Showing posts with label Alberta Ferretti. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Alberta Ferretti. Show all posts

09 May 2018

Royal Dress of the Day: Princess Beatrice at the Met Gala

This year's Met Gala had a surprise royal attendee: Princess Beatrice! Or maybe that's not such a surprise at all, since the Metropolitan Museum of Art's annual soirée often includes royal and royal-adjacent attendees; Beatrice joins Diana, Princess of Wales, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Queen Rania, Princess Marie-Chantal, Princess Maria-Olympia, Charlotte Casiraghi, and others who have wrangled invites over the years. (Charlotte Casiraghi was also in attendance this year.)

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So how'd she do? While it's not required to dress to the gala's annual exhibition theme, doing so is the entire fun of the event (if you ask me). This year's exhibition is Heavenly Bodies: Fashion and the Catholic Imagination. I think Beatrice's Alberta Ferretti look is more along the lines of, "It's kind of Renaissance painting-ish, sorta kinda maybe? Eh, that'll work." And that is actually the category occupied by many of the guests this year, so she was right at home. It was a good match for her for this event. You wouldn't expect her to dig into the religious iconography side of things; she's there for fun on her personal time and not as an official duty, but her grandmother still is who she is.

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Headpieces were one of the biggest trends of the night. I think Bea was wise not to go too tiara-esque here. Keep the events the family would consider tiara-worthy and this sort of just-for-fun thing separate. It's a well played look for this particular guest.

My queen of the night, however, was one who dug all the way into the theme.
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Zendaya absolutely killed it as a modern Joan of Arc in Atelier Versace - the best Versace of the night, and the label dressed a lot of people. This is exactly the kind of costumey fun that makes me look forward to the Met Gala every year. Break out the things you wouldn't wear on any other red carpet, please and thank you. LOVE.

26 March 2018

Princely Event of the Day: Monaco's Rose Ball

The Rose Ball in Monaco - theme this year: Manhattan - didn't deliver the costume glory of 2017, but I think a step back into pleasing blacks and pinks was just what the couture doctors ordered.

Princess Caroline, Charlotte Casiraghi, Pierre Casiraghi, Beatrice Borromeo, and Princess Alexandra joined Karl Lagerfeld for the Bal de la Rose this weekend.
It's Chanel as you would expect for Princess Caroline and Princess Alexandra, with a splash of yummy black velvet from Beatrice Borromeo and a literal pouf of fun from Charlotte Casiraghi.

Chanel Couture (left and center), Alberta Ferretti Limited Edition (right) 
h/t to Heaven
Caroline's Chanel looks like one that her old pal Karl had in mind for her from the start. Alexandra's seems like just the kind of thing an 18-year-old with access to haute couture should wear and possibly the kind of thing that only an 18-year-old with access to haute couture should wear. Beatrice's dress is modified from the runway to accommodate the confirmation that she is indeed expecting a second child, as has been reported.

Swipe through for more pics from the evening.
Maybe also on rumor confirmation patrol tonight (because these Casiraghis don't really issue statements about this stuff), Charlotte showed up with beau Dimitri Rassam in tow and a ring parked on her finger, leading many to assume that this is her confirmation of their reported engagement. If you're going to be the center of inquiring attention, might as well do it in a giant feathery pouf!

Saint Laurent
h/t to Heaven
I don't really know what we'd call this - a wrap? a feather duster run amok? a coordinated ostrich attack? - so I'll just call it GLAM. It's playful! Oh, I'm definitely here for this.

14 September 2016

Royal Event of the Day: September 14

Ah, autumn. A time for pumpkin spice, a time for...parliament openings, at least for select royal families. The Swedes kicked things off yesterday by attending events for the opening of their parliament. Dress code: black and white, a little nod to the old court dress days. With hats and/or a selection of that's-not-a-hat hats, as the Swedish royal family often tends to sway.

