Tiara Watch of the Day: The Belgian/French State Visit

Lots of royal events yesterday. I'm going to start with a woman that I think really hit it out of the park all day: Queen Mathilde.

The Belgians welcomed France for a state visit, and as you might expect when an important neighbor comes to visit, it warranted something a little special. Queen Mathilde went full couture and turned to custom designs from the two labels that dress her best: Dior and Armani.

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For the day, Mathilde wore Christian Dior. She started wearing couture pieces from the legendary maison when Belgian designer Raf Simons was at the helm. I think this is her first Dior since he left, and it maintains the same high level. Beautifully cut and crafted. This is one of her best outfits of the year.

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I might have called her day outfit the best of the year - but then the state banquet happened. And just look...

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Armani, man. Recalling the magnificent off the shoulder black velvet gown from a few years back, this burgundy velvet is classic glam at its very best. The only problem here is not Mathilde's problem, really; had she been wearing a thinner sash, she could have gotten away with this placement. The wider version that belongs to France's Legion of Honor, however, doesn't make the turn at the shoulder as well. (Not all orders offer a thinner sash for women.) It's the only mark against what is otherwise perfection.

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Don't miss the sparkle on the sleeves. Oh, and the tiara: the bandeau portion of the Nine Provinces Tiara. Fits right in with how Mathilde has been using the tiaras at her disposal since becoming queen: an important tiara for an important state visit, but not the full thing as a big European monarchy-to-monarchy visit might warrant.

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Squint through this slightly awkward double row group pose, and you'll find Prince Lorenz, Princess Astrid, Prince Laurent, and Princess Claire. Princess Astrid wore the Savoy-Aosta Tiara; Princess Claire wore her Pearl and Diamond Tiara. We do always appreciate a couple bonus diadems.

Royal Outfits of the Day: British Royals Celebrate the RAF Centenary

Royal Family

Big time gathering of the Windsors yesterday! They all met up to do their usual thing (watch military parades, attend church services, watch flypasts, all that jazz) in honor of the 100th birthday of the Royal Air Force.

Royal Family

Leading the way was the Queen, of course, but since she has a whole blog to herself (you know the drill, clicky click for Jewel Vault fun), we'll kick it off with the Duchess of Cornwall and the second version this week of her personal summer white uniform. Prince Charles headed up the royal men, almost all of them wearing their Royal Air Force uniforms. (One of my faves!)

Westminster Abbey

I don't think the Duchess of Cambridge was on the advance list of royals expected, but how could she miss an opportunity to debut the third in this series of almost-the-same-but-not bespoke Alexander McQueen coats? She paired it with a hat by Sean Barrett.

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The bigger story was her jewels. Like many of the royal ladies, she wore the badge of an RAF organization with which she's affiliated: she's Honorary Air Commandant of the RAF Air Cadets, and this is the Air Cadets Dacre Brooch. (More on the brooch and a close up here, when she first wore it.) Her earrings are the Diamond Pendant Earrings on loan from the Queen.

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The Duchess of Sussex wore Dior with two things we know she loves: a boat neck and a belt. Feels like classic Dior, very elegant. The Stephen Jones hat added the right amount of interest. (Because the But What Color Is It REALLY? debate always seems to consume some folks, let's handle it: Dior calls it black in their press release, and it looks deep navy in action. Doesn't really matter either way.)

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The Countess of Wessex also enjoyed a bit of hat foof (technical term) for the RAF's big day. Both the Jane Taylor hat and the Suzannah dress are repeats here. She doubled up on her brooches, wearing a Dior brooch underneath her small RAF badge.

Westminster Abbey

Every time the Princess Royal wears this outfit (which is a lot because, you know, Anne), I think she's pinned a prize rosette at her waist. A prize rosette in the festive color of brown.

Royal Family

Rounding out the rest of the fam, the Duchess of Gloucester made sure they filled their mandatory navy quota for the day, Princess Michael wouldn't have been hurt by a shorter jacket, and Princess Alexandra smiling in purple will certainly make me smile in return.

Westminster Abbey, Royal Family

Ending this on the rest of the uniforms feels about right: the Duke of York, the Duke of Kent, and Prince Michael.

