty and wellness companies to sell us the idea of self improvement as empowerment, while capitalising on heartbreak.
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Grainger’s advice, before you reach for your own version of Princess Di’s shoulderless ensemble, is” “Think inward, not outward. Surround yourself with your pillars, the things in life that hold you up.” She adds that it’s important to be sad and grieve, but also to remember you are a person without that other person.
We are now constantly being bombarded with unrealistic standards in ways that didn’t exist in 1994. “It’s ingrained in us to over-analyse every aspect of a celebrity’s wardrobe, because that is what is being sold to us as the ultimate form of beauty,” says Daswaney. “There are more positive ways to embody a celebrity or influencer’s style than ‘revenge dressing’. You can still look amazing, but it shouldn’t have to come from a place of making a point. As Ezuma concedes: “I am team turn up and turn on; put on those stunner boots and don’t let them get you down.”
Images: Getty
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