Gold Star: Sophie, Countess of Wessex in Reading

See, here: gray does not have to be so snooze-worthy.

When I saw the Countess here out and about meeting users of the Readibus service in Reading this week, the first thing I thought was: Sophie's looking good! And really, what more can you ask from an outfit?

Loving the coat dress: it's basic with just enough added interest from the ruffle trim. And I like the pairing with black stockings; it adds more contrast than nude stockings would have. But most of all, this is just a fantastic shape for her. Forgiving and flattering: a winning combo.

Sophie turned 46 this week. I'm giving her a gold star for her birthday, because this Countess is looking better in her forties than she ever has before.

Did you like this one, or is color always better in your world?

Photos: Indigo/Getty Images

Gold Star: Prince Harry in Berlin

I don't talk about royal men's fashion too much on the blog, apart from some incidental admiration and/or doses of eye candy for the lady (and selected gentleman) readers. It's not that interesting, really: suit, tie, repeat. The Danish royal men are prone to the occasional show of sartorial flare...

But even the best laid plans have a tendency to go astray.

So I was particularly excited to see these pictures surface of Prince Harry in Berlin.

 Now, this is how it's done.

Well fit coat atop a sweater atop a shirt and tie in coordinating patterns. I could get used to this.

Who makes your list of best dressed royal men?

Photos: PPE/ddp/Langbehn/Bauer Griffin/Zimbio/Getty/Daylife

Gold Star: Letizia at the Prince of Asturias Awards

Regular readers of this blog (or, at least, the regular readers I had when I posted on a regular basis) will probably have noticed that I don't always have the kindest words to say when it comes to Letizia and her fashion choices. Irregular readers will also have noticed this, based on the angry comments I've received from ardent Letizia fans.

So I feel the need to state here, for the record, that my snark is based on fashion only. Frivolous and harmless, just like it says over there on the sidebar. I think Letizia's one of the hardest working princesses on the block, and you won't catch me saying anything ill about that. Her style's just not my cup of tea, is all. To each their own.

So I was extra excited when I saw these pictures pop up (quite some time ago, I'm totally tardy in writing this), if for no other reason than I finally get to prove that I have no personal vendetta against the Princess of Asturias. When she gets it right, she gets it right.

Look how pretty:

I ADORE this. That slight fullness in the skirt is just so dainty and ladylike and delicious. Good shoe choice too.

And good makeup, and good hair:

Gold star: awarded for instantly making my list of all time favorite Letizia outfits.

What's your all time favorite Letizia outfit? Share! Me, it might be that red dress from Frederick and Mary's wedding. Or this.

Gold Star: Sheikha Mozah's Glamorous State Visit

You know, we've been seeing a lot less designer clothes lately. Royal families are trying to be a little more down to earth, I guess, not going around shoving the fact that they have money in the faces of those that are dealing with recession and unemployment. Buckingham Palace went out of it's way to point out that the Queen has an evening dress with detachable ornamentation for maximum reuse, and that it was made by her dresser. Victoria's been out and about in H&M, and then of course you have the Queen (or Princess, rather) of this: Letizia, and her wardrobe of high street staples.

Nothing wrong with that, quite sensible really. Sheikha Mozah, though...now she seems to belong more in the "you know I'm rich, I know I'm rich, let's not play games about it" camp. Her wardrobe from the recent state visit to England is pure couture: Armani Privé, Jean Paul Gaultier, Valentino, Chanel, Dior.

I love it. It's like eating a decadent dessert after a day of salad. And if there's a woman alive that can carry off those names without looking like she's trying to hard, it's the Sheikha.

It's not just the clothes, either. How about those jewels? Bestill my little magpie heart.

And while we're accessorizing...

Heh. The mind of Karl Lagerfeld at work. Couture is the highest form of fashion as art, which means sometimes you'll get it and sometimes you won't. I say if you're going to go couture, go all the way, fug or not.

Gold star: awarded for pure glamour.

Photos: Getty/AP/HuffPo

Gold Star: Autumn Phillips at the Castle of Mey

Programming Note:  I thought I'd try out a little something new today and hand out the blog's first ever Gold Star Award for Sartorial Awesomeness (or something like that).  If you've read much here, you'll know that I'm more prone to complaining about outfits than I am to praising them.  I thought we'd throw some positive vibes into the mix by giving out Gold Stars for those moments when the royals get it right in every way.  And so, without further ado....

I love Autumn Phillips, I really do.  She's cute, and so's her hubby Peter Phillips.  But we don't see them very often, which makes appearances like this extra special:

 At the Castle of Mey in Scotland during the royal family's Scottish cruise.

LOVE IT.  Love all of it.  Monochrome in white and ivory - perfection.  Trench tied up to accommodate the mini baby bump - chic. 

Now, I don't know what the temperature was today in Scotland.

The Queen's bundled up like it's fall, but Beatrice and Eugenie are still rocking the short skirts (maybe adding a jacket is as cold weather appropriate as these two get?).  Either way, Autumn's getting it just right.  The trench coat is the perfect foil against whatever the weather's doing, while the white keeps it summer-ific.

Gold star, Autumn, gold star.  Keep it up.

Photos: Zimbio/Getty