Royal Fashion Awards: Royal Ascot 2018, Day 1

Ascot has arrived! A five day festival of royal hats and more. Was the royal wedding the best of the Windsor chapeaux for the year, or were they just getting started? We are about to find out. To the awards! (For the Queen and the Princess Royal, hit up the Jewel Vault.)

Best in Hats

The Duchess of Sussex

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The Givenchy dress may not be much more than a shrug for me, but the hat's a strong YES. Ascot is precisely the place to go to get your Dynasty on, so this sculptural number from Philip Treacy is *chef's kiss*. My favorite from the royal crew on Day 1.

Philip Treacy hat

Best in Brooch

The Countess of Wessex

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Sophie's outfit gets a meh-but-YES from me, too. The dress, a new one from Emilia Wickstead, is okay; I think the variation between the heavy black trim on the dress and the light trim on the Jane Taylor hat is what's giving me the mehs. (Two days in a row I want her to go all black with the accessories, maybe? At least I'm consistent.) (Until tomorrow, probably.) Her brooch, on the other hand, is a debut and it is a delicate diamond rose and it is soooo lovely. It's similar to a few in the Queen's collection, although I don't recognize it as one we've seen on Her Maj. Get a lot of use out of that one, Sophie. Pretty please.

Emilia Wickstead Pink Dionne Macramé-trimmed Crepe Dress

Best in Monochrome

Princesses Beatrice and Eugenie

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I do so love it when the York sisters turn up in a pair of winning outfits. Both taking the monochrome approach to hats n' dresses (plus neutrals for the accessories) paid off here. Beatrice's Claire Mischevani dress is a rich jacquard, paired with a matching hat from Juliette Botterill. Eugenie brought a modern feel to the racecourse in a coat from Osman and hat by Emily London. Somehow even the rogue graduation tassel on Eugenie's hat works, this is some kind of sorcery.

Claire Mischevani pale blue jacquard pleat dress, Osman Fleur tie-waist cotton-blend coat, Emily London Alcor hat

Best in Basics

The Duchess of Cornwall

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Am I a big fan of this pale gold on Camilla? I am not. I don't think it's her best shade. Would the shape and details of this dress and hat be divine in another color? They surely would. (The dress is by Dior.) She also could have taken a bigger version of her trademark pearl choker here, I think; she's opted for a standard pick, her Four Strand Pearl Choker with Small Diamond Clasp and her Everyday Pearl Pendant Earrings.

Runner Up in Hats

Princess Haya

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Princess Haya, here with husband Sheikh Mohammed and kids Sheikh Zayed and Sheikha Jalila, combined the York color strategies. The Philip Treacy hat's the standout here, with a large flower on top and flowers underneath in the back. Interesting enough for Ascot without going overboard. My second fave chapeau for Day 1.

Roland Mouret Blue Etty Square-neck Crepe Dress

Most in Danger of a Millinery Escape

Princess Michael of Kent

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Speaking of going overboard, this hat seems ready to jump right out of the carriage at any time. I feel like she needs a chinstrap just to be safe. Well, Ascot is as much a place for hats with a mind of their own as it is for Dynasty throwbacks.

Who's taking home your awards for Day 1?

We'll be following Ascot throughout the week here and at the Vault, so stay tuned for Days 2 through 5...

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s Wedding: More Guest Fashion

How’s your royal wedding fever holding up? Still hanging in there? It’s like running a marathon, but on your couch, with snacks. We’ve already done the main stuff:

The bride, groom, and bridal party at the wedding ceremony

The royal guests at the wedding ceremony

The bride and groom at the evening reception

So let’s finish up the fashion business with a little look at what a few of the other guests - the ones that aren't members of the royal family - brought to the party.

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One of the first guests to catch my eye: Countess Spencer in Pamella Roland with a Rachel Trevor-Morgan hat. A purple outfit after my own heart! With a wee cape! She was terribly elegant back in 2011, too, I still remember her blush pink ensemble with a massive hat.

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Lady Kitty Spencer caught my eye too, in a green Dolce & Gabbana Alta Moda dress with a hand-painted floral design and a Philip Treacy hat. Fantastic use of orange velvet accessories to give it an extra splash of interest.

