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 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 Nikolaos, 30 January - 5 February

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

1. Attending the British Fashion Council/Vogue Designer Fashion Fund cocktail reception in celebration of winner Christopher Kane at Almada Bar and Club, London, 2 February. Little belted cape-type coat, little bit of pink, I'm liking it.

Photos: Getty Images

Week in Review: Crown Princess Mette-Marit, 16-22 January

Here's what Crown Princess Mette-Marit wore the week of 16-22 January:

1. a, b, and c) New pictures released from the family's travels for Ingrid Alexandra's 7th birthday, 21 January. Good traveling outfits, nothing much to see here.
2. a, b, c, d) New official photographs released, 22 January; e) the Valentino gown on the runway.

A week of photographs that aren't actually from this week, but we'll go with it since it's been a while since we've seen Mette-Marit. No new gowns on display for the official pictures, but it is nice to see these repeats in a posed manner - all the better for the details.

And hey, look what's back:

Quite the selection, there, Queen Sonja. Now we know the layers are alternating pleats, lace AND ruffles. The full trifecta for this ruffled wonder.


Photos: Norwegian Royal Court

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 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

Week in Review: Crown Princess Mary, 9-15 January

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

1.  Leaving the hospital with the twins, 14 January.

I'm not a huge fan of this, but I'm also not going to pick on a lady that just had twins. Besides, this same thing happens to me when I wear wide-legged trousers: you stand still and they swallow your shoes whole.

How'd this measure up to past hospital exits for you?

Photo: PurePeople/Abaca

Week in Review: Princess Mathilde, 9-15 January

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

1.  New Year's reception, 12 January. We can go ahead and assume this is NATAN, since Máxima's been seen in similar tops.
2. Visiting an exhibition, 14 January.

On the left, we have a great winter outfit for Mathilde, complete with a great brooch to liven it up. On the right, we have half spring and half winter. I like the skirt, and I could learn to like the sweater, but I do not like them together.

Photos: Reuters/Daylife

Royal Fashion Awards: The Nobel Prizes, 2010

I meant to post over the weekend, my lovelies, but I ended up snowed in miles away from my laptop, a blizzard keeping me from my snark. Good thing reader Deidre emailed today to remind me of the overwhelming need for a post. I've never met Deidre, but I sense she's got that Claudia Schiffer look to her, topped off with an Einstein brain. Anyways: we shall continue forward in the spirit of "better late than never", for it is the most wonderful time of the year - that's right, time to award some Nobel prizes!

Norway kicked things off, awarding the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday with a concert on Saturday, and the rest of the prizes were of course awarded on Friday in Sweden with the traditional King's Dinner following on Saturday. To the clothes!

Most Typical

Queen Sonja at the Peace Prize ceremony, Princess Christina at the Nobel Banquet, and Queen Silvia at the King's Dinner

Nothing much to see here, friends. Queen Sonja held down the sartorial fort in Oslo with Mette-Marit out and about on her world travels, and she didn't venture a foot outside her comfort zone. I mean, sure, the hat's kinda oddball, but that IS her comfort zone. Princess Christina turned in a perfectly respectable appearance at the Nobel ceremonies in Sweden on Friday, and Queen Silvia did the same on Saturday (though I do not like that tiara and I can not be convinced otherwise).

Best Black Tie

Crown Princess Victoria at the King's Dinner

I can't hate on Crown Princess Victoria in a jewel-toned Elie Saab gown. That would be sacrilegious. But I can admit that this just wasn't the right occasion. There's too much going on at the neckline here for a necklace and a sash. Plus, that's some black tie hair right there. (What is up with that 'do? Part of the reason why the Nobel functions are so fabulous is because the Swedish ladies turn the tiara hair volume up to 11. This does not go to eleven.)

Best Repeat

Princess Christina at the King's Dinner

Yes, we've seen this one before, at Victoria's wedding. But it's fab, and thus she shall be excused from repeating a gown during the Nobel festivities. Yet again I fall prey to the allure of a luscious jewel tone.