Even Silvia got in on the trend in a donut hat masquerading as a pillbox. This is not a gripe, though. That black suit is pretty much impeccable. Honestly, I don't have much to gripe about here, and griping's my specialty.

See? Everyone looks very smart. Princess Sofia has knocked me straight over with her sleek black dress and - wait for it - not a middle part to be seen in that 'do, a refreshing change. Princess Madeleine's right on trend with that Colonel Sanders blouse, which I'd like very much if it didn't have to fight with the details on the jacket and the texture on the skirt. (I said I didn't have much to gripe about, mind.)



In the evening, they headed out for the traditional concert. Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Sofia skipped it, but Princess Madeleine brought all the look we needed. Let's call this one the Saucy Dowager Countess.

10 December 2015

Royal Fashion Awards: The Nobel Prizes, 2015 (UPDATED)

The thing I love above all else is variety – especially of the jewel sort – and this year’s Nobel Prize ceremonies delivered a pleasing mix of fabulous variety and business as usual. Check back on the open post for links to view the ceremonies, and there are gallery links at the bottom of this post. Also, we've covered all of these tiaras before, so click the links for more. To the awards!


We start in Norway, where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded at a ceremony attended by King Harald, Queen Sonja, Crown Prince Haakon, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit.

Business as Usual, Color Division
Crown Princess Mette-Marit
The Crown Princess loves her some white coats, and she loves her a white ensemble for this ceremony. This year’s Alexander McQueen version, repeated from Queen Margrethe’s birthday celebrations, adds some swing to the usual silhouette, and I love it. I’d love it even more with a hat instead of this headband thing (she swaps out the ribbon color and has worn it several times before), but I’ll take what I can get.
She managed to shake up her usual white dress business at the evening dinner. Look, Ma, not a prairie flower in sight!
Valentino dress, Mette-Marit wore it previously in 2008
Sleek + white is the way to my heart. Well, one of many ways.

Best in Color Refreshment
Queen Sonja
This teal on Sonja is like a cool drink of water after a hot run of years in a white/red or dark/black palette for this event. Fab.


Next up is Sweden, where they fill the evening presenting shift with sparkles galore to hand out the rest of the Nobel Prizes. The whole Swedish royal family was in attendance: King Carl Gustaf, Queen Silvia, Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Prince Carl Philip, Princess Sofia, Princess Madeleine, Christopher O’Neill, Princess Christina, and Tord Magnuson.

Best Tiara Surprise
Princess Madeleine
Let’s start with some jumpy claps: Princess Madeleine in the Swedish Aquamarine Kokoshnik Tiara! This tiara belongs to her aunt, Princess Margaretha, who has also loaned it to Princess Christina in recent years. She also wore the diamond floral earrings usually worn by Queen Silvia and a ring from Princess Lilian.
Madeleine looks so great in aquamarine stones, and this tiara - one of my favorite aqua pieces, and irresistibly sparkly in motion - looks perfect on her. Her gray Fadi El Khoury gown (probably the one we thought was destined for Victoria) is sparkly yet soft, and the whole ensemble gets a big A+ from me.

Best Tiara Assumption
Princess Sofia
I assumed Sofia would wear her own Emerald and Diamond Tiara again, and she did. She still gave us a surprise in the form of new (looks new, at least Update: they are borrowed from Queen Silvia!) emerald and diamond earrings to match and a large diamond brooch from the family collection.
I’m surprised her gown is from Oscar de la Renta, and I’m surprised I don’t love it as much as I usually love OdlR. But I am happy to see that the pesky sash issues from October have are all sorted out and she looks like a pro this time around.

Business as Usual, Tiara Division
Queen Silvia and Princess Christina
I hoped Queen Silvia might break her recent Nobel tiara streak, which involves alternating between the Leuchtenberg Sapphire Parure and the Nine Prong Tiara every year. But no, the Party Antlers rode again. She paired them with one of her favorite pairs of earrings, the Karl XIV Johan Earrings, and a red gown with a jacket top and massive skirt.
Princess Christina also continued her love of the Six Button Tiara, and I continue to be glad that she makes it look the best out of all the royal ladies.

