No mere clotheshorse with a first-class-wardrobe allowance, Princess Diana dressed beautifully and with a sense of purpose. During her frequent visits to hospitals, for instance, she wore what she called her “caring wardrobe,” comprising cheerful colors and no hats or gloves, because they got in the way of holding hands and offering hugs. Just as determinedly, when the occasion called for all-eyes-on-me glamour, Diana chose sexy, formfitting wear, such as the black off-the-shoulder number, forever after known as the Revenge Dress, that she wore on the evening in 1994 when her husband publicly admitted his affair with Camilla Parker Bowles. The message was clear: I’m here, better than ever.
As the princess’s life increasingly diverged from the rest of the royal family after her split from Charles, Diana booked…