does the revenge dress still only cry out for revenge?

The revenge dress is indisputably known to be the bolder and more sensual choice to be worn after having suffered adultery, but Lady D, who was the first to show off a dress that went down in history with this epithet, she wanted to communicate much more than simple revenge.
Reclaiming her strength, Diana with hers little black dressintroduced the concept into the zeitgeist, crystallizing the idea that look good despite the heartachecould be the best revenge.

Revenge dress and declaration of intent

The official date that establishes its entry into pop culture falls on June 29, 1994when the Princess, attending a garden party organized by Vanity Fair at the Serpentine Gallery in London, showed off the boldest dress ever worn up to then (at least by the standards of the British crown).
It happened on the same day that the Prince Charles admitted his infidelity live. The heir to the throne confessed for the first time that he had cheated on Diana with Camilla Parker-Bowles: he said that he had always tried to be faithful and honorable, respecting the wedding vows promised in July 1981; but when journalist Jonathan Dimbleby pressed with questions, the prince revealed that he had failed in his fidelity (the love affair had lasted since 1986).
From that moment, turning their marital problems into a public affair, their relationship crumbled irreparably and the Princess of Wales understood that she could lose her noble title, but not her dignity. Though heartbroken by an admission of guilt like hers, she decided to attend the party and do it by her own rules.

Christina Stambolian’s dress

In fact, the choice of her look was not totally casual: for the occasion she was supposed to wear a Valentino dress with formal lines, according to the dictates of the palace, but she decided to take part in the event by choosing her outfit herself, realizing the power of not verbal communication.
She took out of the wardrobe a tight and asymmetrical little black silk dress, with a generous sweetheart neckline by the Greek designer Christina Stambolian. The dress had been bought three years earlier, but she had never had the chance to wear it because it was deemed too daring: in that instant it transformed into the perfect garment. She styled it with sheer black stockings, black pumps, red manicure, and a pearl and sapphire choker.
In that way Diana, who had always been subject to constant and intense public scrutiny, freed herself from self-righteous styles and communicated to the world that the Princess of Wales, with her elegantly regal and sophisticated outfits, of course (but until that day quite modest to submit to court etiquette), no longer existed.
Lady D chose not to be a tragic spectator

of that situation, not to stay at home wringing their hands while the adulterous husband’s dirty laundry aired, but to make use of its strength and to live its life, showing itself powerful, resilient and beautiful.

Birth of a legend: revenge dress

Diana, aware that all eyes would be turned towards her, decided to respond to her husband’s statements with her physical presence. The clamor was deafening and the press baptized that little black dress by a hitherto unknown designer, revenge dress.
The dress it broke some of the rules of royal protocol, including the too short length and the choice of the color black, which is forbidden for royalty outside of mourning; but it exalted female courage, pride and affirmation, bringing down the public image of an entire dynasty.
The choice of the princess he didn’t want to be an instant generator of jealousy and regretas was once thought, but a powerful affirmation of self-confidence: Diana Spencer crowned herself a style icon and proclaimed herself as sexy and free as ever. From her ex-husband and the entire royal family.

Revenge dress as freedom

Today, after almost thirty years, in the aftermath of a sentimental breakup, women all over the world continue to bring out the Lady D who is in each of them, as celebs demonstrate: from Beyoncéwho wrote his ode to revenge dressing with Freakum Dress to Rihannawho cited the Stambolian revenge dress as one of her style inspirations and crowned Diana a bad bitch in a 2017 interview with French Vogue; from Bella Hadid, in her plunging Alexander Wang catsuit at the 2017 Met Gala following her breakup with The Weeknd, a Gisele Bündchen, at the party of the jewelry brand Vivara, after the divorce with Tom Brady after 13 years of marriage in 2022.

Going beyond the lightness that can distinguish a garment, the metaphor of dress of vengeance it supports the idea that when we are injured, as a first reaction we perform the need to defend ourselves and take revenge. The power of the revenge dress lies in turning heartbreaks into a glorious statement of style.
The strongest lesson it teaches us, however, is that what we can do after a breakup is to preserve only our psychological and inner integrity: live our emotions, recognize our value and go beyond.

With an academic background in fashion and communications, she began writing for various publications during her university years. Fashion consultant and writer, you are very close to inclusiveness issues…