Best of the Best
Crown Princess Victoria
Oh, you didn’t think that a new-to-Madeleine tiara was going to distract me from giving my top prize to the one in purple and in a fun tiara choice, did you? The competition was close, but my predictable old self won out in the end.
I LOVE Crown Princess Victoria’s flowing purple gown with a cape on top, which is a custom creation in aubergine silk chiffon from By Malina. I love the amethyst jewels that she paired with it (two brooches, earrings, and necklace from Queen Josephine’s Amethyst Parure), and I love that she wore the Connaught Tiara! It’s not a totally new-to-her piece, since she first wore it at Prince Carl Philip’s wedding and had worn the diamond drops before that, but it is a nice development to see the tiara shared outside of a family wedding. My best of the best tonight.




UPDATE: Day 2

Day 2 of the Nobel festivities starts with more business as usual.
In Norway, the Crown Prince and Crown Princess attended the annual concert for the Nobel Peace Prize, and I like this dress on Mette-Marit, but...well, that's about as much enthusiasm as I have for that.

I do have more enthusiasm for the King's Dinner in Sweden, and not just because they have tiaras. Okay, partly because they have tiaras, but also because there are some interesting dress selections going on here.
I wondered if Crown Princess Victoria would repeat her lovely Pär Engsheden lake of sequins worn to the Nobels in 2011, when she was pregnant with Estelle, and sure enough...here we go! And with the Baden Fringe Tiara for bonus points.
Photo: Kungahuset.se
Also riding the shiny blue train was Queen Silvia in the Leuchtenberg Sapphires, with...an extra tablecloth attached to her hip, just in case? Never know when you're going to need that emergency table linen.

I've seen labels from "showgirl" to "Downton Abbey" applied to Princess Madeleine's lace dress with its sheer top and high lace collar, which is quite a gap to span. I suppose that's an achievement on its own. Personally...well...I think it's too complicated for a sash and all that lot, for starters.
Princess Madeleine's dress from Alberta Ferretti
She paired it with the Modern Fringe Tiara, returning to her favorite. Princess Christina kept to her favorite as well with the Six Button Tiara two nights in a row.
A video posted by Kungahuset (@kungahuset) on

And finally, Princess Sofia. She did not take this opportunity to dive into the family vault, instead sticking with her Emerald and Diamond Tiara. She also stuck with that middle part in her hair (you know, the one that makes the tiara look like it's precariously balanced right up top), with a half updo this time. I'm growing tired of that, but I have a feeling this Zetterberg Couture dress is one of which I could never grow tired. Similar in certain ways to Princess Madeleine's dress from the previous evening, so apparently I have a type.


Links for night #2:

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated, Net-a-porter, Vogue.com, Oscar de la Renta, SVT and Nobel Prize screencaps/Kungahuset.se

02 August 2015

Princely Wedding of the Weekend: August 2

The wedding of Pierre Casiraghi and Beatrice Borromeo, part two (a.k.a. the religious wedding, following last weekend's Valentino-clad civil wedding in Monaco), took place on Saturday. The festivities were held at the islands owned by Beatrice's family on Lake Maggiore in northern Italy, and this time, I got precisely the stunning look I've been waiting for.

This is lavish stuff, yes. That's their prerogative. Lucky us, we just get to sit back and enjoy the parade of dresses the bride is bringing. And oh, she's bringing it. Beatrice's impressive display of Italian fashion picked up once more as the bridal couple welcomed their guests the night before the wedding:
This is 110% about the hair + dress combo and she looks like a goddess. Somebody should paint her. Still, this is not the one I was waiting for.
Alberta Ferretti Spring 2015

 On Saturday, it was finally time for the religious wedding.
Armani Privé handled the wedding day attire for Beatrice, starting with a lace-covered gown with three-quarter sleeves. A veil was attached in a sort of unusual fashion at the back of her hairdo with some small ornaments along the side. This is traditional (well, from what we can see of it), this is lovely, this is...not the outfit that I will remember from these festivities.

