Princess Anne’s flower power dress and voluminous up-do combination proves you should never be afraid of going bold

Princess Anne took flower power styling to the next level with vibrant colours and the most voluminous up-do for an evening out in 1973.

If you’re looking to create a spring capsule wardrobe, one print that’s likely to make an appearance is florals. They might not be ground-breaking but florals are a timeless way to bring a sense of the great outdoors into your outfits - and Princess Anne is a fan. The Princess Royal loves a good floral motif and one of the most iconic of her floral looks came in 1973. Stepping out with Captain Mark Phillips to attend the London premiere of the Jesus Christ Superstar film, Princess Anne’s flower power outfit and voluminous hair took statement royal styling to new heights.

There was no need for her best quilted jacket for this evening out as she let her high-neck floral dress do all the talking. Princess Anne’s outfit had a frilled collar and matching trim on the long sleeves, as well as shirring.

The entire bodice was shirred, creating a form-fitting silhouette, and this shirring extended down to just above the elbow on the sleeves. From there the senior royal’s sleeves billowed out into a puffed shape that then tapered in at the cuffs. This created a dramatic yet softly draped effect that worked as a brilliant contrast to the streamlined bodice.

The skirt flared out from Princess Anne’s waist and the vibrant colour palette and floral print elevated the dress even more. All over the length of this gorgeous gown were large flower motifs - each with a different combination of petal and centre hues. From emerald green to mustard yellow and a stunning red, Princess Anne’s flower power outfit was a riot of colour. 

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Both the print and the colour palette gave her evening look a sense of fun and her hairstyle for the occasion oozed glamour. Whilst not everyone would think of going for a voluminous up-do with such a statement dress, Princess Anne wasn’t afraid to go just as bold with her hair.

Two large front sections of the Princess’s hair were pulled back and look to have been secured into a bun whilst on top her hair was brushed backwards, creating a combination between one of the best 60s hairstyles - the beehive - and one of the best 70s hairstyles - the voluminous bun.  

Princess Anne is known for favouring a very similar look to this day, albeit with a little less volume. She confessed in the documentary, Anne: The Princess Royal at 70, that she couldn’t understand how long it apparently took those making The Crown to recreate her hairstyle on actor Erin Doherty as it’s so quick for her. 

“I don't watch Netflix and The Crown - but the actress was talking about how long it took them to do her hair like I did, and I’m thinking, ‘How could it possibly take that long?’ I mean, it takes me 10 or 15 minutes,” she said.

Quick it might be, but Princess Anne’s voluminous up-do for her evening out in 1973 was fabulous and this hairstyle has really become her signature look over the years. The Princess finished off her look for the Jesus Christ Superstar premiere with a simple white clutch bag that didn’t overwhelm the dress and hair combination and a pair of pearl stud earrings.

You might not be quite ready to recreate a fully floral look quite as eye-catching as hers, but Princess Anne proved with her Flower Power 70s look that florals don’t have to be dainty to be beautiful. Whether you prefer a large floral pattern or micro one, there are so many ways to add florals into your spring outfits.