20 ROYAL FASHION TRENDS

Before the age of style magazines and entire industries dedicated to clothing trends, many ambitious people looked to the world’s most powerful figures and emulated their clothing decisions to curry favour. As mass media opened up these styles to wider public consumption, so the importance of royal fashion became of as much interest to the average person on the street as it had once been to courtiers. To this day, perhaps more as celebrities than as royals, those with a connection to the great dynasties of the world have huge sway over what clothes and looks are hot in the moment. Here, we’ll take a look back at 20 examples of fashion trends kickstarted by royal association.

LONG WIGS

Louis XIII

When: 1624 Where: France

While his son would go down in history as the bigger fashion-icon, Louis XIII had a pretty significant contribution to make to the sartorial norms of the 17th century when he began to wear a wig. It all started with the king having long, natural hair in his youth, of which he was very proud. But as he began to go bald in his early 20s he turned to wearing a wig to maintain his image, and the court wasn’t far behind him. In the years that followed, men wearing