That honor goes to the Armani Privé look for the reception afterward:
Mmmmmm. This is EVERYTHING.
Ahhhhhhhh. I could look at this ALL DAY LONG. MORE CAPS.
This is the look I've been waiting for. Stunning. This one won't be forgotten anytime soon.

There were guests there too, by the way. Familiar royal faces included Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit (in Valentino and Giambattista Valli) with Marius Borg Høiby, plus Prince Félix and Princess Claire of Luxembourg (spotted with Princess Maria-Anunciata of Liechtenstein). And the Monaco bunch, of course - you can catch glimpses of them and other guests in some of the links above.

P.S.: Tidbits coming your way tomorrow!

Photos:Style.com, Armani, via Twitter

14 June 2015

Prince Carl Philip & Sofia's Wedding: Royal Guests, Part 1

Hello again! As we reconvene after a day of royal wedding watching to continue our coverage of the Swedish wedding, don't forget to scroll down for the bride, groom, Swedish royal family, and how to see it again. Check back as official photos have since been added. (And if you're looking for the Windsors and Trooping the Colour, click here.)

Mattias Edwall / Kungahuset.se

We've got royal guests to tackle today. This is Part 1 of the Royal Fashion Awards: Guest Division, and we're hanging out with the other Nordic royals in attendance, from Norway and Denmark, plus a couple friends from Germany.

Biggest Tiara Double Take
Princess Ursula of Bavaria
Princess Ursula has a baby Spencer Tiara! It's always interesting to see what jewels the Bavarians turn up in, because they've sold some of their major pieces in recent years. This one gave me Diana déjà vu, big time.

Biggest in Hair
Princess Anna of Bavaria
I feel like none of the photos convey how big this updo was, but it certainly caught my eye on the broadcast. It almost disappeared her petite diamond fringe variation tiara, which comes from Anna's own family (the Sayn-Wittgenstein-Berleburgs).

Most Predictable Repeat
Queen Margrethe of Denmark
Hello again, birthday dress, your skirt is looking particularly dashing in this shot. Daisy also gets a Most Predictable Tiara award, because she does love the Baden Palmette Tiara for weddings. Hearts and all, you know.

Worst in Repeats
Queen Sonja of Norway
Oh look, it's the Big Bird gown, back for the trillionth time in its millionth year. It bums me out, wearing such a workhorse dress for such a special occasion. No amount of diamonds and pearls can save it, not even Queen Maud's Pearl and Diamond Tiara.

Most in Need of a Different Tiara
Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Princess Märtha Louise of Norway
Well, I've been spoiled. The Norwegian princesses gave us some tiara shake ups at the last two Swedish royal weddings, and now they've gone and worn their regular small tiaras (the Diamond Daisy and King Olav's Gift Tiara), and...pffft.
Mette-Marit's skirt was from Temperley London, and her top from Nina Skarra
We do have some interesting additional gems - you just knew Mette-Marit would be the one with a heart pin on the back of her sash, didn't you? - and I do like the idea of a ball gown skirt with different tops. But the men are leading the pack here.

Nearest Miss
Princess Marie of Denmark
I was on board with this right away. Great color! Her great diamond floral tiara! And then I saw that her stomach had gills.
Dress by Alberta Ferretti

Most Undecided
Crown Princess Mary of Denmark
On the one hand, this is my favorite of the three outfits she's worn to Swedish royal weddings. On the other hand, that's not saying much, as I don't think they've been among her top appearances. This I just find curious.
I love the big skirt and the way the colors of the sash and the pearls (her wedding tiara with added pearls, and her wedding earrings) go with it, but the fact that it is heavily embellished down the front with embellishment that you can't really see is kinda weird. Perhaps a remix is in the future. (Bonus points for extra sparkle in the updo, though.)

