Review: The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe

Title: The Other Side of the Coin: The Queen, the Dresser and the Wardrobe
Author: Angela Kelly
Genre: Nonfiction
Publisher: HarperCollins
Source: Purchased
Format: Hardcover
Release Date: October 29, 2019
Rating: ★★★★★

Goodreads Synopsis:

THE OFFICIAL BOOK, FULLY ENDORSED BY QUEEN ELIZABETH II
From Her Majesty’s trusted confidant and Dresser Angela Kelly LVO comes a lavishly designed book of never-before-seen photos of The Queen, Her wardrobe and Her jewels and features intimate anecdotes from Angela’s 25-year career working closely with Her Majesty. A truly unique keepsake and collectors’ item to be treasured.
‘For the nearly seven decades of her reign, Her Majesty The Queen has used clothing to create a powerful visual identity that transcends fashion and has made her perhaps the most readily identifiable person on the planet. Angela Kelly, building on the work of the great designers and milliners who have worked with Her Majesty through the years – including couturiers Sir Norman Hartnell, Sir Hardy Amies, and Ian Thomas, and milliners such as Simone Mirman and Freddy Fox – brings her own imagination to bear on an iconic ‘uniform’ that suggests continuity and tradition, and ensures that the wearer is always the most visible person in a room or a crowd.’–Anna Wintour, Vogue
When Angela Kelly and The Queen are together, laughter echoes through the corridors of Buckingham Palace. Angela has worked with The Queen and walked the corridors of the Royal Household for twenty-five years, initially as Her Majesty’s Senior Dresser and then latterly as Her Majesty’s Personal Advisor, Curator, Wardrobe and In-house Designer. As the first person in history to hold this title, she shares a uniquely close working relationship with The Queen.
In The Other Side of the Coin, The Queen has personally given Angela her blessing to share their extraordinary bond with the world. Whether it’s preparing for a formal occasion or brightening Her Majesty’s day with a playful joke, Angela’s priority is to serve and support. Sharing never-before-seen photographs – many from Angela’s own private collection – and charming anecdotes of their time spent together, this revealing book provides memorable insights into what it’s like to work closely with The Queen, to curate her wardrobe and to discover a true and lasting connection along the way.

Review:

Angela Kelly has a unique job: she is the Queen’s dresser. She designs, creates, and picks out all of the Queen’s clothes. This has created a special relationship between them.

This book had so many interesting details about the Queen’s life, which I had never heard before. This includes how they choose outfits for special events and how her luggage is packed for a trip. Angela’s job as dresser is so important, yet I hadn’t given much thought to this job before reading this book.

There were also lots of candid moments between the Queen and Angela. There were moments where they learned from each other, and other times where they played tricks on each other.

This book is a collection of special stories that I’m so glad that I read. I will be looking back at this book for years to come!

Author: jilljemmett

Jill lives in Toronto, Canada. She has studied English, Creative Writing, and Publishing. Jill is the creator and content producer of Jill’s Book Blog, where she has published a blog post every day for the last four years, including 5-7 book reviews a week. She can usually be found with her nose in a book. View all posts by jilljemmett