Style Speculation of the Day: October 3, Plus a Programming Note

Style Speculation of the Day: October 3, Plus a Programming Note

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The Spring 2015 Ready-to-Wear fashion shows are wrapping up in Paris, and prior to that in New York, London, and Milan. Will we see any of these fresh looks on our royal favorites? Time to make your wish list! Just a few from some royal favorites... (Click the designer names below to see the whole collection.)

Valentino

This collection includes a few psychedelic turns on Crown Princess Mette-Marit's favorite prairie girl dresses. So...watch out for that. Valentino fans are all over the royal sphere, so we're bound to see some of this at one point or another.

Elie Saab

Not my favorite Elie Saab collection, but the abundance of options that are not overly embellished (which is a hallmark of his couture stuff, and less so of his RTW collections) should make some of you happy. Keep an eye out for the ladies of Luxembourg and Sweden.

Jenny Packham

Jenny Packham's not about to let that fern pattern she used for the Duchess of Cambridge go to waste, no sir! Potentials here for the aforementioned Duchess, and maybe for Crown Princess Victoria.

More:

• Pinstripe formal shorts and rainbow boots at Chanel. So that's what we'll be seeing in Monaco, then.
  
• Akris is trying to make visors happen, heaven help us. Charlene, resist the pull. (It's an otherwise boring collection, in my opinion.)
• A lotta fringe business happening at Giambattista Valli. Right up Mette-Marit's alley, and she has worn this designer before.
• By the time we see Alexander McQueen on the Duchess of Cambridge, it's pretty far removed from anything shown on the runway. I did like the collection, though, and it's hard not to see those higher waists and be tempted to translate it to maternity gear.
• Prada's collection is going to increase the coat section of Crown Princess Mary's closet.
• Kind of a plain collection from Emilia Wickstead. Reason to hope the Duchess of Cambridge and the Countess of Wessex keep up the bespoke stuff.
• Princess Madeleine's been spending time with Zac Posen (per his Instagram). The man does know how to do a serious ballgown, perfect for the Nobel time of year...

Programming note: Stop back on Sunday for a new post! Same time, same place.

Photos: Style.com

Potential Royal Couture of the Day: July 11

Potential Royal Couture of the Day: July 11

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The Fall 2014 Couture shows happened this week in Paris. Let's do what we do and gaze at some prettiness while making our wish lists for what we hope to see on our favorite royal ladies, shall we? (Click the designer names to see the whole collection.)

Wouldn't be a couture week without Elie Saab doing what he does best. Ornamentation galore combined with lots of ombré effect gowns (as though Elie Saab alone isn't enough of a weakness for me, I have a peculiar fondness for anything ombré, so I'm all over this). As always, the Luxembourg ladies are our best bet to see this in action, and if we cross our fingers maybe a Swedish princess will dip into the pool too.

Valentino put out a very romantic, Pre-Raphaelite-inspired collection. Keep an eye out for Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Madeleine, Princess Marie-Chantal, Queen Máxima, Sheikha Mozah, and more.

Chanel delivered a typically artistic collection with inspiration from Karl Lagerfeld as intriguing as ever ("brutalist and baroque"). I include the video above for one purpose only: the very last look. I wouldn't be mad at all one of the ladies of Monaco wanted to don that fabulous train, wouldn't be mad at all. Pick any occasion, opening a yacht club, I don't even care. That is amazing.

Giambattista Valli's been rather popular with Crown Princess Mette-Marit of late, and Charlotte Casiraghi's been a fan in the past. I wouldn't mind this collection spreading to some other royal ladies too, with its bright florals and affection for full skirts and capes. You can look no further than the styling to see that it's practically screaming for some attention from Sheikha Mozah (head wraps and sunglasses, hello!).

This is just a selection from some of the designers already in the royal mix. Others to consider:

• Christian Dior has dressed Queen Mathilde a couple times this year (for her French introductory visit and for the D-Day commemoration - both events in France, a perfect marriage since the French label is currently designed by a Belgian, Raf Simons). What we've seen on Mathilde so far has been totally bespoke and not from the runway, but others like Sheikha Mozah and Princess Haya are runway fans.
• Armani Privé has been a go-to in the past for some of our royal ladies (Queen Mathilde and Queen Paola for special occasions, for example), though again, it's often totally custom work.
• I'm still waiting for Ralph & Russo (a British label from two Australians) to make an appearance on our British royals, but Sheikha Mozah's already a fan.

What's on your royal wish list?

Photos: Style.com

Royal Outfit of the Day: January 24

Royal Outfit of the Day: January 24

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Grand Duchess Maria Teresa (left) wore a modified version of a runway look from Elie Saab Fall 2012 Couture (center) for her son Guillaume's civil wedding to Stéphanie de Lannoy in 2012; actress Lupita Nyong'o (right) wore the runway version earlier this year.

Lupita (or LUPITA!, as that will always be said in my head) is the talk of this awards season, and she's quickly becoming one of my new girl crushes. Our discussion of her appearance at the Golden Globes reminded me that she herself has worn a royal repeat, wearing the runway version of an Elie Saab Couture look previously modified by Maria Teresa. But despite my Lupita love, I'm going to give this battle to MT - this conservative number suits a grand duchess better than it suits a younger actress, no?

Speaking of Elie Saab Couture, the Spring 2014 couture shows have been happening in Paris, and it's all kinds of pretty.

Links for some of the collections we might see on royal parade:

• Valentino: The opera meets The Lion King. Interesting, this collection. A potential for Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Queen Máxima, Princess Marie-Chantal, Sheikha Mozah, and more.
• Giambattista Valli: Some nice ball gowns here. We've seen this designer on Mette-Marit and Charlotte Casiraghi, to name two.
• Elie Saab: Always and forever my fave, and a favorite of the Luxembourg ladies plus Crown Princess Victoria. Clotilde Courau was in the audience for the show; she was at a couple other shows too, including Valentino.
• Christian Dior: Not as often seen on our regular line up. Current Dior designer Raf Simons is Belgian, which always makes me wonder if we'll see any of this pop up on Queen Mathilde.
• Chanel: For the ladies of Monaco, naturally. At least the sneakers Karl Lagerfeld sent down the runway would be an improvement over Princess Caroline's pedicure shoes...or would they?...
• Armani Privé: Sometimes dresses Mathilde or Queen Paola for special events, and can be seen on other royals too. Bit meh, I thought.
• And one extra: Zuhair Murad, a designer I wish we'd see more of on the royal scene. There are some really beautifully detailed things coming from this label.

Photos: Getty Images/Style.com