Later today, we'll take a look at the remaining royal guests. Until then...

Who's your best dressed of this lot?

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated, SVT video, Mattias Edwall/Kungahuset.se

15 April 2014

Royal Outfit of the Day: April 15


Video: Crown Princess Mary visited a school last week.
This printed skirt, from Philosophy di Alberta Ferretti, is a few years old and we've seen Mary in it a bunch of times. Each time, she manages to put a new twist on it - but I have to say, this particular version might not be my favorite. I KNOW. She plays up the purple and does up her hair all purty, and I...am not that fond of it? I might be ill. Send tiaras and chocolate.
The previous outing on the far right remains my fave for this skirt.
Click here for a gallery from this visit.

Photos: BilledBladet/Scanpix/Alberta Ferretti/Abaca

29 April 2013

Weekly Royal Fashion Awards: April 22-27

Best in Events
The Duchess of Cambridge

Video: At the inauguration of Warner Bros. Studios Leavesden
What does it take for an event to overshadow the clothes? Well, Harry.Potter.OMG for one. Lucky royals. (But okay, for the record, my sartorial thoughts on the Week in Kate - polka dots: super cute, Erdem: fabulous, Emilia Wickstead: needs a little something, and Topshop in video: cute.) Also, I'd be remiss if I didn't mention that some of the blogs following Kate have joined forces for the Baby Cambridge Fundraiser (click here for their Facebook page). A brilliant idea to raise funds for EACH, and I suggest you check it out!

Best in Fancy, Part 2
Princess Letizia
A lunch at the palace for the Cervantes Award and at the ceremony
Hey, we've got a little streak going. I like it!

Best in Mix and Match
Crown Princess Mary
Opening the Finn Juhl Hall at the United Nations in New York. Click here for video from TV 2, click here for pictures.
This is a nice combo of pieces we've seen before, the skirt multiple times and the top from the Luxembourg wedding. Now I'm wishing she'd worn the top with the printed skirt from the start.

Best in Almost Queens
Princess Máxima
Visiting Show Band (with and without coat); attending a concert; opening the King's Games in celebration of the inauguration; launching national Girlsday
The last review before she becomes the only queen on our weekly list! {Pause for nostalgia.} After this post...it's inauguration festivities time!

Best in Estelle
Crown Princess Victoria
Let's be real: the other thing that overshadows the clothes is an Estelle sighting. Other engagements, schmother engagements.

Who was your best dressed last week?

Photos: Getty Images/PacificCoastNews/TV2/DutchPhotoPress/ANP/PPE/Kate Gabor/Kungahuset

18 March 2013

Royal Trip Report: All Kinds of People, All Over the Place

Royal trips a-go-go! Seems like everybody's traveling everywhere lately, and I love it. Trip wardrobes are the best, even when they're a little on the low key side. So let's check in with some of our royal wanderers, shall we?
Frederik and Mary in Chile, days 1-3
First up: Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary went on an official visit to Chile. This was actually supposed to be a state visit made by Queen Margrethe, but on doctor's advice she cancelled and the crown princely couple stepped up. And as you might expect for a substitute visit, this is mainly a trip of repeats. Actually, I think the new item getting the most attention here seems to be Fred's new hairdo...and you thought the royal men didn't get enough frivolous attention.
Days 4 & 5
I think my favorite outfit might be the new dress shown above on the far left, from Elise Gug, blergh and all. And I will be forever grateful that she stopped short of a full jumpsuit with that print on the far right above. We've been there, and it wasn't pretty.

Elsewhere, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene made an official visit to Palau.
Video: in Palau
Seems to have been a pretty short and casual island-appropriate trip, as you might expect.

