Royal fashion history is filled with well-dressed women showing the power of a strategic outfit-repeating moment. Attending a ceremony to honor the 175th anniversary of her nation's constitution, Queen Mary of Denmark became the latest monarch to re-wear a memorable piece: a brilliantly pink dress by Andrew Gn.
For a formal service at Christiansborg Palace on Wednesday, June 5, Queen Mary styled the puff-sleeve fuchsia dress with a wide-brimmed hat, nude, pointed-toe pumps, a raffia clutch, and a delicate bouquet of roses. Her husband, King Frederick X, stood by her side in a navy blue suit with a burgundy tie.
Royal fashion watchers could instantly recognize the bright pink dress (and not because it's a callback to 2023's Barbiecore pink trend). Queen Mary debuted the same dress over a year ago, attending a pre-coronation celebration for King Charles III at Buckingham Palace. She wore the same pointed-toe pumps on that occasion, but carried a turquoise clutch instead.
From country to country, members of the royal families often save outfit repeating for special moments. Kate Middleton brought out of storage a Reiss dress she wore for her first royal speech in 2012 for another speaking engagement in 2020. Princess Kate has also recycled suits, dresses, and barn jackets from occasion to occasion. Meghan Markle, Duchess of Sussex, has also re-worn special pieces for formal and casual events, including the yellow Carolina Herrera gown she chose for both son Archie's first birthday and a visit to Nigeria last month.
In Queen Mary's case, her dress signifies an evolution in the past year. When she wore it in 2023, she was still Crown Princess of Denmark. After taking an updated title in January of this year, following Queen Margrethe's surprise abdication from the throne, the piece is now fit for a new queen.
If any nation's monarchs are going to support shopping one's own closet, it's Denmark's. Copenhagen is a capital of the sustainable fashion movement. Designers can only participate in the city's bi-annual fashion week if they meet minimum eco-conscious guidelines; thrift shopping and upcycling are both hugely popular in the city. So in terms of fashion, Queen Mary isn't so different from her stylish subjects after all.
Below, find three pieces inspired by Queen Mary's dress that are just as worthy of outfit repeating.
