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 Máxima, 13-19 February

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

1. Family ski vacation in Lech, 19 February. Kudos to Princess Pink and Purple there (also known as Princess Ariane) for busting out some personal style on the slopes. Amalia (in the middle) isn't doing so bad either, with her silver take on giraffe print. 

If I could get Ariane's coat in my size, that'd by my ski style. But if I couldn't find that, I might go with Mabel's style instead (and it's not very often that I say that!). Glam ski bunny all the way:

Photos: AP Photo/Daylife

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 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: Princess Máxima, 23-29 January

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

1. At the Tango musical, 23 January.
2. At the Responsible Finance Forum, 27 January.
3. At the taping of a financial TV show, 27 January.
4. Opening a cultural center, 28 January.

Best and Worst of the Week

Well, obviously #1 has to be the worst - see through anything is grounds for that. But #3 is hot on its tails: please, please no more black tights with light colored shoes! For the best, I suppose I'll go with #4 - it's the best appearance of this leather-topped dress I've seen.

Photos: PPE/RVDA/BNN/Nieboer

Flashback Friday: Máxima's Tiaras

Willem-Alexander and Máxima celebrated their wedding anniversary this week. (They were hitched on 02-02-2002 - that's one way to make sure you don't forget the date!) Since I've already sung the praises of Máxima's wedding dress, I thought I'd mark the occasion by singing the praises of my other favorite thing about Máxima: her bling.

Heaven knows I love a tiara, and among her peers, Máxima reigns supreme with the greatest variety of sparkly headgear. By my rough count, Máxima has worn 12 different tiaras. Twelve!! Let's put that in perspective, shall we? (I'm no expert, by the way. This is what's in my Swiss cheese memory, correct me in the comments.)

• Mathilde: Only 2 tiaras - and one she wore only on her wedding day, never since. 
• Mary: 3 tiaras - and the Midnight tiara is said not to be owned by her, or the royal family, but is rather available as a loan when she needs it. The other two of course are her ruby tiara and her tiny little wedding tiara.
• Camilla: Also 3. One (the gigantic Delhi Durbar) has only been worn once, and another (the Shand-Cubitt tiara) is her family's tiara. Before Camilla, Diana only had use of 2 tiaras - again, one belonging to her family, and only one from the Queen.
• Letizia: 3 tiaras worn so far, the Prussian (worn at her wedding), the shell, and the floral, with a fourth new one that hasn't been worn yet.
• Mette-Marit: 3, the diamond daisy tiara she wore on her wedding day, the amethyst necklace tiara, and the pearl and diamond tiara she wore to Victoria's wedding. Oh, and she did wear the Vifte tiara as a necklace, I guess.
• Victoria: Even a future Queen Regnant can't compete - V's sported a solid 8 tiaras, but most of the rest of the Swedish collection is used only by Queen Silvia. There's the Cameo (will she wear it again after the wedding day, or will it go back to the Queen only?), the 6- and 4-button tiaras, the amethyst necklace tiara, the Baden fringe, the steel cut tiara, the diamond necklace bandeau which is more like a hair ornament than a proper tiara, and her 18th birthday tiara (and that hardly counts, as it's mostly wire).

And now, here's Máxima:

1. Mellerio Ruby Tiara
2. Emerald Tiara, with pearls
3. Ruby Peacock Motif Tiara
4. Emerald Tiara
5. Mellerio Sapphire Tiara
6. Aquamarine Tiara
7. Diamond Bandeau Tiara
8. Diamond Festoon Tiara
9. Pearl Button Tiara topped with Queen Emma's Diamond Stars
10. Mellerio Sapphire Tiara, diamond setting
11. Antique Pearl Tiara, no pearls
12. Antique Pearl Tiara, with pearls

Plus, she wore a diamond haircomb at Victoria's pre-wedding celebration. (Did I miss any?)

Clearly, without being a Queen and having access to whatever you want, whenever you want it, Maxima's got the best deal around.  And the Netherlands has one of the best jewel collections - tons to pick from, and many of the pieces are convertible so you can switch it up. I can't wait to see what goodies she busts out for us this year!

Tell me: which one's your favorite? I'm partial to #5 and #12, myself.

Flashback Friday: Royal Wardrobe Malfunctions and Mishaps

I'd like to apologize in advance for the content of this post. Máxima made me do it. Let me tell you something: once you start looking at wardrobe mishaps and malfunctions, you can't stop. It's the train wreck that keeps on giving. Allow me to demonstrate:

Apart from flashbulb peril, Máxima seems to be prone to earring problems. (Goes with the territory when you wear giant rocks as jewelry, I suppose.) Noticing you lost an earring (left) is not nearly as embarrassing as not noticing (right).