The Windsors are out and about too, starting with the Earl and Countess of Wessex in the Czech Republic to present Duke of Edinburgh Award certificates as well as other engagements.
These were my two favorite Sophie outfits from the trip: Sophie does McQueen, and more Roland Mouret. I'm not entirely sold on the head-to-toe cream, but the continual Benjamin Button-esque evolution of Sophie's style gets two thumbs up from me. And I think we always need more Roland Mouret.

Speaking of things we need more of, the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall started a trip to the Middle East in Jordan with a visit to King Abdullah and Queen Rania, wearing Antonio Berardi. We could use more Berardi on the royal scene, I say. Good match for Kate or Beatrice maybe (or, hey, Sophie while we're at it).
Video: Charles and Camilla's official welcome in Jordan
They're on a multi-country tour which also includes Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Oman. And it's been your basic Charles and Camilla show, you know, no real surprises or outliers in the fashion realm as far as I'm concerned. I will say this: the Qatar leg was disappointingly low on sightings of my girl crush, Sheikha Mozah - only one meeting with Charles, I think. And I will also say this: I can't wait for the release of this year's royal gift list. Will Cams pick up another ruby breastplate? The suspense is killing me.

Which trip outfit is your favorite?

Photos: Kongehuset/Abaca/Marfa/CTK/Getty Images

03 December 2012

Royal Trip Report: Haakon and Mette-Marit in Indonesia

It's just a trip-filled time of the year, isn't it? Royals getting out and about one last time before they settle in for Christmas and whatnot. The Norwegians got in on the action last week, as Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit paid an official visit to Indonesia. They promoted Norway, and I'm promoting her clothes, as I do, because this trip featured a few absolutely lovely outings for dear M-M.

It wouldn't be Mette-Marit without some typical M-M outfits, of course, meaning some plain clothes and some uninspiring pairings. But thankfully, there's more.


Just to spice things up, the couple paid tribute to their hosts by donning local gifts: a shawl from the first lady for Mette-Marit for an official dinner, some traditional skirts for both, and a printed fiesta of a shirt for Haakon (a gift from the embassy). I'm puzzled by Mette-Marit's pairing of that business jacket with that floaty dress, but I find myself sufficiently distracted by a man that can wear a skirt wrap with flair, so I don't care.

My favorites obviously begin with her outfit on arrival: it's purple, it's detailed, the earrings are killer, and it's purple again. I also nod my head in her general direction for a bit of shine and a brooch with some hair ornamentation (I appreciate her attempt to give us a hat - every trip deserves a hat). But my very very favorite is her crisp white suit filled with intricate detail. That's the Nordic ice princess I know and love!

Which was your favorite outfit?

Photos: Kronprinsparet Facebook & Twitter/Scanpix/Kongehuset/Getty Images/Stella Pictures

21 September 2012

Royal Trip Report: The Danes in Brazil (Updated)

Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary have been on an official visit to Brazil, visiting Sao Paolo and Rio de Janeiro this week. They are there to promote Denmark and strengthen business ties, and they have a whole delegation with them. Luckily for us, Mary also has a whole wealth of outfits for our frivolous enjoyment.

 Day 1: Visiting an exhibit, the Scandinavian Church, and a reception
This is so light and fresh! And that's saying something when a coat (basically) is involved - many would have stopped at the blue Prada underneath. Makes me wish for summer, even though it's fall in my corner of the globe, and I love me some sweaters. That's my typically long-winded way of saying: I like it.

 
Day 2: Visiting a center for abused women, followed by a dinner in the evening
Note that her purple accents match the purple gates of the center she's visiting, and note that if you need me I'll be out buying purple paint...and a gate of some sort. (I can't believe my own humble abode isn't already guarded with purple, it's a terrible oversight on my part.) (My nonsense mutterings are just going to continue on, you've been warned.) She's dipping into the design world of Alberta Ferretti here on both accounts, and I would tell you here that I wish royal ladies would wear Ferretti more often, but that's a funny statement to make when the bronze dress has already been worn twice - are you feeling the déjà vu? Princess Beatrice wore it to the Olympics Opening Ceremony.

