Royal Style Duel: Letizia vs. Aimée

 Last year, we saw this Mango dress modeled by our usual Mango model, Letizia:

And this year, it's déja vu my friends, on Dutch Princess Aimée earlier this month:

Suit up, it's time for a duel! Who wore it best?



Me, I'm actually rooting for Letizia. Dark tights with light shoes make me want to crawl in a hole and cry. Plus, I dig the chunky belt. Et toi?

Photos: PPE/Life

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 13-19 February

Here's what Letizia wore from 13-19 February:

1. International day for children with cancer, 15 February, a) outside and b) inside. I genuinely don't get the gray + beige thing. Máxima seems to think it matches too. Hmm.
2. Opening the ARCO modern art fair, 17 February. In some pictures, this looks red, in some it looks hot pink, and in others it's almost orange-ish. So, take your pick. I'm partial to hot pink!

Number two gets my vote; you know how much I love it when we get some color up in here. And it's a good thing she did opt for some color, otherwise she would have downright disappeared standing next to this magnificent lady:

(The purple wonder is Juana de Aizpuru, gallery owner. I know nothing about her, but I already love her for all the obvious reasons.)

Anyways, last week I got all excited over a wee bit of color on Letizia and you guys were all: "Whoa, OoS, settle down." So you tell me: thumbs up or down this week? 

Photos: PPE/Thorton/Getty Images/Daylife

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 13-19 February

Here's what Mathilde wore from 13-19 February:

1. Attending the Eucharist Mass, 17 February. Still like it! Not the shoes, though. Never the shoes.

Royal Fashion Awards: Belgium's Eucharist Mass

The Belgians all turned out today to remember deceased members of the royal family with the annual Eucharist mass at Notre Dame de Laeken church in Brussels. Curious mix of outfits here: from those that came kitted out for a full-on royal occasion (read: coordinated outfit + hat, etc.) and those that came dressed for just another royal day. Let's hand out some awards, shall we?

Coziest and Comfiest

Queen Paola

This is what I mean: she's wearing a hat, but a fairly informal one, and this is a pretty simple outfit. Still, she looks toasty warm and cozy. Makes me want a hot chocolate.

Most Welcome Sight

Queen Fabiola

I feel like I breathe a sigh of relief every time Fab turns up somewhere: I'm just glad she's doing well! She's wearing her regular white wardrobe, and per usual, she gets a pass.

Most Unrecognizable

Princess Claire

Where's the crazy outfit? Where's my snark fodder? All I'm left with is the fact that she's wearing headgear that should be left to the 12-year-old girls of the world. Alas! Maybe she made a conscious decision to blend into the background today and leave the crazy to her husband, who just got his driver's license suspended for the third time. (Insert eye roll: here.)

Best Twin

Princess Esmeralda

Esmeralda, or Marie-Esméralda if you prefer, is half-sister to the King as her parents were Leopold III and his second wife Lilian, and for today only, sartorial twin of Princess Claire. Of these two, who have unwittingly put themselves in fashion competition, I much prefer Esmeralda here. First of all, I love her name. (These things matter to me.) Second, she's working more of a fascinator and less of a headband, which helps with the 12-year-old girl situation. And third, she's not turned her legs completely black with some combo of leggings and stretchy boots. You've got to break up that line somewhere!

Classiest Act

Princess Marie-Astrid

No hat on display, but still: this is pure class. I don't know that much about Marie-Astrid, but I already like her.

Most Intriguing

Princess Léa

This is Léa in the bottom left corner of the left photo, displaying her curious fashion sense in all its glory. (Léa is the widow of Prince Alexander, who was the King's half-brother.) Trying to distract from her strangely unflattering coat by reviving hair fashions from the days of Dynasty, I imagine. Intriguing indeed!

Best Dressed

Princess Mathilde

My first thought: this is some kind of costume reject from the set of a Harry Potter film, from the overturned fur Tupperware hat on her head to the pump/SHOOTIE hybrid on her toes. But it grew on me. (Like a fungus?) Here's what I love: she turned up dressed for a proper royal occasion, matching hat and all. Also: it isn't black. (What, it's not like anyone was going to show up at the memorial mass in sunshine yellow. Gray gets points.)

I have a feeling, though, that she's probably making many of your worst-dressed lists instead, so have at it: who makes your best- and worst-dressed list for the day?