Left to Right: Crown Princess Mary, Sara Buys (now Sara Parker-Bowles, daughter-in-law of Camilla) at Charles and Camilla's wedding, an engaged Lady Diana Spencer, Princess Michael of Kent

The unplanned problems are the saddest, really. Even the best laid outfit plans can go astray. Poor Máxima's not alone, Mary's also had some issues with camera flashes and visible undergarments. And who looks at the back of their skirt in a bus-climbing pose before purchase? Another failure to consider camera angles resulted in one of the most famous royal wardrobe malfunctions of all time from poor Diana. At least she didn't do it intentionally...ahem, Princess Michael.

Princess Eugenie's among the ones I just expect to have some embarrassing moments, what with all those perilously short skirts. She's not the only one to have let the wind get the best of her, though:

L to R: Queen Elizabeth, Queen Paola, the Duchess of Cornwall, Princess Letizia, the Princess of Wales, Princess Madeleine

Oh, wind. How dare you mess with the royal composure. You have to give credit to these ladies for rolling on like nothing happened after such unfortunate incidents - some worse than others. (If you recall Letizia's windy moment, you know that I am posting the most delicate photograph I could find. Poor girl.) I had a Marilyn Monroe moment once myself, on a street in London. It still pains me to think of it.

Extra composure points are awarded for those that have to deal with the wind on the worst possible days. Poor Marie. I'd make a face so much worse than that if nature decided to have its way with my wedding dress. Oh, we'd have words, Nature and I.

Some royals are more prone to mishaps than others, it seems. Mary's lost her hat on more than one occasion (at Parliament before her wedding, and not so long ago in Vietnam). Lucky for her dashing soldiers always seem to be around to do the hat fetching. Recently, she lost her shoe while in Washington, D.C, proving why a princess shouldn't leave the house without a pedicure. Just in case.

Here's my question: is Sarah Ferguson truly more prone to wardrobe malfunctions, or do people just take extra delight in her mistakes?

I know, Sarah. I'm not helping. But I take a stance like Boyfriend Dave there does: what good does a sour face do us? Just have a laugh and move on.

Finally, my investigation into the phenomenon of  the royal wardrobe malfunction turned up a few particularly disturbing incidences. What do you call it when a mishap is planned, and prepared for, and...intentional?

L to R: Princess Mabel, Princess Kalina of Bulgaria, Princess Caroline

Lest anyone be tempted to make excuses for these ladies, let me clarify: this is Mabel attending the King of Norway's birthday celebrations, Kalina attending the silver wedding anniversary in Luxembourg, and Caroline at the Rose Ball. Not a costumed function in sight.

Listen: if I have to be scarred for life, so do you. We're in this together, friends.

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

Things That Make You Go Hmm...: Is that her...? Oh, no.

If you can get farther than the chest-ish area while reviewing Máxima's outfit here, you're a better person than I.

Nothing's sadder than a royal wardrobe malfunction. See through tops: a "hmm" if there ever was one.

(You know, there's something to be said about wearing your pretty underwear all the time, just in case. Food for thought.)

Any other royal wardrobe malfunctions you can think of? Since we're already shaking our heads in shame, and all.

Week in Review: Princess Máxima, 9-15 January

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

1. Visiting the Be Interactive foundation, 11 January, a) with coat and b) without.
2. Receiving the Sultan of Brunei, 13 January. An odd angle on this picture combined with the proportions of the outfit is creating a bit of a fun house mirror situation here, no?
3. At Marcanti College in Amsterdam, 15 January.

Best and Worst of the Week

I could do without the matching red boots in outfit 3, but I still like this one best. Very flattering jacket. Outfit 2's also got a great jacket, but it's too short and the skirt's too high waisted - the proportions are all messed up. Also, I know that these group photos have to be an awkward thing to do, but I think a little posing practice might help things along. Right?

UPDATE: Missed this one, attending a memorial service for Célia von Bismarck, 17 January.

Photos: Daylife/Getty Images/Gespot AT5/bild.de

Flashback Friday: Readers' Best of 2010

Here we go! Your suggestions for additions to the Best of 2010 list. Ah. This is just what I needed after a week of Worsts and bores and SHOOTIES.

Princess Mathilde

I quite like that orange plaid number. My only hesitation comes from the addition of what appears to be orange shoes and orange earrings. A little matching goes a long way, methinks.

Princess Beatrice

Excellent leg showings, both. Though I did think that first number was better standing still, rather than in action trudging through the Ascot lawn.

Princess Letizia

With the exception of that SHOOTIE appearance (or booties, or whatever you want to call them - it's all fug to me) on the end there, I'm in agreement.

Crown Princess Mary

A true abundance of options. The floral Jackie O. inspired look from the Washington, D.C. visit very nearly topped my list too. Divided opinions, though, on the orange gown (and also on that brown jumpsuit...not for me, that).