Day 3: Visiting a hospital, an institute for the blind, and an exhibition, followed by a reception in the evening
There's a lot of furniture involved in these visits. They're forever opening a chair exhibition of some sort, or something else about Danish design. I think the sitting portion of the job is the one I'd be really good at. (Helps when you have hunky assistance when the sitting portion of the job is over.) ANYWAY...quite a contrast in outfits here: light and airy, and then sort of dark and choking.

Day 4: Visiting a youth center, a university, an exhibit opening, and an evening reception
Is it an option to have your hair done by Mary's hairdresser instead of Mary herself? Let me be clear: I'd say yes either way. Beyond that, these are two good dresses, and I continue to be intrigued by Mary's varied use of that statement white belt.

Day 5: Visiting a breastfeeding project, and then meeting with the Brazilian Olympic Committee
...........................................................................................................No.

Mary and Frederik leave Brazil today, hopefully before she has a chance to bust out any more printed jumpsuits. As you may be able to tell from my pointless non-sartorial musings in this post, I found it a serviceable if not thrilling trip from the wardrobe front (though we shall see what, if anything, else it brings before she boards the plane for home). But still, I shall ask you:

Which is your favorite Brazil outfit?

UPDATE: The remainder of the outfits from the trip...

Day 5: Dinner
MUCH better on the print front. Yes. Flowy, as close to an evening gown as you can get while remaining out of black tie territory.

Day 6: Final engagements
This has been an acceptable recovery from the first day 5 outfit. Let's all forget it ever happened...

Photos: SN/Terra/BilledBladet/Reuters/Agencia Minas

17 January 2012

Week in Review: Crown Princess Mary, 8-15 January

1. Kicking off a busy celebratory week with a reception at Parliament for Queen Margrethe's Ruby Jubilee, 10 January, in a repeated outfit.
2. Opening exhibits related to the jubilee, 11 January.
3. Heading to a wreath-laying ceremony at the graves of King Frederik and Queen Ingrid, 14 January. She also wore it without the hat and with a clutch instead that day. That hat and those boots - must be the most mishmash outfit of the week.
4. a) At Copenhagen's City Hall for a reception, 14 January, with b) a better look at the hat.

5. The jubilee gala performance, 14 January, a) with the cape, b) without, and c) a peek at the back of the repeated dress, all worn with her wedding tiara and some fabulous amethyst earrings.
6. At the State Council meeting, 15 January, a) arriving, and b) without the coat and scarf. You can see she's revived the Valentino pumps from her first appearance when their engagement was announced!

8. a) The jubilee banquet, 15 January, b) with the glorious Danish Ruby Parure, and b) the Prada dress from a prior appearance. She's removed the button thingys on the skirt, thank heavens.

Busy week! What was your favorite Mary outfit from the jubilee?

Photos: Purepeople/Abaca/BilledBladet/Daylife/Getty Images/bt.dk

23 May 2011

Week in Review: Crown Princess Victoria, 15-21 May

Here's what Victoria wore from 15-21 May:

  1. Speaking at the opening of the Nobel Laureate Symposium on Global Sustainability, 17 May. Here's a full length view from a previous outing.
  2. Arriving in Ockelbo (Daniel's home) for their three day visit, 19 May.
  3. Dinner at Gavle Palace, 19 May, a) on Victoria and b) from Escada. We have this one in navy, and the long version in red...wow, when she likes something, she goes all out, doesn't she?
  4. More engagements, 20 May, with YSL shoes and Malene Birger bag (Victoria often goes with Birger for bags).
  5. Reception in Ockelbo, 20 May. The traditional outfits were a wedding gift.
  6. Last day in Ockelbo, 21 May. Ah, a repeat from the glorious stylist days before the wedding. Nostalgia!
Best and Worst of the Week
Let's start with the worst. Outfit 2...well, it looks like something Queen Elizabeth would have worn in at Victoria's age, sensible lady that she is. Which is fine. For 1956. I'm no fan of that H&M dress from outfit 4, but at least it's youthful! The Alberta Ferretti is also a rather mature look, but it gets my best anyways because I'm still clinging to the notion that she might make a triumphant return to her pre-wedding style one of these days. A girl can dream.

