WEDDING FLOWERS: hats
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Showing posts with label hats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hats. Show all posts
Royal Garden Party of the Day: June 3

Royal Garden Party of the Day: June 3

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The Duchess of Cornwall hosted a garden party at Buckingham Palace yesterday in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the Women's Institute. As is only fitting given the honored organization, Camilla was joined by a group of fellow royal ladies ready to brave a little wind and get their garden party on.
And as is only fitting since this quartet includes some of the loveliest Windsors that we don't talk about nearly enough, we shall take this opportunity to lavish some much-needed attention on them (and their gems!).

Navy and cream is a good combo on Cams, no? It's hard to go wrong with the classics. I love the larger of her two diamond and pearl chokers, I like her Diamond and Sapphire Butterfly Brooch (which is as far into the realm of bug jewelry as I am willing to go, MÁXIMA ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME) and I like that she also wore her Women's Institute Badge. And you know the hat's a good one when even Crown Princess Mary owns a similar model.

The Duchess of Gloucester wears this light blue ensemble a lot - in fact, she wore it to another garden party just a few days ago - but I can't say I blame her. It is simple yet flattering.
And most importantly, it's a good background for plenty of sapphires, diamonds, and pearls. Go Birgitte, go! She always seems to have something interesting going on the jewel department, and it's a crying shame that she ends up in the background at so many royal gatherings. Just think of all the sparkly fun we could be missing...

Princess Alexandra looks like a walking garden party, which is as it is always is and always should be.
No slouch in the gem department herself, we've got diamonds and pearls and a classic diamond flower brooch that has a sister in the collection of her cousin QEII.

And finally, the Countess of Wessex. I thought I stole this Emilia Wickstead horse print dress for myself, but I suppose as long as she keeps wearing it, we're good. LURVE.

P.S.: Later that evening, Cams got her tiara on! A surprise Tiara Watch is over at the Jewel Vault for your delight. Spoiler alert: Dame Joan Collins was involved.

Photos: WPA Pool via Getty Images

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

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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 Visit Catch Up of the Day: June 1

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King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima wrapped up their state visit to Canada last week and have now headed to the United States for an official visit.

Click here for a video
We covered day 1 of the Canadian fun last week, and day 2 continued with another lace and big hat combo in olive, which is sort of drab, but really anything's an improvement on the arrival outfit. I will say this is the first time I've thought that Máx might have reached her hat size limit. Lots of angles where she's taking hat head to new heights...by entirely eliminating her face.

Photo: Governor-General of Canada/Sgt Ronald Duchesne, Rideau Hall
The evening concert hosted by Their Majesties featured a repeat of the red Valentino gown Máx wore to Prinsjesdag last year, which feels so plain without a sash to break up the red sea. Not even a tsunami of a side part can save this one.
This is one bad perm away from the 1980s. But she is wearing something intriguing in the jewel department: pieces from the Ears of Wheat Tiara, detached and worn barrette-style. The Ears of Wheat Tiara is one of the rare diadems that Máx hasn't worn from the family collection. At least not yet.

Day three - just in time for the trip's end - finally brought the best day outfit of the journey. This repeated white Natan frock with another big hat proves that a slight decrease in brim size can make all the difference.
And bonus points for earring style. Always bonus points for that.

Sunday night, they started their next visit in Washington, D.C. with a dinner at the residence of the Dutch ambassador. Máxima wore the absolute worst spider brooch EVER and it is TRAUMATIZING.
Video here, photos here.
 NOPE NOPE NOPE. That is all.

 
Photos: NOS video, gg.ca, via Twitter and Getty Images as indicated

Royal State Visit and Tiara Watch of the Day: May 28

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The King and Queen of the Netherlands have begun their state visit to Canada, and...well, friends, the unthinkable has happened. The Queen of Muchness has out-much-ed herself.
Most people overdo it with the loud stuff, the brights and the sparkle. Not Queen Máxima. She managed to overdo it with a sedate material in a sedate color: navy lace, and way too much of it. Why bother with the "coat" in the first place, I ask you?
In theory, I like the idea of a splash of hot pink with navy lace. In practice, the superfluous lace coat messes and muddies the whole thing up. In theory, this hat is great and just the sort of huge thing Máx can pull off (and she has indeed pulled this same hat off in the past, wonderfully). In practice, the pointless peignoir has already added so much fuss and bulk to the outfit, the hat just drags it down even more.
Hat pin weapon level: ARMED AND READY. Click here for a video.
Ah, well. At least we have the tiaras. The tiara. Singular. The Ruby Peacock Tiara, a nice choice for a black tie state banquet where we're just happy to see any tiara whatsoever.
See? Look how excited everyone is to see the tiara. Tiaras spread joy. It's also possible she just did a shimmy off camera for everyone, because how could you not in this dress?