Royal Family Channel/Instagram

You give Oprah an invite to the royal wedding, she's not about to chicken out on the hat game. Her hat is Philip Treacy she's had since 2005, with new feathers for the occasion. I had quibbles on the dress until I checked Oprah's Instagram; Stella McCartney’s team made this for her overnight after she suddenly realized her planned beige outfit was going to photograph too white. All things considered? That’s a pretty good result. McCartney labels this a “blush, double tiered dress with lace trim made of sustainable viscose.”

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It’s hard to go wrong with a blush pink outfit for a royal wedding, isn’t it? Oprah would agree. This Versace dress on Serena Williams is just right, as is the fascinator that keeps clear of her long braids.

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Serena also posted her look for the evening reception, a Valentino gown. Not everyone could carry this print off, yet on Serena, it's pure fun.

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Amal Clooney opted for a bold color choice for the ceremony with this honey yellow Stella McCartney midi dress with a side tie detail in silk Cady, accompanied by a custom Stephen Jones hat. I loved this ray of sunshine during the broadcast, but in the photos, I suddenly want a little color variation. Maybe not full yellow on the hat?

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Meghan’s good friend Priyanka Chopra posted just after midnight that she was still waiting for her outfit to arrive, but no problems here: this is Vivienne Westwood with a to-die-for suit silhouette. A Philip Treacy hat tops it off.

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Also to-die-for: Priyanka’s evening look from Christian Dior. That is one sparkly dream of a dress, no? Let's get this on a princess or something.

The whole crew from Suits rolled up with their partners to support their former costar. I was watching all the guests arrive, trying to think which outfit I'd claim as my own if I were invited (as you do), and I think I found it: Jacinda Barrett's merlot grape Emilia Wickstead, be mine.

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Let’s end with the ever-appropriately dressed Middleton crew. The only surprise comes when you realize that Pippa’s floral dress from The Fold actually looks startlingly like an Arizona Tea can…and once you see it, there’s no turning back.

Who else caught your eye at the royal wedding?

Fabulous Exhibition of the Day: Christian Dior, Couturier Du Rêve

The largest exhibition in the history of the house of Christian Dior is currently on show at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. Christian Dior, Couturier Du Rêve celebrates the maison's 70th anniversary and incorporates designs from all of their past designers, from Dior himself to current creative director Maria Grazia Chiuri.

I've heard only rave reviews about this exhibition, so I was delighted when lovely reader Johanna emailed to say that she'd been to the show and was willing to let me share some of her pictures here with you all. Thank you, Johanna! Let's all take an imaginary trip to Paris, shall we?

The exhibition touches on some of Dior's dedicated royal fans over the years. The ballgown worn by Princess Margaret for her 21st birthday portrait is included. So, too, is the little number above. Recognize this one?

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Diana, Princess of Wales wore this Dior couture dress to the Met Gala in 1996. It was a significant moment for the princess - being a big departure in style for her - and a big moment in the history of the label, because this negligee dress was John Galliano's first couture creation for Christian Dior.

We previously discussed this dress in depth here. It's so interesting to see it on display, though (along with her signature Lady Dior handbag), because the most memorable images from that evening involve Diana concealing most of the dress with her wrap - she didn't seem very confident in this departure of a dress.

And there's waaaaaay more outside of the royal sphere. Diana's dress stands in the center of a group of dresses worn by the stars. The dress on the right with the green belt was worn by Elizabeth Taylor to win her first Oscar.

 Here's another Oscar winner: Jennifer Lawrence's 2013 gown.

This ivory dress covered in designs was worn by Emma Watson.

A pregnant Natalie Portman wore this take on the puffy sleeve trend to the Screen Actors Guild Awards earlier this year.

Even more pretty! The front gown with the tiered skirt is from John Galliano's time at Dior.

A group from Marc Bohan's time at the helm of Dior. Bohan designed Queen Silvia's starkly unadorned wedding gown in 1976 and Princess Caroline's sweet gown for her first wedding in 1978.

A group from Yves Saint Laurent, who designed the wedding gown for Iran's Empress Farah in 1959 while at Dior. The two remained friends and she was a regular client of Dior.