Princess Máxima

That floral Valentino is a lot of dress: not many could pull it off, but she does. Someone mentioned the bicycle riding outfit, which was also worn departing on the train for Margrethe's birthday celebrations, and that got me thinking about this super Hollywood appearance from the train's arrival in Denmark. Chic!

Crown Princess Victoria

More excellent choices, particularly the Elie Saab. I don't care for those YSL shoes in the middle, but I think I'm alone on that.

Many thanks to all that weighed in!

Royal Trend Watch: SHOOTIES

There's a trend that's been brewing among royal ladies. I've been loathe to declare it as such, but after today...I think I have to. And I will do so while banging my head on my desk, because this trend is the new bane of my existence.

The SHOOTIE. I'm sorry to go all caps-locky on you, but I think it's warranted. A ridiculous word, a ridiculous look. Why, please tell me why, would you voluntarily cut your legs off? Can't we all unite in the pursuit of a nice long leg line?

Crown Princess Victoria's one and only appearance that came close to making my Top 10 Worst of 2010 list, and it's all because of the SHOOTIE.

Letizia's a fan. I have to say, if this was going to look good on anyone, it would probably be Letizia based on the wee size of her legs, but no. You will notice how she wears them with matching tights, thus negating the whole SHOOTIE effect in the first place, though that little trick still doesn't erase the mistake of that cherry red number.

I saw this today on Laurentien, and my concern increased. That's a distracting dress (I mean, what's going on around the shoulders?), but you still can't hide the SHOOTIES. You know how these Dutch princesses are. This is bound to be only the tip of the SHOOTIE iceberg.

But nothing, NOTHING, can possibly top this in terms of sheer SHOOTIE horror:

The Estonian state visit to Sweden has brought a whole host of interesting sartorial appearances, courtesy of the Estonian First Lady there. Wrestle your attention away from the headgear for a moment. I know, it's impossible (oh LORD is it ever impossible), but move your eyes in a downward direction. Before you have a heart attack, know that Queen Silvia's not pulling a Letizia here, that's just static cling wreaking havoc on her skirt. She saved her Letizia move for the feet.

A double SHOOTIE appearance. I'm still trying to recover from the horror. If this phenomenon has made it's way from wannabe fashionable princesses to the realm of queens, I'm afraid we have a real problem on our hands. I'm thinking of starting a petition. (I'm also thinking of starting a Worst of 2011 list for those accompanying royals based solely on the sartorial wonder that is the Estonian First Lady, but that's another story.) Who's with me?

Photos: Huffington Post/Daylife/PPE/vdWerf

Top 10 Worst of 2010: The Runners Up

Narrowing down the field to just 10 of the worst appearances of the year was nearly impossible. You know I love the disastrous appearances. So, without further ado, the ones that almost made it:

Things that Make Me Sad

L to R: Princess Máxima, Princess Mathilde, Princess Alexia, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Princess Alexandra, Sarah Ferguson

From bad fabrics (that'd be Máxima and Maria Teresa) to bad shapes (Mathilde and Alexia), these ladies brought me down with their unfortunate selections. Designers make me sad, too: example being when NATAN attacked poor young Princess Alexandra. And when Sarah busted out her Alexander McQueen...it made me weep for the memory of that poor designer. Have some respect for his legacy, Sarah: retire that dress.

That's enough of the sad. Let's get back to the humorous appearances, shall we?

When Accessories Attack

L to R: Princess Elena, Princess Anne, Princess Michael, Queen Margrethe, Princess Claire

It's the bolero and the hair piece on Elena that takes this pink number from just enthusiastically ball-gownish to straight up costume. Similarly, Princess Anne's outfit on Ascot Day 2 wasn't that bad...until you saw the hair ornaments. It's a little disturbing on a woman of Anne's age (not to mention a woman of Anne's persona). Even more disturbing, though, is this fortune teller get up of Princess Michael. Talk about your costumes! What's not a costume, of course, is Margrethe's floral raincoat - that's just who she is (shame she didn't bust out the matching hat, though). And I'm sadly afraid that these necklaces attacking Princess Claire might just be who she is. Yikes.

Royal Hippies

L to R: Princess Cristina, Queen Sofia, Princess Letizia, Charlene Wittstock

A nice printed fabric, a lovely flow...just makes you yearn for the beach (or Woodstock). But on royal duty? Methinks not. At least we're getting a picture of where Elena might have gotten the inspiration for her clown pants. I have no explanation for Charlene, though. Let's just hope she'll have a better Armani experience come wedding time.

Prints Gone Wild

L to R: Crown Princess Margarita, Princess Irene, Queen Beatrix, Princess Märtha Louise (times 2!)