Photos: PPE/Nieboer/Belga/RPE/Reuters/Daylife/Isopix

Week in Review: Princess Máxima, 6-12 February

Here's what Princess Máxima wore the week of 6-12 February:

1. Attending a Women in Financial Services meeting, 7 February. In the photos where this looks more red than brown, I like it (with the exception that the stockings, which are overkill on the monochrome theme).
2. Opening the Produs praktical education school, 8 February. This sleeveless dress is a repeat. Cute and flattering!
3. At the Goed Geld Gala (Good Money Gala) of the Nationale Postcode Loterij, 9 February. Oh, this might be the chicest daywear I've seen Máxima in since I started this blog.
4. Visiting the closure of the BizWorld project at the Christoffel school, 10 February, a) with her wrap and b) inside without. This is a NATAN top, Mathilde has the same one in different colors, and we just saw Máx's red version last month. With the wrap, it's a whole lot of beige, but I like it without.
5. Attending the signing of one of the agreements between Qredits and the European investment foundation EIF, 11 February. Oh, dear. More thoughts below.

Best and Worst of the Week

Let's start with the worst, shall we?

It's like she took every sartorial complaint I've ever had about her and mashed it into one train wreck outfit! We've got tights that are color-matched to the outfit (such a pet peeve of mine, especially when we're not talking about black-on-black). We've got shoes that don't go with the outfit and are totally wrong for the tights. We've got messy hair, and last but not least, we have curiously overgrown jewelry. And it's a shame, too: on its own, that dress is quite flattering. Thankfully, she also showed us the other end of the spectrum in the same week:

No overly opaque stockings, no messy hair, no excessive accessorizing. All together, an outfit worthy of jumpy claps. What say you, my sartorial-minded friends?

Photos: PPE/Dutch Photo Press

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 6-12 February

Here's what Princess Letizia wore the week of 6-12 February:

1.  Celebrating the 25th anniversary of Prince Felipe taking his oath as Prince of Asturias, 8 February, a) outside with coat and b) inside without. I really think outfits #2 and #1 should have been swapped for formality's sake.
2. Visiting the Cadena Cope radio station in Madrid, 9 February, a) outside and b) inside. Again? I seriously had to triple check and make sure this was a different event. If she wears this one again next week, I'm naming it worst no matter what else she sports, even though I like it.
3. Greeting the German president and first lady, 10 February.

Best and Worst of the Week

I'm a sucker for purple. I like to think she knew she'd be featured in endless "style face-off" articles next to Bettina Wulff there, and she stepped up her regular gray just for the occasion. She didn't abandon it, no, that would have been too much to ask, but a dash of color does go a long way. The first outfit of the week, on the other hand just needed a dash of...something. A belt on the cardigan? A blazer instead? Just something to make her look less like a school teacher and more like a princess. Right?

Photos: Zimbio/Getty/Purepeople/Abaca

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 30 January - 5 February

Here's what Princess Letizia wore the week of 30 January - 5 February:

1.  Audiences at Zarzuela Palace, 31 January. Bling on the cardigan? I like it. But not the oxford shoes, I'm afraid.
2. Opening the European year for volunteering, 1 February, a) with coat and b) without.
3. Visiting an education center in Madrid, 2 February, a) with coat and b) without. Update: eagle-eyed reader Alex points out this jacket is from Belstaff!
4. Attending the Luz Casal concert, 4 February. SHOOTIES. Also, leather. Or pleather. Or both.

Best and Worst of the Week

Really, I'm naming Felipe worst of the week here. This is one awkward outfit. These two take on many different roles, but rock star should not be one of them. Trying too hard. I much prefer the gray.


Photos: Purepeople/Abaca/Getty/Zimbio

Week in Review: Princess Máxima, 30 January - 5 February

Here's what Princess Máxima wore the week of 30 January - 5 February:

1. Starting a youth healthy weight program and visiting the Korzo theater in the Hague, 1 February, a) with a rather bathrobe-like coat and b) without, where the trousers could use a little more length.
2. a) and b) Visiting the Mytikas project, 3 February. Because there weren't many good pictures from this event, I present you with c) the last appearance of these trousers from 2009. Gorgeous reader Susan termed them "knickerbockers" when she emailed me about this travesty, and I couldn't agree more with that characterization. I'm filing this one under "things that should be worn on a Scottish golf course" and also "worst outfit of 2011 contenders". 

Best and Worst of the Week

Outfit 1 is not the sort of thing that I would name the best of the week under any other circumstances, but I can not abide by knickerbockers or shootie-looking things. Excuse me, I mean SHOOTIES. And KNICKERBOCKERS. Good grief. To be fair, if I were grading based on jewelry alone, I'd flip that verdict: 

I love those gold earrings, but spiders as jewelry just creep me out. We have officially reached the perimeters of my magpie love for shiny things.