Best Overall

Crown Princess Victoria at the Nobel Banquet

 

Oh, yummy. Elie Saab again, and this time absolutely perfect for the white tie event. The draping, the back - I mean, jumpy claps! It's even managing to make that steel cut tiara look alright (Napoleonic dress, Napoleonic tiara - nice), though this is yet another piece I can not get down with. It's just so...plume-tastic. And there's no diamonds on it! Come on now.

Best Use of Color

Queen Silvia at the Nobel Banquet

Combining colored jewels with colored gowns is dicey business. (Think back to Mary's combo of rubies and that mint-ish green dress at Victoria's wedding, or Sonja's coral and emerald pairing at the same event. Risky business.) But this - now, this was a good call. The sapphires and the green dress just play so nicely together. Well done, and the hair gets an A+ as well for having just enough volume to balance out the weight of that tiara.

Worst Use of Color

Queen Sonja at the Nobel Concert

Well, this is amusing. Army green and fuchsia? Really? With a black cummerbund? Someone please tell me this is a recycle from an era gone past. I think what I like best is that she took such an overwhelming color combo, busied it up by contrasting the fabrics, paired it with an overwhelming pattern on the top, and then topped the whole thing off with MORE pattern - brooches and a choker that might as well be part of the dress, that neckline's so high. The magpie in me can't help but admire the spirit.

Who made your best dressed list for the Nobel Awards this year? Speak! Type!

Photos: Svenskdam/Daylife/Getty

Week in Review: Princess Máxima, 12-18 September

Here's what Princess Máxima wore the week of 12-18 September:

1. Attending the start of the money week ‘Week van het geld’, 13 September. I've said it before, and I'll say it again: Big Bird.
2. Opening of the royal complex in Utrecht, 14 September. Still love this one - whole lotta print here, but she can handle it.
3. Visiting a project aimed at reducing school dropouts, 15 September.

Best and Worst of the Week

Sure, the last outfit of the week could have used a pop of color - but look! She did her hair! Maxima's hair can look so dissheveled when worn down. Pulling it back like this is a sure way to win the week. A sure way to lose the week, on the other hand, is to overdose on the yellow (and mustard yellow at that!).

Photos: PPE/v.d.Werf/Nieboer/ANP/Robin Utrecht

Flashback Friday: Queen Margrethe's Birthday Celebrations, Part 2

And now it's time to glance back to the next event of Margrethe's 70th birthday celebrations back in April.  The morning after the gala, the royals attended a luncheon.  We'll get to that in a second, but first - because we need some bling to sustain us - a gala held prior to the big shebang.

Left to Right: Princess Benedikte, Princess Marie, Crown Princess Mary, Queen Margrethe

I must say, this is a pretty good showing all around for the ladies of the Danish house, but Benedikte and Mary here are absolutely schooling Marie and Margrethe in Gown Sleeves 101.  It's all about fit, fit, fit, and Margrethe looks unnecessarily large and Marie looks a little like she's playing dress up, no?  Total toss up between naming Benedikte and Mary the best of this evening, but Mary wins because I just love that red dress.  Looovvvee.


Anyways, now onto the day event of our flashback.  We're back to the day after the gala event we've already discussed, and by this time a few more royals had been able to figure out their transport situations and join the party.  Bit strange, I thought, to don hats for an indoor lunch event, so let's see how the royals handled it:

Best of the Large Hats

L to R: Carina Axelsson, Princess Benedikte, Crown Princess Mary

Oh, not a fan of any of this.  Nope.  Carina's dress looks like someting from The Golden Girls.  Mary's trying to contrast the froufy lines of her skirt and her hat with that strong coat and she is not succeeding.  Benedikte looks like something out of the conservative early 1990s, but who knows - she's probably had this outfit since then, so I'll allow it.

