WEDDING FLOWERS: Black
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Showing posts with label Black. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Black. Show all posts

Royal Visit of the Day: April 29

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Queen Silvia and Princess Madeleine, with her husband Chris O'Neill and daughter Princess Leonore, have been in Rome and Vatican City this week. They were there primarily to attend a conference focusing on child trafficking (below), organized in part by the Pontifical Academy of Sciences. Queen Silvia has been an advocate on this subject for some time and opened the conference; Princess Madeleine is joining in her mother's work in this area and with the World Childhood Foundation.
It also happens to be an area of focus for Pope Francis, and Queen Silvia dropped by for an audience on Monday, and she brought the whole family too. Chris O'Neill is Catholic, no doubt a reason why he and little Leonore tagged along.
I was surprised to see the family put on one of the most formal papal visits we've seen in a while, dress code-wise. Both wearing traditional black, Queen Silvia stuck with a long skirt and heavy pearl jewels, while expectant Princess Madeleine wore a black dress and short jacket with a long single strand of pearls. The royal ladies wore heavy black mantillas and their portrait brooches.
Vatican dress code protocol has gotten much less rigid in recent years. We've gone from the days of tiaras and veils to optional head coverings and daywear; even the color code of white for those with privilège du blanc and black for others has been relaxed under Pope Francis. (The current pope has much more pressing concerns than dress code, like hanging out with his tiny new BFF.)
I always love a good mantilla appearance, but I love it even more as it becomes more of an optional thing, honestly. It's up to them and they chose to go fancy, and that's always a decision I can get behind.
Video: The audience

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated

Royal Outfits of the Day: April 27

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Two outfits today, one I should like that I don't, and one I shouldn't that I do. It doesn't make any more sense than that sentence did.
Take this, for instance: Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary celebrated the anniversary of the Hotel d'Angleterre, and Mary wore a black dress from Ole Yde's YDE label with a tiered tulle skirt.
So this is basically the little sister to that black Carolina Herrera gown that Queen Letizia wore last year. And I looooved that gown. Therefore...I should like this gown...and yet, NOPE.
I blame the bodice. Maybe just borrow the dress from Leti next time?

And then there's Crown Princess Mette-Marit, still doing her version of wardrobe musical chairs, grabbing whatever's at hand when the music stops.
And much to my surprise, I think I like it this time! Sure, I'd change the skirt, because I can always find something to change. But the sweater manages to feel very much in the M-M style without being a) black or white, b) covered in flowers, or c) covered in ruffles. A change I can get behind.
The sweater is from Burberry Prorsum
The whole world's gone topsy turvy, I'm telling you.

Photos: as indicated and YDE, Style.com
Royal Haircut of the Day: April 21

Royal Haircut of the Day: April 21

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CHOP!
Queen Letizia attended the 'Woman Awards' last night in Madrid.
Look who got her hair did...
She tested out the faux bob (yes, that's bob with ONE o, stop giggling) hairstyle a time or two, and now she's really gone for it. I like to think she made a point of holding on to those long locks juuuuussst long enough to debut her new tiara in the best possible fashion before making the cut. (More on that tiara coming up later in the week, by the way!)
Her newly short and sassy bob was paired with Yanes earrings, Prada shoes, and another Felipe Varela LBD (she really takes that theory that you can never go wrong with a little black dress to heart, you know). I think I like the new 'do - she certainly seems to like it, at least. I do believe I'm detecting some swagger here. And I love a queen with swagger.

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated

Royal Outfit Evolution of the Day: April 13

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The Danish royal ladies (Queen Margrethe and Crown Princess Mary, in particular) are among the most adept in the royal crowd at making over their clothes as the years go on. Outfits are sent back to their designers or sent on to skilled tailors who take known pieces and give them a fresh look and a new life in the royal wardrobe. For the start of Margrethe's birthday celebrations last week, we saw one such dress on Mary, a Prada creation that has been altered at least twice and has gotten better with each change (if you ask me).
It came originally from the Fall 2004 Ready-to-Wear collection, where it was shown on the runway in a shorter length. I like to imagine this was among the loot from Mary's first princess shopping sprees - Prada is now one of her favorite brands, and she owns more than one piece from this particular collection.
2004: Prince Henrik's Birthday Dinner
The midnight velvet dress featured a cap sleeve with a deep v-neck, perfect for necklace display. It first appeared during the 70th birthday celebrations for Prince Henrik in 2004 just a month after her wedding, when she paired it with her wedding tiara and an intricate necklace from Marianne Dulong.
2006: Visit to Germany
The skirt was tiered, with a sash on one hip and a couple of rosette thingies (we're all about the technical terminology here) scattered on the front. A random element, and by far my least favorite part of the original design.
2012: Queen Margrethe's Jubilee Banquet
But look! After several appearances (both with and without tiara) over the years, by the time she wore it to the banquet for Queen Margrethe's jubilee in 2012, the rosettes had magically disappeared. And the whole world (read: me) breathed a sigh of relief, for the most drapery-esque part of the dress was gone. For this occasion, she paired it with the Danish Ruby Parure, using the open neckline to showcase the necklace in its glorious full version.
2015: Queen Margrethe's Birthday Gala Performance
And now, it's been changed once again. For the appearance last week, the neckline has been squared off, even better for showcasing necklaces and even more flattering for Mary. Has it reached perfection, or did you prefer a previous version?

