WEDDING FLOWERS: Oscar de la Renta
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Showing posts with label Oscar de la Renta. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Oscar de la Renta. Show all posts

Royal Outfit Grab Bag of the Day: June 10

GREETINGS. Here are some random pockets of fabulousness that I would like to share with you, so that we may bask in the glow of their splendiferousness together:

Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel at the Polar Music Prize last night
Victoria occasionally tries to go a little bit edgy for the music stuff, which is fine but not really in her wheelhouse. This is much better. Straight from the music event to cocktails on a warm Ibiza night, this. I hope someone gave her a drink with a wee umbrella in it.
Dress from House of Dagmar, Earrings from Oscar de la Renta


King Carl Gustaf and Queen Silvia also attended the Polar Music Prize
Here's Sils at the same event. (With a fur, so there goes my Ibiza fantasy.) Fabulous designation goes to the color only; the Yuki-designed ensemble itself is suspiciously Zbornakian.

King Felipe and Queen Letizia commemorated Armed Forces Day on Saturday.
Letizia mixed and matched a previously worn jacket and a previously worn skirt, and the whole is greater than the sum of its two parts. Well done.

Queen Máxima during the official visit to the U.S. last week.
And finally: Máx looks chic, and this brooch (from Queen Sophie, worn by Beatrix on her wedding day) is to die for. This was last week - a MILLION YEARS AGO in internet times - but dedicated Máx fans understand the importance of saving up the chic moments to sustain you during the long droughts, like a camel heading for a Sartorial Sahara that could spring itself on you at any time.

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated, Nelly, Oscar de la Renta

Royal State Visit and Tiara Watch of the Week: June 2

I like to imagine the Swedish royal family limbering up their bobby pins and stretching in their high heels with one last tiara event before the big wedding, courtesy of the incoming state visit from the President of India. It's important to warm up for your athletic events.

But first: The President arrived in Sweden on Sunday and was greeted by the King and Queen, Crown Princess and Prince Daniel, and Prince Carl Philip with Sofia Hellqvist (making her state visit debut).
Big hat alert! Victoria looks so great with a big brim, and I'm so glad to be free of forehead-bolters for the day, I'm gonna forget everything else.
Kungahuset.se
If you were in the mood for a smaller hat, Queen Silvia's got you covered with one of her standard monochromatic ensembles. And if you were in the mood for a Mette-Marit-style state visit ensemble (you know, a plain outfit plus a not-a-hat ornament), well, Sofia's your girl. Her little pouf of a head decoration can't even be seen from the front.

~*Hit Pause On Your State Visit Musings*~
Day 2 for Victoria started out not in state visit mode but in crown princely BFF mode, welcoming next door neighbors Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit for the EAT Stockholm Food Forum. Happy summery prints abound!
Mette-Marit's dress from Isolda (with a stylized chili print!), Victoria's from Oscar de la Renta
The only thing about this that bums me out is the sad little angular blazer Mette-Marit threw on top of this floaty feminine dress. Awkward dress to pick if you want to cover it up, and an awkward clash of styles.
~*And Now Let The State Visit Musings Continue*~

Kungahuset.se
Joining up with the state visit group, Victoria threw a structured white jacket into the mix, and I think I like it even more than the cardigan. This Oscar de la Renta dress on Victoria and that white outfit from Sunday's post are giving me a renewed verve for her day style, and I hope it starts a streak.

At the end of day 2 came the tiaras.
Sofia floated in to her first state banquet on a cloud of black embellishment and ruffles (talk about taking a cue from Mette-Marit) and though she showed she's ready for more with her big emerald and diamond earrings from Ebba Brahe Jewellery, there were to be no gems from the family vault for the soon-to-be princess. Not just yet.