Best of the Small Hats

L to R: Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Alexia, Crown Princess Victoria, Queen Silvia, Queen Margrethe

Much more conducive to eating, these hats.  Except Mette-Marit, who's got some sort of ribbon trailing down from some headband she bought at the dollar store.  Also taking a cue from the school of fascinators for little girls: Alexia.  Silvia and Victoria went feathery, while Margrethe went with some kind of curly thing - but flattering colors and cuts on the clothes for all of them.  Victoria wins because come on, how good does she look in her white dress and sky-high heels?

Best of Retro

L to R: Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Queen Anne-Marie, Princess Máxima, Princess Nathalie, Princess Marie

Lots of cues from eras past on show here; thank you, ladies, you know I eat this kind of thing right up.  Maria Teresa channeled a 1940s vibe, fur wrap and all.  Anne-Marie went all Jackie Kennedy with her simple coat and pillbox.  Also from the 1960s: Máxima and Nathalie.  Call me the victim of a Mad Men overdose, but I love Máx's look here.  Crazy flattering coat, and she's just nuts enough to pull off the matching turban.  Nathalie's got a more universally flattering thing going on, though, and she gets bonus points for being stylish while pregnant, so she wins.  And as for Marie...this is late 80s, early 90s at best and the hat is just an upturned cloth bucket. No.

Photos: Profimedia/IBL/bt.dk

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 12-18 September

Here's what Princess Letizia wore the week of 12-18 September:

1. Taking Leonor to the ballet, 13 September.  If princesses wore uniforms, this would be Letizia's.
2. Inaugurating the Historic Archive of Official Economic Chamber of Seville and attending the Second Edition of "Economic Sevillian Night" (sounds like a party, doesn't it?), 14 September.  Do you like her hair like this?
3. First day of school, 15 September.  
4. At Madrid Fashion Week, 17 September.  I love this top, though I could do without the cardigan thing.  (From some photos, it appeared that the back of it was made from some sort of shiny material...interesting?)

Best and Worst of the Week

As we know, Letizia loves her some scarves, but the one she wore taking the girls to school I think actually does fantastic things for this outfit.  The pattern and difference in colors add something much needed to the neutral outfit.  And I really like that leather jacket - this is a great mom-on-the-go outfit!  Now, I feel like I should be a huge fan of outfit #2, but...something's not working.  I'm glad she did something different with her hair, but I'm not sure this was the best execution.  And those shoes need to be put to rest.  They are absolutely the reason I had to name this my worst of the week. 

Photos: Terra/Hola/Darinavarra

Royal Fashion Awards: Prinsjesdag 2010

The Dutch royal family was out in force today for Prinsjesdag (where Queen Beatrix gives a budget speech and opens a new year of parliament).  This event has a most curious dress code: the ladies wear long dresses along with their orders - but with hats.  Every year I cross my fingers in the hopes that they'll just go ahead and upgrade to a full-on tiara event, but you know me - any royal event without bling is a missed opportunity indeed.  (Priorities, people.)  Well, we'll work with what we have...

Most True to Form

Perhaps Beatrix should adopt this mixed dress code for her every day (and night) wear - she always seems to look her best for Prinsjesdag.  She's working a very flattering silhouette here.  Sure, you've got your standard UMO (Unidentified Millinery Object) topping the whole thing off, but without that nobody would recognize her.

Best Museum Steal

Maxima must be pilfering from the nearest sartorial exhibition, because this is straight up My Fair Lady.  In fact, change the color and make that hat a little larger and you'd have an extra fresh from the set of the Black and White Ascot.  Or maybe I just have to envision her as a character because the sheer daintiness of this outfit is so unexpected.  What's she done with the big, bold Maxima that we've come to expect?  Maybe that's what the hat's all about.

Most Retina-Searing

Where are my complimentary sunglasses, Laurentien?  That's a whole lotta pink.  Throw in the orange sash and you've got a seizure of color so potent it should come with a medical warning. 

Worst Absence

Mabel.  Sadly, she does not attend Prinsjesdag (or at least she hasn't that I'm aware of - I'm sure one of you lovelies will correct me if I'm wrong here).  Man, just think of the craziness she'd bring to an event like this...

