9 celebrity ‘revenge’ dresses that have gone down in history: from Taylor Swift’s Oscar de la Renta gown and Shakira’s post-Gerard Piqué look, to Meghan Markle and Princess Diana’s sartorial clapbacks
- Whether sending a message to an ex, à la Shakira or Jennifer Aniston, or power dressing after being given a rough time like Taylor Swift or Meghan Markle, these outfits worked wonders
- Bella Hadid made sure to stun at the Met Gala the same night her ex The Weeknd showed up with Selena Gomez, but it’s Princess Diana and Marilyn Monroe we have to thank for the original revenge dress
“Revenge dressing” is a phrase used to describe daring, post-break-up fashion. It’s often associated with a minidress Princess Diana wore in 1994 that’s still talked about today.
From royals to reality stars, take a look at nine of the most iconic revenge dresses of all time.
1. Marilyn Monroe
Marilyn Monroe laid the groundwork for what we now know as revenge dressing during her divorce from Joe DiMaggio. Throughout the hearings, Monroe – who was married to baseball player DiMaggio for nine months – wore a series of all-black looks that subtly symbolised the death of the relationship. The actress filed for divorce from DiMaggio in 1954, citing “mental cruelty”, according to PBS.
One of her most iconic ensembles at the time was this elegant black midi suit dress, which featured oversized lapels. Monroe styled the outfit with a pair of matching black heels, white silky gloves, pearls, a statement hairpiece and her signature blonde locks.
2. Princess Diana
This velvet, off-the-shoulder minidress made – and continues to make – headlines around the world, and it’s widely dubbed “the revenge dress”.