Photos: PPE/ANP/RVD

Week in Review: Crown Princess Pavlos, 23-29 January

Here's what Crown Princess Pavlos wore the week of 23-29 January:

1. Attending the Christian Dior fashion show, 24 January.
2. At the Chanel show, 24 January.
3. At the Jean-Paul Gaultier show, 26 January, a) so you can see the jacket, and b) because you can't miss the scarf.

Leave it to the fashion shows to bring Marie-Chantal out of hiding! Safe, tame and elegant - a real couture lady - right up until the end, when she hits us with the scarf and flat leopard boot double whammy. Just...wow.


Photos: Profimedia/Pacificcoastnews.com/Getty Images/Pascal LeSegretain

Week in Review: Princess Nikolaos, 23-29 January

Here's what Princess Nikolaos wore the week of 23-29 January:

1. At the opening of a London Tory Burch store, 25 January. Tory Burch store, it would follow that at least the jacket here is a Tory Burch design.

Well, look at that. You wear gray and black the right way, and I'm all for it. She looks chic!

Royal Fashion Awards: Monaco's Circus

The circus is in town! In Monte Carlo, to be exact. Quite an event, this International Circus Festival, and as usual it brought those crazy Monegasque royals out in droves. They're always good for discussion, so let's get down to business:

Best Couple

Pierre Casiraghi and Beatrice Borromeo

Snuggly and cute, these two. Demonstrating two correct scarf-sporting methods, I might add: for decoration without overwhelming your outfit as in the first picture (most astutely noted by reader Alpa who emailed me pics) and when you're required to wear them, as in the second picture.

Most Formal

Charlene Wittstock

Wearing the winter version of her summer engagement dress, Charlene here is a whole lot of done up for the circus, right? It was her birthday that day, I suppose we're all allowed to dress up to whatever version of the nines we please. Not that I would know what the appropriate dress code for a circus visit is anyways. Nothing's scarier than a clown, if you ask me.

Most Appropriate

Princess Alexandra

Now, see, this is what I expect at the circus. Complete with what looks to be a repeat of the mouse shoes from National Day.

Best Sport

Pauline Ducruet

How many teenage girls can you think of that would be willing to sport a ridiculous wig in public? In front of cameras, no less! Points to Ms. Ducruet for that alone. The rest is typical teen, right down to the skinny trousers, but she looks happy to support her mom. Hey, Albert gets points too:

Most At Home

Princess Stephanie

I'm just going to say it: she looks good. She looks comfortable and happy to be circus-ing it up (she's the president of the organization, I believe). Still clearly not in the couture realms of her sister, but for Stephanie, this'll do. Oh, except for the SHOOTIES on display in that last picture. That will never do.

Best Circus Outfit

Charlotte Casiraghi

Well, she didn't actually go to the circus, but you wear clown pants, this is what you get. She's at a Gucci party, she's wearing a Gucci outfit. The same thing was worn by Jennifer Lopez. Not a lot of crossover there, royalty and J.Lo., usually. (Preferably.) This is kind of steezy though; you know, she's working the whole "I just woke up and threw on this old designer rag, and I could care less what you think" look. Which is sort of her thing, I guess.

So, what do you think: is Charlotte working it? Is Charlene overdressed? Do clowns scare you too?

Photos: Zimbio

Week in Review: Princess Máxima, 16-22 January

Here's what Princess Máxima wore the week of 9-15 January:

1. Attending the Spots on Jobs fair, 19 January.

Oh, wow. I am so confused. Shockingly pink shirt with gray everything else. Except the accessories...

A brown purse? Sparkly pink disco earrings? And two tone shoes? So confused. Somebody needs to explain this to me.


Photos: Dutch Photo Press/PPE/vdWerf

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 16-22 January

Here's what Princess Mathilde wore the week of 16-22 January:

1. Attending the GSK Biologicals Awards, 17 January, a) with coat and b) without. Boring gray, but well fit.
2. Annual Diplomatic New Year's Reception, 18 January, a) full view and b) close up. Interesting jacket: sort of faux bois or zebra-esque in pattern.
3. Reception for NATO representatives, 20 January. Color! Yay!
4. Opening the Brussels Antiques & Fine Arts Fair, 20 January. Oh, those NATAN boots. Too high, and too pink.

Best and Worst of the Week

Gotta go with #3 for the best, hands down. Such a lovely color of pink - it really lights up Mathilde's face. And the dress is a great fit for her. Outfit #4 is also a great fit, and I when I first saw it I loved it. But I only loved it until I saw the boots, and now it's my worst of the week. How about you?


Photos: Isopix/Belga/hln.be

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 16-22 January

Here's what Princess Letizia wore the week of 16-22 January:

1. At the annual Foreign Ambassadors Reception, 18 January.
2. a) Attending the commemoration of the Santillana publishing house, 18 January, and b) the dress as worn previously. Not fair to evaluate the dress with the coat on, really.