Oh, prints went wild on the dance floor too this year. Margarita combined the ever-popular jail bird trend with a nice floral for a truly mind-boggling frock, while Princess Irene and Queen Beatrix went paisley (why?). Märtha Louise, always one to give us something to snicker at, dished up two doozies this year: sea creature with a mullet at Victoria's pre-wedding dinner, and striped up like a football star during the Netherlands state visit. It should be noted that she's worn that dress before, to Frederik and Mary's wedding. She appears to only wear it when she has a sash that accentuates the stripe-age.

A Serious Case of Try Hard

L to R: Crown Princess Pavlos, Princess Nikolaos, Princess Letizia, Crown Princess Victoria, Crown Princess Mary, Princess Mabel

There's a lot of fashionable princesses mucking about out there. There are some that are truly stylish, and some that just think they are, but they all have their moments of Trying Too Hard. Marie-Chantal is a couture-clad designer, but I still don't get this overly metallic frock. (Too much.) Tatiana's another fashion industry veteran, but this black outfit crosses from fashionable to Halloween. (Too harsh.) Letizia tries, but I will never have any love for the M.C. Hammer pants. (Too wrong.) I love Victoria, but shooties? Seriously? (Too much of a travesty.) And Mary, she gets it right so often, but this top and these pants and those shoes on a pregnant lady...no. (Too much try.)

Naturally, we close once again with Mabel. With stripper shoes...and a jumpsuit. Wait, why didn't this one make the countdown? Crap.

Alright, you've heard me out. Now, tell me: who did I miss?

Top 10 Worst of 2010: #1. Princess Mabel at Crown Princess Victoria's Wedding

I thought about it, and I thought about it, and here's what I came up with:

This thing just can't be topped. I mean, it hits all the criteria I set out at the beginning of this list:

Raucous laughter: check. Come on, it's both a tutu and business wear. Hilarity!

Gasps of horror: oh yeah. I'll say it again, it's both a tutu and business wear. WHY?

The rare, but potent, "OH NO YOU DIDN'T": never more true. This isn't something worn to a gala party where Mabel was the headliner. She wore this to someone's wedding. And you know the primary rule of wedding attire: don't you dare upstage the bride. If this isn't an attempt at that, then I really don't know what's going on here.

I'm just going to go ahead and assume this one made your list, so tell me: was it your number one?

Also, coming tomorrow: the outfits that almost made my list.

Top 10 Worst of 2010: #5. Princess Laurentien at a Literacy Event

I'm not sure I could make a Worst Top 10 list without an appearance by Princess Laurentien. After all, this is the lady that made not one, but two appearances on the list of Top 10 Worst Dressed Royal Wedding Guests (and you can relive that fun here and here).

And looky here, she's done it again:

The scarf feels like a move out of an aging rocker's playbook. So do the leggings. Keith Richards, anyone?

Also, for the record: I do love red shoes. (In order, my favorite shoe colors are purple, yellow, and then red. Just so you know.) Not these red shoes, though. I'm sure they're made of the finest that today's petroleum products have to offer, but no. I maintain my position that these right here are stripper shoes.

Oh, and stockings with peep toe shoes? Don't get me started. Reminds me of the things I used to see visiting Grandma at the old folks' home.

Photos: PPE/v.d. Werf

Flashback Friday: Leaving the Hospital in Style

Mary's leaving the hospital with her twins today! Yay. Even snarky old me has to love a snugly little baby (times 2!).

What a tricky appearance, though. I'm not a mother myself, but I can imagine that the absolute last thing you'd want to do so soon after birth is present yourself before the world's media. You're not back to your pre-pregnancy form (not even close, assuming you're human!), you're tired, and sweatpants must be carrying a far greater allure than they ever have before.

Let's see how past royal mums have handled the situation, shall we?

I think there are only two pictures in existence of my mother pregnant. Now I know why. If I ever decide to gestate a human of my own, I'll make sure to thank my lucky stars that maternity fashion's come so far in the last few decades.

Nowadays, the rules of regular fashion still apply to maternity and après-maternity wear: when in doubt, go with a flattering jacket. Seriously, how cute is Mathilde in that red number?

Here's another useful strategy for new mothers that might not want the spotlight on their fashion or their figure: apply the art of distraction. You've got a cute baby, use it! There's no reason to focus on the mother.

Here's Mary showcasing the pretty blanket strategy, Claire employing the extra fabric strategy, and Letizia going straightforward by showing off that little munchkin face. I'm far more concerned with trying to figure out how much of Claire's bundle is baby and how much is just fabric than I am with what she's wearing. (Though, for the record, Mary's appearance there with baby Isabella is my fave. No need for distraction there - such a lovely top.)

If I were a royal mum, though, I think I'd push for another strategy altogether.

Let the mother sneak quickly out and leave the parading to the new father. Pose for family photos later on, after you've had plenty of pajama relaxing time.

Who wins your prize for best dressed new mother?

Photos: Life/Getty Images/Hola