The Queen Mother’s bizarre but genius wardrobe hack is one we can’t get over and you have to see it to believe it.
- The late Queen Mother made a definite mark on the royal fashion world with a wardrobe hack she previously unveiled for ceremonial cake-cutting.
- Her choice of gloves contained a handy feature that fans likely won’t have seen before.
- This royal news comes as we revealed Sophie Wessex's “super private” second wedding dress had a romantic detail that will blow your mind.
When it comes to fashion many royal women have handy tips and tricks up their sleeve to achieve an effortlessly elegant look. These range from Kate Middleton’s fashion hack for a seamless silhouette to the style tip that Kate and Meghan Markle have stolen from the late Queen. And thanks to a throwback photo of the Queen Mother from over five decades ago, we’ve learnt that she had a pretty unique style trick too. Though many people might not have seen the Queen Mother’s wardrobe hack before…
According to the Getty caption, the photograph which revealed the Queen Mother’s wardrobe hack was taken back in November 1960 in London. It depicts the late Queen Elizabeth’s mother looking glamorous in an embellished gown worthy of a Queen Consort and the Boucheron Honeycomb Tiara. Following her death it was counted as one of Queen Elizabeth’s tiaras and became one of Queen Camilla’s “favorite” accessories.
Given the spectacular evening dress and statement royal jewelry worn by the Queen Mother, it’s perhaps no surprise that she also opted for elbow-length gloves. What likely *is* a surprise and which you might not have noticed at first glance are that her hands gripping a cake-cutting knife are completely glove-less.
The Queen Mother’s gloves appear to have either a detachable hand section that can be entirely removed or else a fold back design, giving her flexibility when it comes to picking things up or - in this case - holding something. She was pictured cutting the birthday cake for the “Women’s Group” as per the caption and looked utterly delighted to be getting involved, gripping the knife with both hands to help ensure a smooth cut.
The Queen Mother’s wardrobe hack likely served two practical purposes as the design meant that it was less likely she’d stain her pale gloves with cake here and also allowed her extra grip at this photographed moment. If the hand part is detachable it would also suggest that these gloves could've been a two-in-one fashion staple for her too.
Her daughter Queen Elizabeth was also often pictured wearing gloves, especially to formal occasions such as State Banquets. Though even though the Queen wore them to cut cakes ceremonially at royal engagements too, it seems the Queen Mother’s practical design wasn’t something she opted for, at least in recent years.
Perhaps one of Queen Elizabeth’s most memorable cake-cutting moments came in 2021 during her visit to the Eden Project's Big Lunch initiative. And the video of the Queen cutting a cake with a sword there certainly captured people’s imaginations.
She insisted on using the sword and after being told about another knife said, “I know there is, but this is something that is more unusual.”
The Queen might not have copied the Queen Mother’s wardrobe hack with her glove choice that day but she gave fans an unforgettable moment. And with a little assistance at the end from the then-Duchess of Cornwall, Britain's longest-reigning monarch also perfectly cut the cake!