Here's one from Belgian designer Raf Simons, who designed for Queen Mathilde and the Duchess of Cornwall under the Dior label (though, regrettably, nothing quite this stunning).

The "Junon" dress with tiers of sequined embellishment like petals down the skirt, and the "Soirée Fleury" dress with rich floral embroidery. All great gowns should have names, no?

And a bit of Petit Trianon inspiration to finish us out. Ahhhhh. A mid-week dash of fabulous is never a bad idea.

If you can get there, go. Christian Dior, Couturier Du Rêve runs until January 7, 2018.

Photos: All are courtesy of and with thanks to Johanna, except as noted.

Year in Review: 2016's Honorable Mentions

Having taken a look at some of the sartorial achievements of our regular leading ladies this year, let's chat about other outfits that were 2016 standouts. Shall we?

Princess Madeleine at Prince Oscar's Christening

Anna-Lena Ahlström, Kungahuset.se

Once again, Madeleine ends up with a slew of outfits for the year that I adored. As much as I loved her princess-y Fadi El Khoury from the Nobel Prize ceremony, the one that will end up on my permanent favorites list is her take on the big sleeve trend at Prince Oscar's christening: a soft pink Roksanda Ilincic dress a gorgeous soft hairdo and floral ornament.

Viscountess Linley at Queen Elizabeth II's Birthday Service

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Just thought I'd report that my soft spot for this retro look - a Dior coat, with the perfect Rachel Trevor Morgan hat - has only grown softer. Love.

Queen Silvia in Germany

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How could I not include Silvia Baden-ing it up in Germany? Come on, she managed to pull a mega brooch out of the vaults that we somehow haven't seen in a loooooong time. Doesn't hurt that she did it in my favorite color, obviously.

Beatrice Borromeo at the Rose Ball

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Because WHY NOT, that's why.

Honorable mentions for my honorable mentions list: Princess Charlene in her evening coat (because I need her to lead the charge to bring those back), Princess Eugenie in the perfect summer dress (because chevrons), and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa in Elie Saab (because Elie Saab).

 What outfits make your 2016 honorable mentions list?

Princely Outfit of the Day: October 26

I had Fashion Plates when I was a kid. You know, that toy where you mix and match portions of outfits for a creation of your own. Did you have Fashion Plates? I'd like to play Fashion Plates with Princess Charlene's whole look here.

Prince Albert and Princess Charlene attended the Princess Grace Awards on Monday in New York City.

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Give me the skirt, which is lovely and flowy. Give me the hair, because you need that edge in the hairstyle to cut through some of the whimsy of the floral motifs scattered on the skirt. (Obviously also give me the earrings, but that should go without saying.)

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And then give me something else entirely to replace the bodice and waist, which is just kind of there and is trying to trick me into believing that she felt a matching brooch was somehow needed. (It wasn't.)

Dress is by Christian Dior; the skirt motifs were presented differently on the Spring 2017 RTW runway. Christian Dior Couture is a sponsor of the Princess Grace Awards.
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Fashion Plates, yes. That's what we need.

Royal Exhibition of the Day: October 18

The ladies of the Swedish royal family joined forces yesterday (minus Princess Madeleine, who had two sick kids) to open the Royal Palace's new exhibition, Royal Wedding Dresses 1976-2015. It includes the wedding gowns of Queen Silvia, the late Princess Lilian, Crown Princess Victoria, Princess Madeleine, and Princess Sofia.

Photo: Kungahuset.se

Queen Silvia's speech opening the exhibit was really sweet. She remembered her husband's aunt, Queen Ingrid of Denmark, calling her after her engagement and inviting her to Copenhagen, where she gave her the traditional sprig of myrtle used by all family brides. And to her daughter and daughter-in-law, she said, "I had the great fortune to have three children who have been wise enough to follow their hearts. Just as I did myself." See? Sweet. (You can read the speech - text in Swedish - here.)

Photo: Kungahuset.se

A group of royal wedding gowns is always going to be worth your time, but this one includes even more treats: veils, accessories, pre-wedding event dresses, the dresses that Sofia and Madeleine changed into for the party portion of their receptions, young bridal attendant outfits, and more. Excuse me while I investigate flights to Stockholm...

