Blue Velvet Gown Princess Diana Wore While Dancing With John Travolta In 1985 Up For Auction

Nov 22, 2019

There are some people in this world who think that clothes are just clothes. Sure, that pair of sweatpants that you wear to run errands doesn't have much significance. However, special outfits can act as symbols of moments in time, making them totally magical. This is the reason why most women save their wedding gowns forever.

Outfits and gowns can also represent crucial moments in history and culture. For example, none of us could ever forget the iconic white dress that Marilyn Monroe wore in The Seven Year Itch. As the decades pass, these items usually end up in museums, such as Dorothy's ruby red slippers from The Wizard of Oz, which are currently on display at The Smithsonian.

However, some of these legendary outfits and items end up at private auctions. One of the world's most iconic gowns is now available for private purchase. 

In 1985, Princess Diana attended a ball at the White House. There, she was photographed dancing with actor John Travolta. Both of them look like they're on cloud nine and the photos show the talented performer releasing the elegant princess from a spin during a waltz.

At the time, fashion magazines and beauty editors everywhere couldn't stop gushing over how utterly perfect Princess Di's gown was. It was a rich blue that was so dark as to almost appear black. It featured a classic old Hollywood silhouette, with an off-the-shoulder design that was considered quite daring for a royal at the time.

"Royal protocol required her to dress very demurely," explained Lucy Bishop, a vintage fashion expert and auction house professional, according to the Daily Mail. "It was a bold and mature choice for such a young princess."

Today, the dress seems almost demure and conservative, which just goes to show how far we've come in such a relatively short timespan. The gown was previously sold in 1997 by Diana herself, who donated all proceeds from the sale to AIDS charities. Heartbreakingly, Diana died only two months later.

However, the time has come for the gown to be sold again. It is now available for purchase via the auction house Kerry Taylor Auctions. The starting price is a cool $350,000!

Are you already on the hunt to see if you can raise the money to have this timeless gown for yourself? Show this story to anyone who you think might be able to contribute.