The tiara squad featured Silvia in her predictable Pronger and Victoria repeating her green sequined Elie Saab from the Nobel ceremony in 2012, with the Cut Steel Tiara. The golden tones of the Cut Steel plus the glittering green Vegas Kermit gown is not a combination of which I am fond, friends.
Kungahuset.se
UNLESS...unless we're not warming up for the wedding but are rather getting a few things out of our system before the big day, making way for something more interesting come June 13th. If that's the case, then carry on, Swedes, carry on.
Royal Style Twins of the Day: May 22

Royal Style Twins of the Day: May 22

Okay, so here's what I think happened:
Queen Máxima and Queen Mathilde took one look at what was going on with the sculpture exhibition they were opening in The Hague this week...
...and their mission was clear: TIME TO SEUSS IT UP. And did they succeed? Yes they did indeed! (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)
I think we can guess which of these brains decided they should be rhyming technicolor cartoons for the day. Sporting a millinery party platter of Seussical costume trimmings, Máxima was outfitted in a coral-y orange Natan coat dress with extra volume in the skirt and sleeves and coral pendant earrings. Obviously keen to live up to their Natan Twins moniker, Mathilde also sported the Belgian brand in an orange and blue print belted frock with a Fabienne Delvigne blue turban and pearl earrings.
I'm telling you, I LOVE this appearance and every bit of ridiculous contained within. Seriously! They made me laugh, they made themselves laugh, and - here's the important part - they did their best to be highly visible for all the onlookers hoping to catch the double queen show at an outdoor engagement. That's a job well done. They can bathe themselves in beige another day.

And in case you have any doubt that this was a plan and not a coincidence, note that Mathilde made an outfit switch just for her jaunt with Máx.
Earlier that day, she was sporting the same hat but with a repeated blue floral Dries Van Noten dress for a pit stop at the residence of the Belgian ambassador in The Hague. Definitely a color scheme designed for an easy flip into twin mode. Also, this:
A joint appearance in 2007
Classic. Oh, you two.

Photos: via Getty Images and Twitter as indicated

Royal Style Twins of the Day: April 24

Today, we're flashing back...way back...to a week ago, in Copenhagen, where the reception for Queen Margrethe's birthday at City Hall featured some style twin moments worthy of a closer look.

First up: Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Princess Victoria and their twin appearances with, uh, themselves.
Above, in Copenhagen in 2010 for Margrethe's 70th birthday, and below, also in Copenhagen for Margrethe's birthday, five years on. Mette-Marit's even wearing the same gold headband, which (as the Royal Hats Blog points out) she's worn in several different ways.
"So, whaddya think...same thing this time, except different?" "AGREED."

For the same same thing, you need look no further than the Mexican state visit to the United Kingdom a month earlier.
Mexico's first lady, Angélica Rivera de Peña, sported Mette-Marit's Alexander McQueen coat first. It's an A-line crepe coat in ivory with a double lapel detail, and the only surprising thing about this is that one of the British royal McQueen fans didn't beat both ladies to it. (Perhaps they will join the party later on. I'd love to see this one belted, just to shake it up.) Unusually for one who loves the colorful accessories, I prefer the First Lady's black touches to the Crown Princess' gold/red/nude mix in this Who wore it best? battle.

Our other twin - nay, triplet! - moment from the City Hall event comes from Crown Princess Mary and the gray hat she paired with her Oscar de la Renta coat dress.
As soon as she emerged with this chapeau, I thought it looked familiar - Kate-esque, I said - and indeed it was. From favored royal milliner Jane Taylor, this is a hat we should know well by now.
Zara Phillips sported the same gray version to Cheltenham over a year ago. She paired it with a truly unfortunate outfit that I will pretend I did not see since baby Mia was just a few weeks old at the time. But the original royal example comes from the Countess of Wessex, who wore a version in a different color and material to Ascot in 2013, paired with an Emilia Wickstead outfit in gorgeous vibrant teal. (An outfit that would get a lookalike of its own when the Duchess of Cambridge wore a similar number in New Zealand last year. It's just a chain that never ends.)
Mary's got the lock on sophistication in accessory pairing, but Sophie's version is a welcome shot of color. I'll call this one a tie and I'll take both for myself, outfits and all, thanks very much.

Your turn: Which versions of these twin appearances are your faves?

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated, Net-a-Porter, ITN video

Royal Fashion Awards: Queen Margrethe’s Birthday, Day Events

A morning wake up call with song (and canons!) marked the start of Queen Margrethe’s actual birthday, and the busiest day of birthday festivities. Our visiting royals are now down to the fellow Nordic monarchs, with the addition of Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Daniel, Crown Prince Haakon, and Crown Princess Mette-Marit.
Margrethe's morning wake up
Some quality balcony time with the whole family and their guests was followed by a carriage ride through Copenhagen for the Queen and the Crown Prince and Crown Princess, who were standing in for Prince Henrik, still sick with the flu. With hats in place, they convened at Copenhagen’s Town Hall for a round of interpretive dance (because hey, why not) and a reception. Meanwhile, we convene for our next round of royal fashion awards…


Best of All, Birthday or Not
Queen Margrethe
Actual, audible awws from me when Daisy stepped out on the balcony, in this fresh color, flattering cut, and her whopper of a diamond daisy brooch, made from her grandmother’s stones for her mother and subsequently given to her. She’s the best dressed of them all, and that’s not just a birthday given.


