Happy New Year to you! The Danish and Japanese families are ready to welcome us into 2019 with tiaras blazing, courtesy of their annual January 1st receptions/banquets for dignitaries.
Best in...Black Tie, Maybe
Crown Princess Mary
For the first time, Crown Princess Mary chose not to wear the
Danish Ruby Parure for this event, opting to wear her
Diamond, Ruby, and Spinel Necklace Tiara and its matching earrings. The tiara is a good match for this new Jesper Høvring dress. But is the whole thing a good match for this specific occasion? That's my question.
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| DR1/Jesper Høvring |
This gala banquet is one of the most formal events of the Danish royal year; it's one of the only events involving the use of
the gold collar of the Order of the Elephant instead of the light blue sash. Had this been Mary's choice for a black tie and tiara event, I think I'd be head over heels; here, though, I'm just not sure it lives up to the level of grandeur we've come to expect.
Best in White Tie
Queen Margrethe
Instead, we can turn to the one who sets that level of grandeur: the Queen herself, reliably swooping about in her major skirts. Proving once again that she can't get enough of her new frocks, she tossed her beloved Yeti pelt over the dress she wore to
Crown Prince Frederik's 50th birthday banquet. I like it much more with the
Pearl Poire Tiara and other pearls.
Best in Golden Coordination
Princess Marie
Princess Marie rounded out the trio of Danish royal ladies in a new outfit from Rikke Gudnitz with her
Diamond Floral Tiara. This is the sort of gown that's perfectly picked to work with the Order of the Elephant's gold collar, from the high neck to the golden color.
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| DR1 |
I'm not entirely sold on the skirt and I'm surprised how different it looked in motion than it does in still photos, but I'll still give it a pretty well played.
Best in Returns
Crown Princess Masako
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| ANN |
Meanwhile in Japan, a most welcome sight: Crown Princess Masako returned to the imperial family's New Year receptions for the first time in 16 years! We usually only see her arriving by car, she skips the public portions inside the palace. She wore the
Japanese Pearl Sunburst Tiara, her favorite for years.
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| ANN |
Masako led the line up of imperial princesses (left to right above): Princess Kiko (in the
Akishino Tiara), Princess Mako (in
her own tiara), Princess Kako (in
her own tiara), Princess Nobuko, Princess Akiko, Princess Yōko, Princess Hisako (in what looks to be the
Takamado Diamond and Pearl Tiara), and Princess Tsuguko.
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| ANN |
With Emperor Akihito's abdication coming, the imperial couple led the ceremony for what I suppose will be the last time. Empress Michiko wore a big diamond rivière, diamond earrings, and a diamond brooch - not at all lacking in sparkle even though she stopped wearing tiaras some years ago. Serene elegance, as always.
Who gets your first Best Dressed awards for 2019?
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