10 Times Princess Diana Stole The Show On The Red Carpet

As a collective, we were, and remain, absolutely enamored with Princess Diana — for reasons too plentiful to list here in their entirety. But we're definitely obsessed her philanthropy, her authentic care for the poor and sick, that almost-ethereal charm, and the way she rattled royal tradition. As a young woman, before she was the Princess of Wales, Diana Spencer worked as a kindergarten teacher and a nanny, among other odd jobs. However, she grew up intertwined with the royal family, and her birth family was one of Britain's oldest and most prominent. 

After she married then-Prince Charles in July 1981, every detail of Princess Diana's life was laid out on the buffet of public consumption — to an ultimately tragic end. Still, her legacy remains. As expected for a princess, Diana was regularly invited to the buzziest affairs. She was often photographed walking the red carpet at black-tie galas, glitzy parties, film premieres and the like, and her looks almost guaranteed to garner headlines. And they ran the gamut, from flirty cocktail dresses to extravagant ballgowns, and, of course, we can't forget about the legendary revenge dress.

On July 1, 1997, Princes Diana attended the Tate Gallery's centenary celebration in London. It also happened to be the princess' 36th birthday. As the literal belle of the ball, Diana donned a black Jacques Azagury gown embellished in luxe beading and featuring a fishtail hem. 

The low-cut square neckline offered just the right amount of birthday va-va-voom, and we're loving the bows on the ribbon-like straps. Diana accented the all-black look with an emerald and diamond choker. So '90s and so fit for a princess. 

Princess Diana walked the red carpet at Royal Albert Hall for a performance of "Swan Lake" in London in June 1997. For the ballet, Diana chose a delightfully fun and flirty baby blue above-the-knee cocktail dress designed by Jacques Azagury, which was dotted in delicate, stones that remind us of ice crystals. 

She paired the dress with slingback pumps and a matching clutch. She officially divorced Prince Charles in 1996 — though they'd separated years before — and we're going to go ahead and count this cheeky number among Princess Diana's leggiest looks after splitting from the royal family. 

Princess Diana was among the Hollywood A-listers and cinephiles at the Cannes Film Festival in May 1987. She walked the red carpet draped in a layered look that totally captured the vibe of the '80s. 

Diana opted for a navy and white striped Catherine Walker bubble-hem dress, and a white double-breasted blazer with gold buttons. Take your cues from Diana: A longer version with a voluminous dress is definitely one of the best unexpected ways to style a blazer. And her two-toned pumps brought the whole look together perfectly.

In June 1996, Princess Diana was welcomed into the United States. The royal spent a few days in Chicago helping to raise money for cancer research, and one of those evenings included a gala dinner at the Windy City's Field Museum of Natural History. 

For the dressed-up affair, Diana wore a royal purple Versace gown, paired with a beaded choker. Seemingly a fan of a monochromatic moment, Diana chose matching pointed-toe pumps and carried a clutch in the same rich hue. 

The same night that Prince Charles went on TV to admit that he'd had an affair, Princess Diana stepped out for a Vanity Fair party held at London's Serpentine Gallery in June 1994. And thus, Princess Diana's revenge dress became one of the most iconic looks in fashion history. 

The jet-black off-the-shoulder Christina Stambolian creation was noticeably more body-hugging and skin-baring than anything Diana had previously worn. Accented with sexy black stockings and pumps, and an expensive-looking choker, the look seemed to send a clear message: She was done playing by others' rules.

Back in November 1985, Princess Diana attended a gala dinner at the National Gallery in Washington, D.C. For the affair, she opted for a sparkling white one-shoulder gown with sequin detailing on the shoulder and subtle draping at the hip. 

The Hachi-designed dress seemed to flow beautifully, and it truly delivered that fairy-tale princess vibe while still feeling modern and sophisticated. And, nope, we're still not over Diana's choice of silver pointy toe pumps for the way it added a touch of '80s cool.

Just ahead of her wedding, Princess Diana attended the premiere of "For Your Eyes Only" in London in June 1981. She arrived draped in a cherry tomato red Bellville Sassoon ballgown, speckled all over in gold. 

Diana channeled the energy of a Southern American debutante with the fanciful frock that was made even more special with the ruffle trim at the bust and along the hem. And the spaghetti straps were the perfect way to keep the overall look from reading too heavy and bogged down.

Princess Diana walked the red carpet for the premiere of "Back to the Future" in London in 1985, delivering some serious '80s glamour in a Catherine Walker wine-colored velvet evening gown. 

The floor-length dress featured structured, puffy shoulders and a back bow. The real star of this show, though, is the open V-neck back, and Diana decorated that negative space with a string of pearls that helped the look strike a lovely balance between sophisticated and sultry.

In October 1996, Princess Diana was in attendance for a benefit dinner at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in Sydney, Australia. She opted for a one-shoulder Versace dress crafted in a satiny sapphire blue fabric that hung on the princess' frame like liquid. 

Diana knew how to rock a short haircut like none other, but this '90s version was certainly a high point. And true to monochromatic form, she rounded out the look with matching T-strap pumps and a clutch in that same bright blue hue. 

When Princess Diana popped out for a charity fashion show at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London in March 1985, she seemed to truly embrace the idea of dressing for the setting. Clothing was the topic du jour, and Diana made a stylish splash with the help of a sea of silver pleats. 

She donned a long-sleeved gown designed by Bruce Oldfield, and the impossibly shiny metallic fabric wrapped the people's princess in the dreamiest, most luxurious way. The look was part fashion, part fun, and totally elegant.