Photos: Style.com and via Getty Images as indicated
Royal Closet Raid of the Day: March 26

Royal Closet Raid of the Day: March 26

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Princess Eugenie celebrated her 25th birthday this week (getting a special Happy Birthday from her dad and the palace along the way), so I set out the find the best thing she's ever worn. And then I found it, and then I decided that I wish I had one for my own, and HERE WE ARE, it's time for another royal closet raid.
This is it, right? Best thing she's ever worn, I mean. This is a Vivienne Westwood gown, worn to the dinner the night before the Cambridges got hitched. She should live her life in Westwood, because this does all the right things for her. And it would do some right things for me too...hint hint.

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated

Royal Outfits of the Day: March 24

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It's time to spend a little quality time with Crown Princess Victoria, my friends.
Last week, she presented awards at The Royal Swedish Academy of Letters, History and Antiquities, which is another of those events for the Swedish royals where they do the whole gown + orders thing, but stop just short of a tiara (boo). And she was practically crying out to put a tiara on, donning this repeated Jenny Packham crystal headpiece. I do appreciate the effort, V.
Pronovias gown and Jenny Packham headpiece
As for the gown, it's a repeated number that turns out to be from Pronovias. If I recall correctly, it got a resounding meh from the peanut gallery the last time we saw it, but I'm sticking to my guns: I love it! Enough lace to be delicate, not enough to aggravate my ongoing case of lace fatigue. Gorgeous. (Click here for some more pics.)

Currently, she and Daniel are in South Korea for an official visit.
And OMG SHE WORE HER HAIR DOWN THIS IS BIG PEOPLE. It's seriously been a few years since we've seen her with her hair down in public, and as someone who is on Team Updo but is even more firmly on Team Variety, I am thrilled to see it. Nothing can bring this great moment down!
{SAD TROMBONE} Oh.
Having learned her lesson, that even black clothes can be see-through if you add enough flash photography, she was well and truly covered up for their next event.

Victoria's black blouse on arrival did perk my interest, though (for reasons other than transparency mishaps, okay). Crown Princess Mary, with the rest of the Danish royal family, attended the funeral of a close friend of Queen Margrethe's last week. Funeral wear is beyond critique as far as I'm concerned, but I'm just wondering...
...you think we could get the Duchess of Cambridge to don her black dress with the white Peter Pan collar this week so we could call it a hat trick?

Photos: via Twitter and Getty Images as indicated, Pronovias, Jenny Packham
Royal Visit of the Day: March 23

Royal Visit of the Day: March 23

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I think Willem-Alexander has found his signature THE KING HAS ARRIVED pose.
Following their cheery Danish state visit last week, the Dutch King and Queen made a two day stop in Germany for an official visit before heading home. With arrival on her own home turf so close she could smell it, Máxima returned to her main man Natan for a couple more outfits.
The first one was possibly a contest to see how many different colors and fabrics could fit in one ensemble. I hope the prize was a good one.
Day two was all about the accessories, a sea of red as far as the eye can see with only a pair of snazzy glasses for viewing the eclipse to break it up. And also a bug on her shoulder, can't forget that.
The accessories and their overdose of red were distracting me from what was really kind of a lovely dress underneath. You can't go wrong with a basic red dress, and this one has an extra wave of fabric to add some interest.

Basic with distractions continued to be the theme as the Dutch couple arrived home and headed off to a concert engagement. No rest for the wicked, or something like that, eh?
I suppose it's possible that Máx felt at risk for falling in a canal or something and needed to bring her floaties along just in case. I mean, it was an exhausting few days. Safety first.
But once again, matters were drastically improved when the basics underneath were allowed to stand on their own.

