Mia Thermopolis' Beach Outfit Is the Best and Most Underrated Look From The Princes Diaries
It secretly taught us two very important fashion lessons.
When I think about outfits from The Princess Diaries, there are three that immediately come to mind: Mia Thermopolis' school uniform (iconic), Mia Thermopolis' ball gown (a historic royal moment), and Mia Thermopolis' wet sweatshirt (even as a child, I was shocked she didn't change before addressing the crowd).
Recently, however, TikTok reminded me of the pretty pink look that mean girl Lana (Mandy Moore) wore while singing "Stupid Cupid" at the beach. Thanks to the return of the aughts, her polka-dot printed skirt and mock-neck crop top suddenly work for the modern day. I could immediately picture Bella Hadid or Hailey Bieber wearing something similar, and I was inspired to go back and see what Mia had on at the very same event.
It turns out that the royal high schooler kept casual in simple jeans and a multi-colored top earlier in the day. But, when she danced with her crush, Josh, she did opt to change into a very cute summer combo: a comfy purple sweater and a green sarong. There are a million beach outfit suggestions out there, but this — this extremely underrated outfit — still feels like the perfect way to quickly get ready for dinner or other plans after fun in the sun.
Not only did Mia's outfit make me realize the versatility of a sarong (I need one now?) and remind me how lovely it feels to snuggle up in a knit on a cool summer night, it also proved that certain unexpected color combos look really good together. That purple and green? Eye-catching! Vibrant! And, thanks to Mia, regal!
Who knew there was still so much to learn from this movie after 20 years? The good news is, green sarongs seem to be having a moment now, too, with options from Good American ($49), ASOS ($36), Ganni ($115), and MIKOH ($80), giving me Mia vibes in an up-to-date way. Now, we can channel the Princess of Genovia all summer long.