Best Way to Show 'Em How It's Done

Princess Margriet knows what's up, see.  She doesn't need a costume or anything capable of giving the crowd an epileptic seizure to steal this show.  Simple, flattering, appropriate, and a win without competition.  Well done.

Who won this year's Prinsjesdag fashion stakes for you?

Week in Review: Crown Princess Mette-Marit, 12-18 September

Here's what Crown Princess Mette-Marit wore the week of 12-18 September:

1. Opening of Alpha role modeling, 13 September.  Sadly the necklace isn't interesting enough to make up for the rest of this outfit. 
2. Attending a youth conference, 15 September.  Ah ha!  Color!  But it seems we have some random selections from different outfits all thrown together.  Black jacket and pink skirt: okay.  Add in the scarf and the bag and the color scheme starts to get a little dicey.  And then brown shoes?  Most curious.  (I do like the shoes, for the record.  You know how I feel about M-M and her shoes.)

Photos: bt.dk

Week in Review: Crown Princess Mary, 29 August - 4 September

Here's what Crown Princess Mary wore the week of 29 August - 4 September:

1.  Conference for the Brain Injury Association, 31 August.  What is that skirt made of?  Is it leather or is it fake?
2. Memorial concert for Queen Ingrid, 31 August, a) from Ralph Lauren b) on Mary, 31 August.  I like this up until I see one of the many photos for this event in which the Crown Princess's bra strap is showing.  Whoops.
3. Conference on polio, 3 September.  A much repeated top, most recently seen out and about in Stockholm. 

 Best and Worst of the Week

 I just love that Heartmade top, and I love that she's worn it for purposes ranging from casual to daywear to eveningwear.  It makes a much better combination with that skirt than anything from the first outfit of the week does.  I don't care what that skirt is made of, it doesn't sit or move well.  Looks cheap.  And the shoes don't make any sense to me.

Photos: Belga/msn.dk/Svenskam/Zimbio/DANAPRESS

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 5-11 September

Here's what Princess Letizia wore the week of 5-11 September:

1. Attending the ballet, 5 September. This outfit again, but different shoes. I like this shirt/trouser combo, but we still need to work on the shoes.
2. Inauguration of a research center, 7 September. Wow.
3. Attending a concert, 8 September.
4. Visiting Onda Cera Radio, 9 September. I like this suit. The shirt sort of looks like a bib when you can't see the sleeves, though.

Best and Worst of the Week

Well, I guess the concert one wins.  Probably because I can't see the shoes.  Normally I hate those shoes on the shorts suit, but on this occasion they might be the best thing.  What we have here is the neutral uniform of a zookeeper or a safari guide.  Yes, and the feet are obviously being protected from the brush by the shoes in question.  As you can see, the hair has been affected by the conditions of the great wild outdoors, while the colors and floral prints are clearly donned to disguise our guide in the wild.  She has cleverly brought a scarf along in case one of the animals needs distracting.  Yes, that must be what's going on here.  Alternately, you could also just call is a hot mess and be done with it.

Photos: Zimbio/Getty Images Europe/Carlos Alvarez/Terra

Week in Review: Princess Letizia, 29 August - 4 September

Here's what Princess Letizia wore the week of 29 August - 4 September:

1. Dinner in Mallorca, 30 August. Looks like she's trying a little Mette-Marit move with the shoes there.
2. Audiences, 31 August. OH NO. She brought back the Hammer pants. Just to spite me, I'm sure of it.
3. Audiences, 2 September. Uh oh, somebody caught the stripe infection from her sister-in-law. Is it just me or is this dress just out of character for her? I mean, I'm surprised she chose it. Doesn't feel like her style.
4. Audiences, 3 September. This one again.

Best and Worst of the Week

I don't mind the striped dress, but the jacket adds a little Miami Vice flair to it that I can't get with. So the best has to be the blue one, school-girlish as it is, because the silver get up just doesn't make my skirt fly up. Nothing, though, is worse than the Hammer pants.

Photos: Terra/Zimbio/Abaca/Purepeople