Best in Accessory Additions
Crown Princess Mary
Mary reused a gorgeous navy Oscar de la Renta coat dress with an embellished neckline, and I loved that she went with gray accessories instead of trying to coat herself in navy from head to toe. I also loved her hat, which looked quite familiar and for good reason: Zara Phillips has worn the same one, and the Countess of Wessex has worn a similar model. It’s by Jane Taylor.


Biggest in Accessory Additions
Princess Marie
I speak not, obviously of her hat – which still did not manage to stay on the good side of the wind gods despite its wee stature – but of her brooch. Everyone wore commemorative birthday medals, but Marie added an enormous bird on the other side. I'm loving that choice with this outfit, actually, just wishing that pesky medal wasn't competing. (But I suppose politeness has to win every now and then, le sigh.)


Best in Sisters
Princess Benedikte and Queen Anne-Marie
Yeah, I’m running out of ways to say they’re typical as always, these two. They both had fab ruby earrings, and Benedikte wore her famous koosh ball hat, and that's all I got.


Most Dubious in Hats, Part 1
Crown Princess Mette-Marit
Is this a prop from The Tudors, or what? This has to be a prop of some sort. Yeah, from the same Gothic horror set that gives us those skull earrings, perhaps.
Otherwise, M-M in white, check and check.


Most Continued Sartorial Dedication
Queen Silvia
And how did Queen Sil accommodate her arm injury today? A purple cape. A PURPLE CAPE. Omigod. She's going to force me to declare her my favorite royal of EVER by the time this is done, isn't she.


Most Dubious in Hats, Part 2
Crown Princess Victoria
Points for a Georg Jensen daisy brooch, okay, but that hat. Hmm. I thought it was just a novelty, a little sentimental touch, when she imitated an old hat of her mother’s at Princess Leonore’s christening. But now there’s a second version in white. It's not terrible or anything, but...this is the hat you bulk buy, V? Really?
Also shown: Victoria's Chanel dress, runway version

And that's that!

But it's not really that, because there is one more birthday event left to come: a dinner at Fredensborg Palace. The open post is still up and running with all your live link info and a place to chat about that if you like.

But as far as this post is concerned...

Who was your best dressed at the day events?


Photos: via Getty Images as indicated, DR1 video, Lyst, Jane Taylor Millinery, Style.com

Royal Outfit of the Day: October 24

So, this is puuurrrty:
Victoria's dress, I mean. Specifically speaking. Not that they aren't a good looking group overall. But - the DRESS! Very Jenny Packham-esque (I don't know whether it is or is not for sure, at the time I'm writing, though I'm sure it will turn up), with certain similarities to the Packham/Tadashi Shoji dress we've seen time and again. This muted teal color looks fantastic on Victoria and the delicate lace adds a lot of interest to an otherwise plain number.
If I could quibble - and you know me, that's what I do best - the beaded tassel earrings are not quite right. They are, however, from Oscar de la Renta, and of course this is being interpreted as a special gesture to the late designer's memory. Big statement earrings are definitely Victoria's style, special gesture or not. But as we can see in the video below, they're just a touch overpowering. There's a lot of swing happening there.
Anyway, I'm taking the earrings out of the equation and calling this a win for Victoria. Agreed?


Photos: Oscar de la Renta/Kungahuset video

Royal Designer of the Day: October 21

Sad news from the fashion world last night: Oscar de la Renta has died at the age of 82. The legendary designer always produced elegant collections that were just beautiful, plain and simple, and his loss is terribly sad.

So today, we remember him in the best possible way - by celebrating his creations.

His pieces live on in several royal collections around the world. Queen Sofia, a personal friend of the designer, was his biggest royal fan. She wore many of his designs, including the flattering embroidered blue number below (shown with Mr. de la Renta himself, of course).