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated

Royal Outfits of the Day: March 17

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So, Queen Letizia: What's she been up to? Well, you know. By day, the basics. By night, the Letizia spin. Observe:
Yesterday, Queen Letizia had a meeting with UNICEF in Madrid.
Basic jackets with added texture has been the theme for her recent daywear examples.
Last week, she donned an oft-repeated Uterqüe blazer for a visit to Zaragoza.
Which is all fine and good for your regular working business, but we're after a little more pizzazz here. And so we turn to the evening...
Last week, the King and Queen attended an exhibition opening.
Well, this is...pizzazz-y, sure enough. I can practically hear the pearls a-clutching at a queen in a jumpsuit (it's from Mango) but I think she's sorta pulling this off - I mean, let's face it, if anyone in our usual roster is going to pull off a jumpsuit look, it'll be Letizia. Of course, she also sort of looks like she was enjoying an afternoon in the royal garage indulging her mechanic hobby when someone tossed her a pair of earrings and some shoes and told her to get a move on, so there's that.

The King and Queen attended a tribute concert for terrorism victims last week.
On another night, a repeated Felipe Varela top (previously worn with a white skirt) paired with black trousers. I did prefer the lightness the white skirt added, but this attempt at sedate but sparkly seems in order for this particular event.

Also, they went to the opera on Friday night.
And finally, continuing the evening trouser trend, an Adolfo Dominguez draped top with Hugo Boss tuxedo trousers (you remember those from her lady tux moment) with big ol' pendant earrings from Yanes. This one's not capturing my imagination much, but it is nice to see some Spanish brand names overall, besides Varela. This is more designer variety in a week for her than we've seen in a while, and that's something of note.
The Mango jumpsuit, and her last oufit: Adolfo Dominguez top, Yanes earrings, Hugo Boss trousers

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated, Mango, Adolfo Dominguez, Hugo Boss

Black, Turtle Necks & Bodycon

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Long time, no speak. Sorry once again...I really need to organise my time but I've just been caught up with school work and everything! Anyway, today I wanted to upload a little post about my latest fashion obsessions - bodycons, turtle necks and the colour black.

Recently, I have been buying multiple black items - I have no idea why, I just think it looks so sophisticated, classy and most importantly, you can rock any lip colour with it. My favourite lipstick to pair with a black outfit definitely has to be nude (purple lips are a close second). If you love black too but think this dress looks dull, I would definitely spice it up by wearing some gold jewellry; it goes perfectly with black attire in my opinion! 

My second fashion musthave at the minute are bodycon dresses. These slim styled dresses walked into my life about two years ago and I've gained an increasing obsession with them. Despite disliking my figure, I really love the way bodycon dresses hug mine because it makes me look slimmer than I actually am. These dresses are also perfect for those who want to show off their curves too. 

Finally, one of the latest fashion crazes are turtle necks; I used to hate them so much and they made me feel so claustrophobic and suffocated. Only recently have I bonded with these little guys - they are ideal for Winter, but the dress above can be worn in the Summer as it is very light and thin. I love the cute turtle neck tops too, they look so gorgeous with denim jeans.

Dress ~ £8.00 from Primark ~ I do love a good bargain!

Love
Royal Races of the Day: March 12 (Updated)

Royal Races of the Day: March 12 (Updated)

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Hats, anyone?
The Cheltenham Festival races are on, and you can always count on a Zara Phillips sighting. And that Zara sighting will typically be in a dark neutral (check) and a small hat with some sort of froofy embellishment (check check). That tall collar sure is handy for shrinking down and going incognito, though.
A little pattern to liven up the game on day 2, and I do like any sort of white/black thing. She coordinates well in her check with the Duchess of Cornwall, who also put in an appearance yesterday:
This is really all part of her uniform, and I can't disagree with that. A nice fit, and that soft green scarf is a great color for her. And her standard fur-trimmed hats, well...
...I sure do like her daughter Laura's red hat, is what I would say about that. (Son Tom was also there, just on her other side.)

Speaking of people that enjoy horse racing...don't question the segue...the Princess Royal was at a reception at Buckingham Palace, and this is noteworthy:
Noteworthy because is that a sparkly version of a Cosby sweater, or what? Discuss. (P.S.: Check the scalloped shoes too.)

UPDATE:
Day 3 of the festival is upon us, and these two hats are my favorites yet! Exclamation point!
Lady Gabriella Windsor showed up in this vibrant blue hat, which I adore. This shade of blue as an accent is just one of my favorite things, can't be helped.
And Zara was there again in another shade of blue that I happen to adore. The luxury of her fur wrap and my favorite hat on her in some time is checking all the right boxes.
The color's a little duller here, but still a win in my book.

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated

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