QUESTION: Approximately what percentage of the clothes in Máxima's closet are tailor-made for shaking it, would you say?
After the darkness of the day outfit, I'm thrilled to see her back in brights - and it is not going unnoticed here that she's got a full day color scheme going, with the pink accents in the day (with ruby and diamond earrings) and the full out pink and ruby scheme at night. This is more like the Máx I love to love. More of this as the visit continues on, please.

Programming note: No Tiara Thursday today. Instead, we have this tiara in action and some tiara fun coming up tomorrow!

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated, NOS screencaps
Royal Style Twins of the Day: May 22

Royal Style Twins of the Day: May 22

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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 National Day of the Week: May 19

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Sunday was national day in Norway, and you know what that means...
It's Bunad Time! One of my favorite Times, second only to Tiara Time. And Big Gowns With Trains Time. And Royal Wedding Time.
The Crown Prince and Crown Princess and their whole family - Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus, Marius Borg Høiby, and labradoodles Milly Kakao and Muffin Kråkebolle - gather outside their Skaugum home to watch the local children's parade go by. Traditional costume (bunad) all around, and even a festive bow for the pups.
The bunad Mette-Marit wore this year is from Vest-Agder, the county where she grew up. Each version is related to a specific area and M-M has several to choose from, which is a luxury as they are not at all cheap. The craftsmanship is wonderful, and I just love seeing these traditions alive and well.

Next, they joined up with the King and Queen to greet the Oslo children's parade from the balcony of the Royal Palace. Traditional dress is gone, and hats are in place instead. I never give the gents enough credit for upping their own game with top hats here. King Harald and Crown Prince Haakon, consider your brownie points awarded.
With her fedora and her shades, Queen Sonja looks like her efforts to go incognito were deviously foiled by a family that refused to give her the dark coat memo. Crown Princess Mette-Marit's in Prada, and against all odds (Prada = not usually my fave) I am COVETING that coat. Shame about that thing crawling up the side of her head.
Prada Spring 2015 Ready-to-Wear

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated and Style.com

Royal Pre-Wedding Event of the Day: May 18

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Yesterday, a service was held for the marriage banns of Prince Carl Philip and Sofia Hellqvist, followed by a reception. Similar services were held prior to the weddings of Carl Philip's sisters, Crown Princess Victoria and Princess Madeleine, and they each yielded some interesting looks.
Group photo, with Sofia's family / Kungahuset.se
This time, around...we seem to be stuck in a sea of blergh, alas. (At least as far as the bride and ladies on the groom's side are concerned, that is.)

The bride and groom received gifts at the reception. Although I do like the thought of them just randomly posing with props.
This is a perfectly princess appropriate outfit on Sofia, which may just be my problem with it. It's appropriate-d itself (you know what I mean) all the way out of any sort of personality. But I'm also still a card-carrying member of Team Sofia, so I also kind of just want to pat her on the head for trying. (By the way, the court made it official: she'll be Princess Sofia, Duchess of Värmland after the wedding.)

Here are the King and Queen. Looking like they usually do. Silvia's outfit could be interchangeable with Sofia's, honestly.

I originally thought Victoria must have been wrangling Estelle at some point, resulting in a severely disheveled skirt and waist, but nope - the dress is indeed designed with that two level hem and loose pleats at the waist. Still, I'll take the dress any day if we could get rid of the forehead bolted Philip Treacy hat.
Dress by Filippa K
Also, Princess Estelle was in Marie-Chantal Children, the children's clothing line by Marie-Chantal of Greece. And Prince Daniel was in a suit.

Finally, Princess Madeleine (carrying Princess Leonore, also clad in Marie-Chantal). Not only does her Treacy hat mimic the curls of her hair in a fun way, she managed to keep it off her forehead, and thus is my default best dressed for the day.

Photos: via Kungahuset and Getty Images as indicated, and Filippa K

Royal Fashion Awards: Monaco's Twin Christening

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Prince Albert and Princess Charlene christened their twins on Sunday in a day filled with sunshine and Dior and royal fashion awards:

The Stars of the Show
Hereditary Prince Jacques and Princess Gabriella
The babies wore Dior, as though it could be any other way: bespoke Baby Dior cotton christening gowns embellished with Calais lace, floral embroidery, pleated detailing, and each baby's own monogram. Matching bonnets were worn on arrival at Monaco Cathedral. That's Jacques with his mother and Gabriella with her father, by the way.
Royal christenings often feature heirloom christening gowns, and while I have no idea if that was an option for this princely event, new gowns were a nice way to handle the logistics of a twin baptism. Plus, the monograms were a posh way to make it easy to distinguish between the two kids. They also had pink and blue pacifiers with their names on them.

