The INSIDER Summary:
- Princess Diana used to hold her handbag up to her chest when exiting a car wearing a low-cut dress to avoid a wardrobe malfunction.
- She called them her "cleavage bags."
- Queen Elizabeth II and Kate Middleton also have secret uses for their bags.
Princess Diana would have turned 57 on Sunday, but her legacy lives on as a humanitarian, loving mother, and style icon.
The princess was known for her show-stopping dresses, which usually came with matching clutches. According to British designer Anya Hindmarch, who worked with her in the '90s, those handbags were more than just stylish accessories.
"We used to laugh when we designed what she called her 'cleavage bags,' little satin clutches which she would cover her cleavage with when she stepped out of cars," she told The Telegraph.
Having been under intense public scrutiny, it makes sense that Princess Diana would want to be extra careful to avoid wardrobe malfunctions.
Queen Elizabeth II and Kate Middleton also reportedly have secret uses for their bags.
When the Queen puts her purse on the table during a dinner, according to a report in The Telegraph, that means she wants the event to end within five minutes, and if she puts it on the floor, she wants to get out of there ASAP.
Kate Middleton is also said to hold her bags with both hands to avoid awkward handshakes.
Members of the royal family have always had a strict set of rules to follow in public and private. Princess Diana was known for breaking royal protocol from time to time, but her "cleavage bags" are a brilliant solution to a common problem that many women face while wearing daring dresses.
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SEE ALSO: Here are all the biggest revelations from HBO's new Princess Diana documentary
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