Royal Outfits of the Day: June 5

Royal Outfits of the Day: June 5

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Crown Princess Victoria presented the Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award earlier this week in a dress from Preen, shoes from By Malene Birger, and an enamel cuff from Sophie by Sophie.

I started in with the mini jumpy claps the second I saw this little number - I have adored it in celeb appearances (Katherine Jenkins and Melonie Diaz, for example) and am so happy to see it on the royal runway! It's from Preen and it's colorful and geometric and delightful. And, bonus, Victoria let the playfulness of the dress infiltrate her accessory choices, with blue shoes plus an orange bracelet and clutch. These are the things that make me happy.

If you prefer something a little more classic, Victoria had a really lovely appearance at the Bernadotte Art Awards (here's a gallery with a full length view, plus an amusing look at Carl Gustaf considering just what he's supposed to do about his wife's runaway dress). She was wearing this dress from the H&M Conscious Collection:

And while this one has also had its fair share of red carpet appearances (Emmy Rossum, Leticia Dolera), it's also pretty princess perfect. A good little run of outfits from Victoria, no?

Photos: ALMA Video/ALMA Twitter/Lyst/By Malene Birger/Sophie by Sophie/H&M

Royal Fabric Explosion of the Day: May 20

Royal Fabric Explosion of the Day: May 20

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The Swedish royal family hosted a dinner at the palace. Crown Princess Victoria wore a pink dress by Lanvin for H&M.

Oh dear, it appears Overgrown Shoulder Disease has hit Sweden. Trendy though it may once have been (the collection came out in 2010), it's always just looked to me like they had a little too much fabric and didn't feel like finding the scissors so they just bunched it all in there. Alas.

For more from the dinner, click here.

Here's a palette cleanser for you: Princess Estelle, who is Duchess of Östergötland, made her first visit to her province and had her first little engagement...

Video, above

...which she handled like a boss, as if there was any doubt.

Photos: Sören Andersson/TT via Kungahuset and H&M

Year in Review: 2013's Honorable Mentions (...and Some Worsts)

Year in Review: 2013's Honorable Mentions (...and Some Worsts)

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We tackled the bests from the roster of royal women usually featured here, but they weren't the only ones accomplishing feats of sartorial splendor in 2013. Today's honorable mentions are for the stand outs among the rest of the royal crew! Excellent looks, plain and simple, left to right:

• Princess Charlene is trying, bless her heart, and she seems to know that purple and jewels are the quickest way to my heart. She simply killed it with this appearance.
• Speaking of killing it, the Countess of Wessex had an amazing year. Take your pick - this red number was just one of several bests.
• Princess Marie's sleek take on a Little Red Dress also needs to join my best list.
• I can't always pinpoint what I love about an appearance, and Princess Caroline's simple black dress is one such situation. Maybe it's the slightly longer necklace? Whatever it is, I thought she looked absolutely tremendous here.
• It wouldn't be a favorites list for me if it didn't include some Elie Saab, so Princess Madeleine's pre-wedding sparkles will cover me quite nicely there.
• Likewise, I require a dose of the couture mastery of Sheikha Mozah, so we'll go with this Valentino in the Netherlands.
• Plus, the Duchess of Cornwall got to make her big foreign royal event debut. I really enjoyed seeing her out and about this year, more and more regal and ready to step up when the time comes.

And just a few sentimental favorites, because it isn't all about the fashion...even here.

• Queen-to-Princess Beatrix was full of win this year, particularly the strong front she formed with Princess Mabel as they said goodbye to Prince Friso. On a more superficial note, the fact that she added an extra row of pearls to her big pearl tiara for the first time in a long time on her final night as queen wins all the things.
• The return of Crown Princess Masako to the international royal stage was completely lovely, and I hope we'll see more of her to come.
• WEE ESTELLE is my spirit animal. That is all.

And...The Worsts

Wouldn't be a proper year end wrap up without one last glimpse back at what made us cringe this year, would it? And then we never have to think about them again. Until one of these women decides to haunt us with a reappearance, that is.

• Princess Märtha Louise set the standard for the worst list early in the year in this number.
• Queen Máxima did a particularly bad thing with an ill-fitting dress and some black stockings recently, but for me, this Valentino (which she is the third royal to wear) is the year's true crime. It's the one time a tiara actually made things worse.
• Crown Princess Mary also wore the H&M mullet dress sported by Crown Princess Mette-Marit, but the addition of heavy black tights, SHOOTIES, and a jacket is such a peculiar look. She's managed to be both blergh and baffling, all at once.
• Princess Charlene at Princess Madeleine's wedding looks less a mess than the rest of those in this row, that is true - but. But. This one makes me sad. It's not just that she didn't wear a tiara to a tiara event, it's that this dress really could have used a tiara. Something, anything, to liven up this drab color which felt like a thud on the red carpet of a summer royal wedding.

Who makes your list of honorable mentions and worsts this year?

Photos: Getty Images/PA/Scanpix/Kungahuset/ANP

Weekly Royal Fashion Awards: November 5-11

Weekly Royal Fashion Awards: November 5-11

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Best of the Week

The Benelux Queens

 

Our newest pair of sovereign couples take the cake this week, as the Belgians paid a quick (super quick) introductory visit to the Dutch. Nice and neat queens, the both of them. I half expect Máx's shoulder bow to fly off and end up as some sort of epic butt bow on an outfit to come, but still.

Most Intriguing Trip

Crown Princess Victoria

Video: Victoria and Daniel made a short visit to Britain

Here's one that improves on video, I think. Because after seeing it in action and learning that it was Stella McCartney (a little nod to diplomatic dressing there, picking a British designer), I have upgraded Victoria from "Beetlejuice in SHOOTIES" to "Intriguing". It was a surprisingly fashion-forward trip for Victoria, as she also debuted a piece from the Isabel Marant H&M collection.

Left to Right: Stella McCartney and Isabel Marant pour H&M as worn by Victoria; Máxima in Russia; Mary in Mexico

Royal trips are starting to pick up again on the whole and in addition to the Belgians, the Dutch went to Russia, and the Danes have just started a visit to Mexico (we'll have the rest of the trip next week, so hang on for that). Máxima's last two outfits in Russia were pretty great, but overshadowed by the oddness of the whole visit - it closed a year which was focused on Dutch/Russian relations but which was also filled with problems and diplomatic messes. I mean, someone tried to pelt them with rotten tomatoes while they were there! They missed, but the whole visit just seems like one best put in the past.

Best of the Rest

Princess Letizia

Letizia at a ceremony and an awards presentation; Máxima at an anniversary event, presenting a prize, and at a performance; Mathilde making another city visit; Kate promoting Poppy Day

The rest of the week was a mixed bag, and this is a far from complete round up. (Mary, for example, had a couple other appearances including a concert where her own outfit was nothing compared to her father-in-law's sartorial flair - video link.) (And there was Estelle, but she's the automatic highlight.) I'll honor Letizia's bit of sparkle, while diplomatically ignoring the jumpsuit.

Who was your best dressed last week?

P.S.: If you're interested in the Remembrance Day events in the U.K. or the Tiara Watch they had there last week, head over to the Jewel Vault!

Photos: RVD/HKH/TT/Kungahuset/Getty Images/AP/RTL/Mexico Presidency/Getty Images/DutchPhotoPress/ANP/Lesoir/WPAPool