Best Dressed
Princess Charlene
The proud mother could make my best dressed based on the wattage of her smile alone, but her outfit was killer too, staying true to her minimalist self while adding a little bit of a retro flair. She was also dressed in Dior couture (the only kind of Mommy and Me dressing I can get behind) in a dress with a three-quarter sleeved short top and a skirt with a slight fullness. The small ribbon of the Order of St. Charles is pinned to her top.
Charlene went the Mette-Marit route, docking her hat waaaay on the back of her head. And though I'm itching to move it forward, this outfit is a winner no matter what.

Biggest in Hat
Princess Caroline
As though compensating for the lack of millinery on her immediate family members, Princess Caroline went straight for the XXL size with her own hat. A striking selection, all the better to draw attention as she cutely fussed over her new niece.

Biggest in Bright
Princess Stephanie
Caroline pulled herself away from the pack with her hat, and Stephanie did it with her bright blue and bold white graphics, making her instantly recognizable on the steps there. It's a much fresher choice than we usually see her make, and I'm actually surprised how much I like it.

Best in Hat
Beatrice Borromeo
Caroline wins on hat size, but when it comes to the best of hats, I think I have to go with the woman who will be next to officially join the Casiraghi clan. She's partially hidden but so far, so chic.

Most Color Coordinated
The Duchess of Castro
And finally, it's not a big Monaco event without Prince Carlo and Princess Camilla of Bourbon-Two Sicilies, the Duke and Duchess of Castro. Picking up something of a blue theme among many of the other guests, the other royal Camilla added a harlequin spin. And if you're at all familiar with her style, you would expect no less.

Who was your best dressed at this twin christening?

Photos: via Getty Images as indicated, Monaco info screencaps

Royal Outfit Grab Bag of the Day: May 7 (Plus a Programming Note!)

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I've got a big fat grab bag of outfits from our regulars for you today, and then we're off until Sunday. To the clothes!

Princess Elisabeth of Belgium christened a ship yesterday with her parents, King Philippe and Queen Mathilde, in attendance. 
Is it, like, international week of ship christening for future sovereigns, or what? First Ingrid Alexandra, now Elisabeth. Anyway, I'm liking her little starter "hat" and her mother can't go wrong with that repeated Dior.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit opened the Nordic Pavilion at the Venice Biennale yesterday in a peony floral dress from the Pia Tjelta by Ti Mo collection.
I think this could just as easily have been worn by Princess Elisabeth above, and I'm not sure that's a good thing.

Queen Letizia held audiences at Zarzuela Palace last week wearing a Felipe Varela dress repeated from March's trip to France.
Is this one of those Magic Eye things? Is a dolphin going to leap out from the middle if I stare long enough?

Daniel wore a suit that wasn't black or blue! Write it on the calendar! It's so sad that that's worthy of note! But you take what you can get when it comes to the royal men! (Also, apropos of nothing: Victoria, Daniel, Haakon, and Mette-Marit went on a ski trip in Norway together recently. Which is super cute.)

King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima attended a ceremony for Remembrance Day in Amsterdam this week.
I do not usually comment on things like this, but I can't help but note how lovely Máx looked here. I like it when events like this warrant a little extra effort.

They also attended the Liberation Day Concert.
And finally, if I focus hard enough on the emeralds - earrings and a butterfly brooch from the family collection - I can pretend that dress that stole feathers from a Big Bird gone goth didn't make a reappearance.

Photos: via Getty Images and Twitter as indicated; Kongehuset Facebook and By Ti Mo

Royal Trips of the Day: May 4

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Well, if anyone was going to dress up like any part of the fruit basket...
The Dutch King and Queen visited Bonaire for Dia de Rincon.
Shoulda just changed that button jewelry into some little plastic fruits and went the whole Carmen Miranda while she was at it. Missed opportunity.
I'll say this for Queen Máxima: She knows exactly when to let her full CAPS LOCK potential fly. Because her royal banana impression was actually the perfect thing to fit right in with this colorful occasion, while still making sure she stood out as a queen should.

This was a speedy trip for the royal couple to the Dutch Caribbean, who headed for Aruba after their day in Bonaire.
Firstly, where is my tropical drink, hmm? And secondly, this is a hybrid of Mathilde's white Zara dress and Victoria's white L.K.Bennett, and I'm in love. Add this one to the list of frontrunners for my 2015 favorites, because it is perfection.

Wax n' Máx weren't the only ones who decided the time was right to check on the sunnier parts of the kingdom: Princess Beatrix visited Curaçao for an exhibit opening. I like that she adds a little tail to the back of her outfit, like she's throwing a little bone of sartorial interest to those stuck standing behind her.
She also kind of sparkles in the sunshine on video, which is officially the greatest achievement a royal outfit can hope for.

Photos: via Getty Images and Twitter as indicated, NOS video screencaps

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