Photos: PPE/Svenskdam/ANP/PurePeople/Abaca

01 May 2011

Royal & Non-Royal Fashion Awards: The Duke & Duchess of Cambridge's Evening Wedding Party

After the wedding, the lunch and a "time of reflection" for the bride and groom at Clarence House (which the talking heads on the broadcast I watched were quick to toss innuendo at), it was time to party. A très exclusive evening bash at Buckingham Palace was hosted by Charles and orchestrated by Harry and The Pips, and lasted well into the morning hours. And you know what that means...more fashion to judge. Let's go:

Best in Hair
Zara Phillips
 
Top, left to right: Zara Phillips with Mike Tindall, Princess Anne with Tim Laurence
Bottom, left to right: the three eldest Spencer sisters with their brother Viscount Althorp, Lady Sarah McCorquodale (and is that her daughter Emily behind her?)
Being a private party, photos were limited to guests coming and going. Endless questions about what gowns they wore will never be answered. So, hair evaluation it is. Princess Anne and Lady Sarah may win in the bling department, but their hair is nothing to chat about. In the young and blonde category, Zara's sleek updo wins out over the assorted peroxide Spencers. Her hair throughout the wedding festivities has been excellent; I hope this was a trial go for the hairdresser she'll use for her wedding.

Best in Questionable Gowns
Chelsy Davy
L to R: Princess Beatrice in purple Marchesa, Chelsy Davy in blue Alberta Ferretti
Even among the guests that we did get full-length shots of, I still have some questions. For example: WHAT is happening with Bea's dress in that second picture? Should we just be glad those kicks don't have toilet paper stuck to them? (I do love the shoes, though. Good for her for not pretending like a day in 4 inch heels doesn't take a toll.) I also question Chelsy's second Alberta Ferretti concoction of the day. The sketch looks great, but so did the sketch for her teal number, and we all saw what happened there. Nevertheless, I'll give it a prize. Awarded for sheer potential, I guess.

Best of the Rest
Pippa Middleton
 L to R: Princess Eugenie, Pippa Middleton, the Duchess of Cornwall, Carole Middleton, Rose Ruck Keene, Olivia Hunt, Lady Rose Astor
Eugenie's looking fab in another great shape which must be Westwood. Camilla stuck with the same designer for the whole affair as well, and Anna Valentine certainly suits her - but this is a repeat. Out of funds for more new clothes? Mrs. M.'s showing off that diet she was supposedly on in her Diane von Furstenberg, but I do love her hair up. Of the last three friends, Olivia Hunt is my favorite in a true red carpet gown, Lady Rose Astor's doing some sort of updated flapper thing, and Rose Ruck Keene's...fine. It's The Pips that takes my  prize, as she plunges low yet again in another step on her quest for world domination. A perfect example of the prettiness that is so uniquely Temperley.

One last attendee, in a category all his own:
The Party Prince himself, working the open tuxedo look. You're welcome.


And in other party news...
Pavlos and Marie-Chantal hosted a party for some of those that didn't warrant an invite to the exclusive Buck House bash. Among the attendees were Victoria and Daniel and Katherine and Alexander.
Victoria's so cute. I love the little mod shirt dress. Still don't like the YSL shoes, but with this dress, they work.

UPDATE: More attendees at the other after party at Pavlos and M-C's casa - Anne-Marie and Constantine and Prince and Princess Michael.

Who makes your list of favorites? And how long do you think it will be until The Pips achieves full world domination?

Photos: Getty Images/Daylife/Aftonbladet/Big Picture Photo/Daily Mail/Splash/Isopix