Her daughter Infanta Elena shares the love. Her Oscar pieces including stunning and vibrant gowns, but my absolute favorite is this too-chic-to-handle day suit.  

Queen Máxima's Oscar de la Renta outfits include a classic coat, and Crown Princess Victoria has a classic print dress.

Princess Lalla Salma has been spotted in some of his outfits, as has Queen Rania. Add this cozy jacket to Rania's collection:

Mary's contribution is princess perfect...

And Princess Madeleine's has a fresh edge, one that nearly made my pick in her closet raid.

And to Madeleine's pre-wedding dinner, Princess Marie-Chantal flew the Oscar de la Renta flag.

I could go on, and on, but I'll stop here and turn it over to you.
Some of the above royal looks on the runway and retail.
What is your favorite Oscar de la Renta look in action?
 
 
Photos: Getty Images, Avoord video, Kungahuset.se, Instagram, Twitter, Oscar de la Renta, Style.com

Royal Outfit of the Day: August 19

Didn't take me long to get back around to Elie Saab in this little closet raiding exercise, did it? Well, that was predictable.
Sweden's Princess Madeleine sported Elie Saab Resort 2013 at her pre-wedding dinner last year.
Princess Madeleine has some cute stuff in that closet of hers beyond the gown section - there's an Oscar de la Renta white dress that I'm particularly fond of (see below) - but if there's an Elie Saab garment bag, I'm grabbing blindly.
The Oscar de la Renta dress of which I am particularly fond, on Madeleine and on the runway (with skirt lining added, an unsurprising modification from the runway).

If you could have just one thing from Madeleine's closet, what would it be?


Photos: Kungahuset/B.Grenfeldt, Style.com and Europa Press via Getty Images

Royal Outfits of the Day: May 8

This week, the Swedish royal family welcomed Crown Prince Haakon to mark the 200th anniversary of the Norwegian constitution. Also, Crown Princess Victoria attended a meeting of the Friends of Nordiska Museet and Skansen.
It's been a while since we caught up with Victoria's daily happenings, so let's have a double shot. First up, an Oscar de la Renta printed navy and white dress that is heaven except for that jacket selection - just a little too much going on with those buttons and lapels plus the print of the dress. And then there was PURPLE, which you know I love. The color freshens up a traditional shape, and she emphasizes it with her Charlotte Bonde amethyst earrings. She also carried her Stella McCartney clutch.
The Oscar de la Renta dress on the Spring 2009 runway; the Charlotte Bonde amethyst earrings
Svensk Damtidning offers more visuals from the Haakon event, and from the purple delight.

Photos: Kungahuset.se/Style.com/Charlotte Bonde

Royal Outfit of the Day: March 13

Queen Máxima visited a healthcare facility in a repeated Oscar de la Renta brown and cream houndstooth coat (style seen in dress form on the runway in the Fall 2007 RTW collection), paired with brown everything else: dress, stockings, shoes, and wide brim hat.
Máxima's had this coat for several years (in fact, it took part in one of her most famous sartorial twin appearances with Mathilde). And while the sum of this outfit is just sort of aggressively brown, I still renew my call for more Oscar de la Renta on the royal runway. Queen Sofia's a fan and bits have been seen on a handful of other ladies, but not nearly as often as you'd think, given his style. Hmm.


Photos: Avoord/Style.com

Royal Outfit of the Day: January 17

 
Last summer, Princess Marie-Chantal (left) wore an Oscar de la Renta Spring 2013 embellished dress (runway, center) for Princess Madeleine's pre-wedding dinner. At this year's Golden Globe Awards, Michelle Dockery of "Downton Abbey" fame (right) sported the same look.
You know, I very nearly included M-C's look in my honorable mentions for 2013, and when I saw it pop up this past weekend at the Globes, my appreciation for the royal styling grew even more. In the epic battle of "Who wore it best?", I have to give this one to M-C because the shoes and her overall bearing are making the look. This is one dress that benefits from the eh, I wear couture to grab the morning paper attitude, if you get what I'm saying. Et toi?

(Celebrity fashion isn't within our normal scope here, but I can't let a reference to the awards pass without saying LUPITA! and CAPES! That is all. If you missed the Globes gown parade, Buzzfeed's got the quickest fashion wrap up.)

Photos: Getty Images/Style.com

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