WEDDING FLOWERS: State Visit
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Showing posts with label State Visit. Show all posts
Showing posts with label State Visit. Show all posts

Royal State Visit of the Day: November 5

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I said Máxima brought it during the Dutch state visit to Japan, but I think she might have left it there. Because next up, she and Willem-Alexander paid a state visit to South Korea and, sartorially speaking, it was...questionable. Yesterday I was exclamation pointy, today I'm question marky.
She chose a Mattijs van Bergen dress for the welcome ceremony, just as she did in Japan, but this one...I don't know? I like the silhouette, and I don't mind a wrap when it's, uh, well wrapped, I guess.
Maybe I'm just not one for bright brights paired with khaki beige. Meh.

Then came the state banquet and - sad face - it was only the sort that requires suit and tie for him and a knee-length dress for her. No tiaras, no gowns. Plenty of question marks, though, thanks to the curious texture of this Jan Taminiau dress. From afar, it's kind of mermaid-y. From close up...?? Once again, I don't know. The link in the tweet below will take you to a closer look.
I think you already know that the only thing here earning my explanation points are the diamond bow brooches in her hair, basic dress code be damned. MAX!

For the final day, a special hat was brought back to life. This one was worn for the christening of one of the couple's daughters.
Special, but also a whole lot of stuff on top of your head. I mean...a lot of stuff, piled right up there on top. Right? Too much stuff. (Click here for a gallery.)

And for the final evening, that surplus of stuff traveled to her shoulders. Feathers. I'm talking about feathers.
Máxima does Swan Lake? Oh, the question marks.

Photos: Chung Sung-Jun and Pool via Getty Images, @BlauwBloedtv, NOS video, @KHtweets









Royal Costume Ideas of the Day: October 31

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It's Halloween, kids! I know it's not really a universal holiday, but if you're planning on celebrating and still need a costume idea, I've plucked two outfits from the royal fashion rounds this week that might help you out. Just being servicey here, folks.

Idea #1: How about going as a garden trellis, complete with scattered flowers?
On Day 2 of their state visit to Japan, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima attended a banquet with the Japanese prime minister and his wife.
All you need is a little Jan Taminiau couture, my friends, and you too could be the chicest lawn ornament on the trick-or-treat circuit. As an added bonus, not only is this color scheme universally flattering, it could also be reasonably repurposed for next year's Dolores Umbridge costume.

Idea #2: Are you a fan of the classic film A Christmas Story? 
Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel visited Estonia this week for events including a dinner hosted by the Swedish ambassador.
Try this dark-toned take on the infamous Leg Lamp! All you need is the cash for a Stella McCartney mini dress, and you're in business. Sequin shoes from Saint Laurent will add some pizazz to the one legged-pose you'll need to strike.
This little number is the perfect option for all your Halloween party needs, because if you're not going to shake it in this dress, you're doing it wrong.

Aren't they just so helpful, our royals? Not only did they give us these two fresh costume ideas, they also saw fit to remind us this week that there's always option #3: Just wear a tiara. Happy Halloween!

Photos: Kazuhiro Nogi/AFP via Getty Images, @Royal_talk, Net-a-porter, Bluefly

Tiara Watches of the Day: October 30

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Big stuff happening in Tiara World. BIG stuff. So, in lieu of our regularly scheduled Thursday posts, we're going to have one big, fat round up of state visity goodness - featuring tiaras from the Netherlands, Japan, and Spain! Read on for sparkle...

The Dutch King and Queen are on a state visit to Japan, and you know this is when Máxima brings it.
And it has been brought, my friends, starting with a fun full skirt dress in a pumpkin shade, totally brought to life by a gold belt and gold shoes. The dress is from designer Mattijs van Bergen, worn with another donut hat from Fabienne Delvigne.
This visit heralded the return of Crown Princess Masako to the state visit stage, and she was ready to go, even sporting an orange outfit to welcome her Orange guests (and matching her friend, Queen Máx). Awww.

In the evening, the Emperor and Empress held a state banquet, and Máxima continued to BRING IT.
Why yes, this is the first time she's worn the Württemberg Ornate Pearl Tiara, one of the family big guns that was one of Beatrix's favorites when she was queen. A perfect choice, stepping it up for her first state visit to another monarchy. She's also wearing a downsized version of the bow brooch from the Stuart parure. I'm not in love with the gown - a Jan Taminiau from Prinsjesdag 2013 - paired with this particular riband (the Order of the Precious Crown, awarded to her by the Emperor) but give me a mega tiara and I magically forget all of that.
The Empress did not wear a tiara, which was predictable; she's opted out of tiara-wearing in the past couple years, apparently for health reasons, the weight of a tiara being pretty substantial. The rest of the Japanese ladies were out in full force (even those that we don't see here), including Princess Kiko wearing the Akishino Tiara (bottom left, above).
Video, the banquet
Masako, who looked happy to be at her first state banquet in more than a decade, gave us the best look yet at the Japanese Pearl Sunburst Tiara (and its accompanying parure). There's a lot more detail there, an intricate center section and some variation  in the style of the fringes underneath the pearls, and a whole lot of sparkle. Fantastic.