Update: Readers who visited the exhibition were kind enough to share their pictures, and we have been exploring the gowns in depth, one installment at a time. See the links below for the installments to date:

Princess Lilian's Gown

Princess Madeleine's Gown
Crown Princess Victoria's Gown 
Princess Sofia's Gown

 

The exhibition also yielded some fabulous HQ shots of these dresses, and they reveal details unseen when the gowns were in action. (Click the photos below to enlarge.)

Queen Silvia, 1976. Gown by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior.

Photo: Sanna Argus Tirén, The Royal Court, Sweden

Photo: Sanna Argus Tirén, The Royal Court, Sweden

Crown Princess Victoria, 2010. Gown by Pär Engsheden.

Photo: Sanna Argus Tirén, The Royal Court, Sweden

Photo: Sanna Argus Tirén, The Royal Court, Sweden

Photo: Sanna Argus Tirén, The Royal Court, Sweden

Princess Madeleine, 2013. Gown by Valentino Couture.

Photo: Lisa Raihle Rehbäck, The Royal Court, Sweden

Photo: Sanna Argus Tirén, The Royal Court, Sweden

Photo: Lisa Raihle Rehbäck, The Royal Court, Sweden

Princess Sofia, 2015. Gown by Ida Sjöstedt.

Photo: Lisa Raihle Rehbäck, The Royal Court, Sweden

Photo: Lisa Raihle Rehbäck, The Royal Court, Sweden

Royal Wedding of the Day: June 28

June 19th was King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia's 40th wedding anniversary! (It was also Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel's 6th wedding anniversary.) The couple met at the 1972 Olympics and four years later, Silvia went straight from commoner to queen. Let's take a look back:

Lennart Nilsson

Silvia wore a wedding gown by Marc Bohan for Christian Dior, an almost starkly simple design in silk duchesse, previously covered in depth here. The lack of embellishment on the gown allowed the Cameo Tiara to take center stage, but it might also have allowed some unexpected things to take the center stage too: the fold at the top of the family's historic veil (said to have been a solution concocted when the veil turned out to be longer than the train), or the tissue strapped to her wrist by a rubber band (a precaution insisted upon by her mother, which ended up showing from underneath her sleeve every time she waved).

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It's far from my favorite royal wedding gown, but I'll be interested to see what those of you that see it in person think (remember, it will be going on display starting in late October in Stockholm). Perhaps the real fantastic elements here will be better appreciated when seen in close up. I'm getting that feel from the interesting seaming hinted at by the close up below, anyway.

A photo posted by Kungahuset (@kungahuset) on Jun 17, 2016 at 3:01am PDT

Of course, a royal wedding gown also must be seen in movement to be fully appreciated and of course I have you covered there too; see below or check out another video here. Silvia's gown does seem more stately in the right context than it does in random pictures.

Fair warning, there's an immediate difference between that video and videos from more recent Swedish royal weddings: no tiaras! Apart from the Cameo Tiara for Silvia, obviously. Unlike the sparkling weddings the family throws today with guests in white tie and tiaras, Silvia and Carl Gustaf's guests wore morning dress or uniform for the gentlemen and long dresses with hats for the ladies. (Thank heavens they've come to their senses in the years since.)

Royal Outfit of the Day: June 22

Hang on, I need to rewind for a second.

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At QEII's 90th birthday service (not even two weeks ago, but basically forever ago in internet times), I spotted Viscountess Linley in the crowd, I spotted some massive pillbox hat action, and I gave her my Best in Retro Award. Done and done.

But I didn't see the full look until later. And listen, this Christian Dior coat and Rachel Trevor Morgan hat, I gotta tell you...

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I LOVE IT SO MUCH. Best in Retro and So Much More, that award should have been. So well assembled without being super matchy. Such a perfect use of a chunky heel in a lower height. Such a perfect use of a non-nude shoe. So retro without being gimmicky.

The fabric of Serena's coat, shown on the Christian Dior Fall 2016 RTW runway in a skirt

And - this is the kicker - so different from what we usually see in a parade of British royals at an event like this, I think. You know what I mean? Serena, she nailed it.