Last week was light neutrals, this week is dark neutrals! See, she really does switch it up sometimes. (Ha.) What we have this week are two examples of things Letizia's tiny frame can pull off: a tightly cinched waist (#1) and a bubble dress (#2). And one example of something no one's frame can pull off: sticking a motorcycle jacket over a dainty bubble dress. Color me shocked she just didn't throw a scarf over it instead. Maybe she really is shaking things up.

Photos: Terra

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

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 9-15 January

Here's what Princess Letizia wore the week of 9-15 January:

1.  Opening a library, 11 January, a) with coat and b) without.
2. Lunch for the President of Hungary and later attending the delivery of the distinctions "City of the Science and the Innovation" in Madrid, 13 January, a) without coat and b) with. I'm getting the feeling here that using the dark tights makes her think it's okay to go this short with the skirt. Tights do not equal trousers. Also not okay? SHOOTIES.
3. Attending a working meeting with a cancer association, 14 January, a) back and b) front.

Best and Worst of the Week

Gray, gray, and might as well be gray. I'll give her a pass for appearance #3 as it was a "working meeting", but otherwise I'm just bored to tears here. Can I name them all "worst"?

Photos: Profimedia/Getty/Terra/Casa Real/Telecinco

Week in Review: Princess Madeleine, 9-15 January

Here's what Princess Madeleine wore the week of 9-15 January:

1. On a date (allegedly) in New York City. Looks like a scarf and a fur vest, which is a whole lot of coziness. I hope it is a date - she deserves to have some fun this year!

Photo: Aftonbladet

Week in Review: Princess Beatrice, 1-8 January

Here's what Princess Beatrice wore the week of 1-8 January:

1. Holidaying in the Caribbean.
2. Attending the wedding of Sarah Stourton and Harry Aubrey-Fletcher, 8 January. She also wore this coat to Christmas. I like the idea but I question the execution of the coat.

I like the idea of the coat, but I do question the execution. Either she's got a whole extra purse worth of stuff in those pockets, or they're just designed to sag out. Neither situation is desirable, really.

Updated: Missed this one, leaving a bar on 7 January.

Photos: EaglePress/BigPicturesPhoto.com/Daily Mai/Belga

Flashback Friday: Mary at the New Year Courts

The Danish royal family kicks the new year off in my kind of fashion: with tiaras ablaze and orders all shined up at the New Year Courts. Sadly, though, this year just didn't live up to past years for me.

Margrethe in that green dress we've seen time and again, and Marie in a great dress with an unfortunate neckline (for the occasion) that happens to bear a stark resemblance in form to Mary's orange number from last year. Sartorially speaking: very boring, with the exception of the run away zipper on Prince Henrik's trousers...and I won't post a picture of that. (You're welcome.) I mean, for the second reception, she even wore precisely the same thing she's worn for the past few years to the same event:

I miss Mary (she took the year off to gestate the royal twins). Good or bad, she brought more to talk about. So let's flash back to her previous New Year's appearances, just for kicks:

Here we have Mary showing us the two sides of dressing for these types of occasions. The good way, on the left: well fit, great color, appropriate for January weather. And the bad way, on the right: upholstery.

My favorite year, ever. I absolutely love this red velvet dress, without reservation. It's just so medieval. (Loved it when she wore it for King Harald's 70th birthday too. Very sad it didn't get to make a reappearance this pregnancy.) And the blue/purple color is divine, with the darker portion on the bottom adding just the right amount of interest.

Part of me loves that purple gown, and part of me thinks the cut plus the fabric sheen plus that pink/purple color so often seen on the tutus of small girls equals a costume from a Disney princess movie. And part of me loves the blue dress, and part of me thinks it ages her. (I do love the hair, no matter what.) Make up my mind in the comments for me, would you please? Many thanks.

Woe is me, the upholstered coat makes a return. Better than 2006, without the necklaces cluttering it up, but still: it's a sofa. In coat form. She makes up for it by repeating one of her pretty pre-wedding gowns, this lovely ice blue. I do love that color combination with the rubies.

And now we come to the orange gown, subject of conflicting opinions in the comments on Mary's Best of 2010 post. I like the gown itself, but I do not care for the orange. With the rubies, and the gold...my eyes are starting to burn. What we need is this neckline, combined with the color of Marie's gown from this year. That would be a winner. Next up we have the repeated blue, which as you know I can't make up my mind about, and this meringue-ish dream of a third outfit. Now, this is a princess costume I can get down with.

Tell me: what's your favorite (and un-favorite) gown? And what did you make of the ladies this year, in Mary's absence?

Photos: PPE/Colourpress/Christophersen