Next! Over to Spain, where yesterday the King and Queen welcomed the President of Chile. This is the first formal state visit of Felipe's reign.
I think the suit Letizia chose for the official welcome belongs on Queen Sofia, to be honest. But! Once again we have redemption at the state banquet, with tiara in place.
Letizia wore the Spanish Floral Tiara, no surprise there - predictably, she didn't bust out anything reserved for the queen right away. On this occasion, it was the perfect match to her delicate gown. (Easy for me to say, it is my favorite Spanish tiara.)
She donned another Carolina Herrera dress, and this one is the best yet! Yes, we're back to the lace trend, but this is the kind that's right up my alley. I like delicate patterns and I like black and I like this, 100% like it. The trumpet flare at the bottom would be a disastrous silhouette on so many people, but for Letizia, it's fantastic.
I'm putting this under serious consideration for Letizia's best of the year. You've been warned.
And one hair shot, just for good measure.


Ahhhhhh. Talk amongst yourselves, I'll be over here, collapsed in a tiara-filled daze......

Photos: Getty Images as indicated, News Japan and ANN News video, Neiman Marcus

Royal Return of the Day: October 22

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The Duchess of Cambridge yesterday returned to the royal stage for the first time since the announcement of her second pregnancy. It was a two-event day, and she returned to two of her favorite labels, Alexander McQueen and Jenny Packham. Getting back to your favorites is a bit of comfort for when you're feeling poorly, right? Sartorial chicken soup, in a way.

First up, she and William greeted the President of Singapore and his wife as they kicked off their state visit. The Cambridges were filling in for the absent Prince of Wales and Duchess of Cornwall, who usually take care of this part of the visit. Outfit #1 was a new McQueen coat dress with a repeated gray Jane Taylor hat. I do enjoy a bit of Prince of Wales check.

The couple did not attend the state banquet in the evening (but you can discuss those that did over at the Vault). Instead, Kate headed to the National History Museum in a new Jenny Packham dress and repeated L.K. Bennett shoes.
If this double skirt situation doesn't come with a built-in solution for when you hit a Whitney/Mariah VMA moment, then I don't know what it's all about. (Am I the only one having that particular flashback? Probably.)
Also, I really need these shoes in my closet. You never know when it's going to be a bows-on-shoes sort of day. Best to be prepared.

Photos: WPA Pool via Getty Images, L.K. Bennett
Royal Color Coordination of the Day: October 15

Royal Color Coordination of the Day: October 15

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If only these two ladies had teamed up for the day, we could have had a repeat of Queen Letizia and Princess Lalla Salma's monochromatic Charlie's Angels double act. But they didn't, so we'll have to use our imaginations.

Queen Máxima attended a symposium on domestic violence protection yesterday.
Representing the red team, Máx tied her hat to her dress with a couple of bows and broke up the whole red shebang with a print purse and a darker pair of shoes.
I'll give the whole thing a pass if she just gives me that clutch. It needs to be miiiiiine.


Crown Princess Mette-Marit attended day 2 of the state visit from India yesterday.
Over in Norway, M-M held up the blush/blergh end of the team. She's all about the textures this visit, which is adding a necessary amount of interest to all understated colors. And, hey, she's not the only one willing to play along with today's color story!
From Mette-Marit on the pale end of the pink scale to the gentlemen and their red ties, the family that color coordinates together stays together.

Photos: Michel Porro and Ragnar Singsaas via Getty Images
Royal State Visit of the Day: October 14

Royal State Visit of the Day: October 14

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As promised, state visit season has kicked off, and the Norwegian royal family welcomed the President of India yesterday.
Alongside the gentlemen in uniform and Princess Astrid doing her best to bring back the drop waist, Queen Sonja and Crown Princess Mette-Marit were in a hat-off - Sonja displaying the standard positioning for a pillbox, and Mette-Marit doing as she does and disappearing hers at the back of her head.
It's a standard Mette-Marit move for a standard Mette-Marit outfit, including a repeated textured coat in a mauve/lavender color and dark hosiery, with some serious earrings. She seems to have saved her surprises for the evening's state banquet, at which she wore a sort of a cape. A CAPE!
It was actually a redo of another caped look, the dress she wore to Princess Madeleine's wedding last summer, but with a different cape and a belt added. The dress is bespoke Pucci.
Well, you know me. Any hint of a CAPE and I'm all in, no matter how much it looks like a simple shawl in peril of falling right off. I declare it an excellent start to our tiara-filled season!


Photos: MSN Video, Ragnar Singsaas via Getty Images

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